The Transformation of American Religion : The Story of a Late-twentieth-century Awakening

This work tells the story of the dramatic transformation of American religion, attempts to understand its causes, and looks at what the future may hold. The author postulates that the demise of the longstanding Protestant hegemony in America is traceable to the success of deeply ingrained Protestant ways of thinking: emphasis on the individual's relationship with God, tension between spiritual life and religious institutions, egalitarian ideas about spiritual life, and belief in the practical benefits of spirituality. Porterfield analyzes the role of each of these interlocking strands of Protestant thought in the dramatic changes of the past three decades.