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After Cloven Tongues of Fire: Protestant Liberalism in Modern American History
The important role of liberal ecumenical Protestantism in American history
The role of liberalized, ecumenical Protestantism in American history has too often been obscured by the more flamboyant and orthodox versions of the faith that oppose evolution, embrace narrow conceptions of family values, and continue to insist that the United States should be understood as a Christian nation. In this book, one of our preeminent scholars of American intellectual history examines how liberal Protestant thinkers struggled to embrace modernity, even at the cost of yielding much of the symbolic capital of Christianity to more conservative, evangelical communities of faith.
If religion is not simply a private concern, but a potential basis for public policy and a national culture, does this mean that religious ideas can be subject to the same kind of robust public debate normally given to ideas about race, gender, and the economy? Or is there something special about religious ideas that invites a suspension of critical discussion? These essays, collected here for the first time, demonstrate that the critical discussion of religious ideas has been central to the process by which Protestantism has been liberalized throughout the history of the United States, and shed light on the complex relationship between religion and politics in contemporary American life.
After Cloven Tongues of Fire brings together in one volume David Hollinger's most influential writings on ecumenical Protestantism. The book features an informative general introduction as well as concise introductions to each essay.
The role of liberalized, ecumenical Protestantism in American history has too often been obscured by the more flamboyant and orthodox versions of the faith that oppose evolution, embrace narrow conceptions of family values, and continue to insist that the United States should be understood as a Christian nation. In this book, one of our preeminent scholars of American intellectual history examines how liberal Protestant thinkers struggled to embrace modernity, even at the cost of yielding much of the symbolic capital of Christianity to more conservative, evangelical communities of faith.
If religion is not simply a private concern, but a potential basis for public policy and a national culture, does this mean that religious ideas can be subject to the same kind of robust public debate normally given to ideas about race, gender, and the economy? Or is there something special about religious ideas that invites a suspension of critical discussion? These essays, collected here for the first time, demonstrate that the critical discussion of religious ideas has been central to the process by which Protestantism has been liberalized throughout the history of the United States, and shed light on the complex relationship between religion and politics in contemporary American life.
After Cloven Tongues of Fire brings together in one volume David Hollinger's most influential writings on ecumenical Protestantism. The book features an informative general introduction as well as concise introductions to each essay.
248 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
David A. Hollinger
25 books6 followersPreston Hotchkis Professor of History (Emeritus)
University of California at Berkeley
One of the pre-eminent intellectual historians in and of the United States.
Past President of the Organization of American Historians (2010-2011); Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; former Guggenheim Fellow, Fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, a Member of the Institute for Advanced Study, and Harmsworth Professor of the University of Oxford.
University of California at Berkeley
One of the pre-eminent intellectual historians in and of the United States.
Past President of the Organization of American Historians (2010-2011); Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; former Guggenheim Fellow, Fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, a Member of the Institute for Advanced Study, and Harmsworth Professor of the University of Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 21, 2013
A truly engaging and intelligent book by a brilliant author. It discusses the often overlooked (these days) influence of liberal, ecumenical Protestantism on American history and culture. Despite the decline of mainline Protestantism over the past 50 years, it has been the most effective branch of American Christianity to intellectually embrace modernity, secularism, science, and the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural world in which we live, while fighting the forces of fundamentalism and simplicity that make up much of the Christian right. The author has a deep understanding of American religious life today and his book addresses not only the ideological and historical divisions between liberal and conservative Christians, but also speaks intelligently about liberal Judaism and some parallels that exist in American Judaism and liberal Protestantism. A very interesting book.
March 29, 2014
This book is gathers together Hollinger's previously published articles and essays on Protestant liberalism. There is only a little new material: a preface, an epilogue, and brief introductions to the previously published works. Several of the essays are quite good, but they don't really come together to make a unified work.
I most enjoyed chapter 4, which argued for a more nuanced version of the science-religion conflict by exploring how the scientific establishment offers an alternative ethic and source of moral authority; chapter 8, an autobiographical narrative of becoming a historian that draws attention to religious provincialism and cosmopolitanism, and chapters 9 and 10, which argue that Christian ideas should not receive privileged or protected status in universities and politics, respectively.
I most enjoyed chapter 4, which argued for a more nuanced version of the science-religion conflict by exploring how the scientific establishment offers an alternative ethic and source of moral authority; chapter 8, an autobiographical narrative of becoming a historian that draws attention to religious provincialism and cosmopolitanism, and chapters 9 and 10, which argue that Christian ideas should not receive privileged or protected status in universities and politics, respectively.
October 26, 2014
Writing from a post-protestant perspective. Hollinger suggests that because we make Christianity the primary category of analysis, we think of liberal/ ecumenical protestantism as declining while evangelism is on the rise. There is some truth to this, but what has really happened is not the failure of protestant liberalism, but a success that is so dramatic that it has made ecumenical protestantism indistinguishable from the rest of mainstream American society - as evidenced by the mainstreaming of the cultural left in a time that is (at least historiographically) defined by the dominance of the Right. Essentially, when you let your kids think for themselves, they tend not to choose religion. So this is just a different way of considering the broad secularization of American society
Want to read
July 27, 2013A brilliant, if deeply partisan book.
The Enlightenment is such second nature to the author, so much like breathing air, that it is utterly impossible for him to imagine what it is like to be one of his conservative Christian enemies, much less credit their positions with any value or even good faith. For contrast, you could consider someone like Peter Brown, who is an atheist but able to penetrate deeply and sympathetically into the mental world of his early Christian subjects.
For Hollinger, there is never any doubt about who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. That said, the book is engrossing, thought-provoking and a pleasure to read.
The Enlightenment is such second nature to the author, so much like breathing air, that it is utterly impossible for him to imagine what it is like to be one of his conservative Christian enemies, much less credit their positions with any value or even good faith. For contrast, you could consider someone like Peter Brown, who is an atheist but able to penetrate deeply and sympathetically into the mental world of his early Christian subjects.
For Hollinger, there is never any doubt about who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. That said, the book is engrossing, thought-provoking and a pleasure to read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews