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God Is Back: How the Global Revival of Faith Is Changing the World
Two Economist writers show how and why religion is booming around the world and reveal its vast effects on the global economy, politics, and more
On the street and in the corridors of power, religion is surging worldwide. From Russia to Turkey to India, nations that swore off faith in the last century—or even tried to stamp it out—are now run by avowedly religious leaders. Formerly secular conflicts like the one in Palestine have taken on an overtly religious cast. God Is Back shines a bright light on this hidden world of faith, from exorcisms in São Paulo to religious skirmishing in Nigeria, to televangelism in California and house churches in China.
Since the Enlightenment, intellectuals have assumed that modernization would kill religion—and that religious America is an oddity. As God Is Back argues, religion and modernity can thrive together, and America is becoming the norm. Many things helped spark the global revival of religion, including the failure of communism and the rise of globalism. But, above all, twenty-first century religion is being fueled by a very American emphasis on competition and a customer- driven approach to salvation. These qualities have characterized this country’s faith ever since the Founders separated church and state, creating a religious free market defined by entrepreneurship, choice, and personal revelation. As market forces reshape the world, the tools and ideals of American evangelism are now spreading everywhere.
The global rise of faith will have a dramatic and far- reaching impact on our century. Indeed, its destabilizing effects can already be seen far from Iraq or the World Trade Center. Religion plays a role in civil wars from Sri Lanka to Sudan. Along the tenth parallel, from West Africa to the Philippines, religious fervor and political unrest are reinforcing each other. God Is Back concludes by showing how the same American ideas that created our unique religious style can be applied around the globe to channel the rising tide of faith away from volatility and violence.
On the street and in the corridors of power, religion is surging worldwide. From Russia to Turkey to India, nations that swore off faith in the last century—or even tried to stamp it out—are now run by avowedly religious leaders. Formerly secular conflicts like the one in Palestine have taken on an overtly religious cast. God Is Back shines a bright light on this hidden world of faith, from exorcisms in São Paulo to religious skirmishing in Nigeria, to televangelism in California and house churches in China.
Since the Enlightenment, intellectuals have assumed that modernization would kill religion—and that religious America is an oddity. As God Is Back argues, religion and modernity can thrive together, and America is becoming the norm. Many things helped spark the global revival of religion, including the failure of communism and the rise of globalism. But, above all, twenty-first century religion is being fueled by a very American emphasis on competition and a customer- driven approach to salvation. These qualities have characterized this country’s faith ever since the Founders separated church and state, creating a religious free market defined by entrepreneurship, choice, and personal revelation. As market forces reshape the world, the tools and ideals of American evangelism are now spreading everywhere.
The global rise of faith will have a dramatic and far- reaching impact on our century. Indeed, its destabilizing effects can already be seen far from Iraq or the World Trade Center. Religion plays a role in civil wars from Sri Lanka to Sudan. Along the tenth parallel, from West Africa to the Philippines, religious fervor and political unrest are reinforcing each other. God Is Back concludes by showing how the same American ideas that created our unique religious style can be applied around the globe to channel the rising tide of faith away from volatility and violence.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
33 people are currently reading
339 people want to read
About the author
John Micklethwait
19 books44 followersRichard John Micklethwait CBE (born 11 August 1962) is editor-in-chief of Bloomberg News, a position he has held since February 2015. A British journalist, he was previously the editor-in-chief of The Economist from 2006 to 2015.
Micklethwait was born in 1962, in London, and was educated at Ampleforth College (an independent school) and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied history. He worked for Chase Manhattan Bank for two years and joined The Economist in 1987. Prior to becoming editor-in-chief, he was United States editor of the publication and ran the New York Bureau for two years. Before that, he edited the Business Section of the newspaper for four years. His other roles have included setting up an office in Los Angeles for The Economist, where he worked from 1990 to 1993. He has covered business and politics from the United States, Latin America, Continental Europe, Southern Africa and most of Asia.
Appointed as editor-in-chief on 23 March 2006, the first issue of The Economist published under his editorship was released on 7 April 2006. He was named Editors' Editor by the British Society of Magazine Editors in 2010. Micklethwait has frequently appeared on CNN, ABC News, BBC, C-SPAN, PBS and NPR.
In 2015 he was appointed as a Trustee of the British Museum. He was also a delegate, along with two colleagues, at the 2010 Bilderberg Conference held in Spain. This group consists of an assembly of notable politicians, industrialists and financiers who meet annually to discuss issues on a non-disclosure basis.
Micklethwait was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to journalism and economics.
Micklethwait was born in 1962, in London, and was educated at Ampleforth College (an independent school) and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied history. He worked for Chase Manhattan Bank for two years and joined The Economist in 1987. Prior to becoming editor-in-chief, he was United States editor of the publication and ran the New York Bureau for two years. Before that, he edited the Business Section of the newspaper for four years. His other roles have included setting up an office in Los Angeles for The Economist, where he worked from 1990 to 1993. He has covered business and politics from the United States, Latin America, Continental Europe, Southern Africa and most of Asia.
Appointed as editor-in-chief on 23 March 2006, the first issue of The Economist published under his editorship was released on 7 April 2006. He was named Editors' Editor by the British Society of Magazine Editors in 2010. Micklethwait has frequently appeared on CNN, ABC News, BBC, C-SPAN, PBS and NPR.
In 2015 he was appointed as a Trustee of the British Museum. He was also a delegate, along with two colleagues, at the 2010 Bilderberg Conference held in Spain. This group consists of an assembly of notable politicians, industrialists and financiers who meet annually to discuss issues on a non-disclosure basis.
Micklethwait was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to journalism and economics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 14, 2013
An interesting and convincing explanation of how secular Europe (Western Europe at that) is really the anomaly and religion fixates the remainder of the world (Thank God for the Europeans!).
This book explains the presence and the popularity of religion in the U.S. But I feel the authors paint the U.S. as overly religious and zealot. Are there not vast tracts of secularism on the East and West coasts? Some have said that the U.S. is the most religiously diverse nation on the planet. And the authors are convincing in the plurality of religions competing for a marketplace in the “Land of the Free”.
Many religions are anti-science with their ever so “Sacred Texts” contradicting geology and all aspects of biological development and evolution. Religion in the U.S. encroaches on education – and I don’t just refer to school prayer. Ignorance arises when it permeates all levels of society from business, education, the media and political campaigns when candidates must profess their religious beliefs. When candidates for political office believe dinosaurs existed 5000 years ago what are his/her educational policies going to add to improve learning.
The authors fail to point out the dangers of this religious overflow into general society. They are over-generous about the presence of religion. Or how religion contradicts or impedes the advancement of society. Europe has had over 60 years of peace since the end of their cataclysmic upheavals from two Worlds Wars. They are starting to outdistance the U.S. culturally and scientifically in many areas.
The authors are correct in pointing out that religion is hard-wired into most of the world. They are also accurate in that modernity has not impeded religion - and indeed religious groups are very adept in using technology to spread the “word”. This book is excellent and interesting in pointing how religion has thrived in what many consider the most advanced and democratic society on the planet. Or put another way - it is revealing how religion is flourishing in the world’s largest democratic state.
This book explains the presence and the popularity of religion in the U.S. But I feel the authors paint the U.S. as overly religious and zealot. Are there not vast tracts of secularism on the East and West coasts? Some have said that the U.S. is the most religiously diverse nation on the planet. And the authors are convincing in the plurality of religions competing for a marketplace in the “Land of the Free”.
Many religions are anti-science with their ever so “Sacred Texts” contradicting geology and all aspects of biological development and evolution. Religion in the U.S. encroaches on education – and I don’t just refer to school prayer. Ignorance arises when it permeates all levels of society from business, education, the media and political campaigns when candidates must profess their religious beliefs. When candidates for political office believe dinosaurs existed 5000 years ago what are his/her educational policies going to add to improve learning.
The authors fail to point out the dangers of this religious overflow into general society. They are over-generous about the presence of religion. Or how religion contradicts or impedes the advancement of society. Europe has had over 60 years of peace since the end of their cataclysmic upheavals from two Worlds Wars. They are starting to outdistance the U.S. culturally and scientifically in many areas.
The authors are correct in pointing out that religion is hard-wired into most of the world. They are also accurate in that modernity has not impeded religion - and indeed religious groups are very adept in using technology to spread the “word”. This book is excellent and interesting in pointing how religion has thrived in what many consider the most advanced and democratic society on the planet. Or put another way - it is revealing how religion is flourishing in the world’s largest democratic state.
March 28, 2024
The novelist John Lanchester once said of The Economist that 'the first 80 percent of almost every article is full of fresh things. But every single piece, on every single subject, reaches the same conclusion. Whatever you're reading about, it turns out the conclusion is the same: more liberalisation, more competition, more free markets'. Lanchester's point applies to Is God back as well, although the percentage of 'fresh things' is well below 80, and the fact-finding that Lanchester praises isn't quite as impressive as he says (the first reference to British religion statistics leads you to the website of Britain's possibly most prominent Satanist, for example).
There are interesting bits of narrative journalism in what otherwise is an unsatisfactory account of 'the global rise of religion'. First, the title is misleading. 80% of the book is about religion in America, plain and simple. The consequences of taking the US situation as a prism for the rest of the world is never discussed, and Lanchester's point comes to mind again.
Second, the book's view of secularisation is nothing short of mistaken. Godlessness is attributed to Enlightenment philosophy and its assumed cultural impact. While certainly important for the history of ideas, no peasant or factory worker was ever secularised because they read Voltaire. The idea applies even less to the modern world, despite increased education levels in the west. There is no reference to the extremely well documented World Values Surveys by Inglehart et al. which conclude that material and existential insecurity is the single most significant predictor of high religiosity. In other words, Marx seems to have been right: it is poor countries and rich countries with high inequality (like the US) where religion thrives. This, of course, would be anathema for two Economist liberals to admit.
Third, the book is politically naive and/or willingly ignores the bits of international history where the US has coerced (militarily or financially) countries into submission. None of the problems of the Middle East, for example, are attributed to role that US oil interests play in the region. There is a symbolic nod to Israel's problematic role, but considering that Iran's putative 'Islamic Bomb' is mentioned several times, there is not even a squeak about Israel's bomb.
Finally, the exhortation to free religious markets in the American style for a better religious future seems to ignore much of what the authors say themselves. It ignores culture and history and other (including military) forces that have shaped the world's religious map. It really is a prime example of Lanchester's point.
What the authors achieve is lively writing, although many of the points they seek to raise hardly translate into dramatic narrative. It would be a dream come true to see an attempt at a similar scope that would be properly global, took into account data that might contradict the market prophets, and combined rigorous scholarship with the exemplary writing in Is God Back.
There are interesting bits of narrative journalism in what otherwise is an unsatisfactory account of 'the global rise of religion'. First, the title is misleading. 80% of the book is about religion in America, plain and simple. The consequences of taking the US situation as a prism for the rest of the world is never discussed, and Lanchester's point comes to mind again.
Second, the book's view of secularisation is nothing short of mistaken. Godlessness is attributed to Enlightenment philosophy and its assumed cultural impact. While certainly important for the history of ideas, no peasant or factory worker was ever secularised because they read Voltaire. The idea applies even less to the modern world, despite increased education levels in the west. There is no reference to the extremely well documented World Values Surveys by Inglehart et al. which conclude that material and existential insecurity is the single most significant predictor of high religiosity. In other words, Marx seems to have been right: it is poor countries and rich countries with high inequality (like the US) where religion thrives. This, of course, would be anathema for two Economist liberals to admit.
Third, the book is politically naive and/or willingly ignores the bits of international history where the US has coerced (militarily or financially) countries into submission. None of the problems of the Middle East, for example, are attributed to role that US oil interests play in the region. There is a symbolic nod to Israel's problematic role, but considering that Iran's putative 'Islamic Bomb' is mentioned several times, there is not even a squeak about Israel's bomb.
Finally, the exhortation to free religious markets in the American style for a better religious future seems to ignore much of what the authors say themselves. It ignores culture and history and other (including military) forces that have shaped the world's religious map. It really is a prime example of Lanchester's point.
What the authors achieve is lively writing, although many of the points they seek to raise hardly translate into dramatic narrative. It would be a dream come true to see an attempt at a similar scope that would be properly global, took into account data that might contradict the market prophets, and combined rigorous scholarship with the exemplary writing in Is God Back.
March 27, 2012
The title of this book is a little misleading, because it's less about faith in general and more about Christianity, Protestantism specifically, with a side order of Islamic fundamentalism. That said, one can understand why, given the simultaneous rise of Christian and Islamic fundamentalists in America and the Middle East. It's an incredibly topical issue at the moment.
The authors argue that it's not just the issue of faith that is on the rise, but a very specific kind of faith - American-style conservative, personal, customer-focused, market-led faith. They argue that one of the reasons religion has flourished so much in America, as opposed to the almost aggressive secularism of Europe, is the separation of church and state that is so rooted in the American constitution.
Because religion had no institutionalised protection as it did throughout Europe, there was great competition between the different creeds and sects and religion. They had to fight for each believer, each customer - and it led to the kind of mega-churches we see today, with bowling alleys and crèches and shopping malls. Religion is big-business in America. The churches give the people what they want, and business is booming. Compare that to England, for example, where the Church of England has no need to fight for its dominant position, and is therefore a pretty faint, woolly kind of church. There's no aggressive marketing, no jockeying for position, no rivalry with other denominations, no personalised service, no tempting add-ons. It's fading away.
Religion is also very tied up with modernity. It is used to be that developing nations determined to embrace modernity saw shedding religion as part of that. The Nazis and Soviet Union were both very much anti-religion. Atatürk attempted to turn Turkey into an aggressively secular state. But now the pendulum has swung the other way, and many nations, using America as the example, are seeing that modernity and religion can go hand-in-hand, as long as the religion is along the American example.
From my perspective as a somewhat confused agnostic/atheist, it's all a little worrying. The conflicts between Hindu and Muslim in India and Pakistan, between Arab and Jew in Palestine, between American and Al Qaeda - religion is at the root of all a lot of the hot points around the world, and when religion is involved rationality tends to fly out of the window a lot of the time.
"God is dead", Nietzsche once claimed - but on this evidence he's very much alive and kicking. Whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you, but it's certainly food for thought.
The authors argue that it's not just the issue of faith that is on the rise, but a very specific kind of faith - American-style conservative, personal, customer-focused, market-led faith. They argue that one of the reasons religion has flourished so much in America, as opposed to the almost aggressive secularism of Europe, is the separation of church and state that is so rooted in the American constitution.
Because religion had no institutionalised protection as it did throughout Europe, there was great competition between the different creeds and sects and religion. They had to fight for each believer, each customer - and it led to the kind of mega-churches we see today, with bowling alleys and crèches and shopping malls. Religion is big-business in America. The churches give the people what they want, and business is booming. Compare that to England, for example, where the Church of England has no need to fight for its dominant position, and is therefore a pretty faint, woolly kind of church. There's no aggressive marketing, no jockeying for position, no rivalry with other denominations, no personalised service, no tempting add-ons. It's fading away.
Religion is also very tied up with modernity. It is used to be that developing nations determined to embrace modernity saw shedding religion as part of that. The Nazis and Soviet Union were both very much anti-religion. Atatürk attempted to turn Turkey into an aggressively secular state. But now the pendulum has swung the other way, and many nations, using America as the example, are seeing that modernity and religion can go hand-in-hand, as long as the religion is along the American example.
From my perspective as a somewhat confused agnostic/atheist, it's all a little worrying. The conflicts between Hindu and Muslim in India and Pakistan, between Arab and Jew in Palestine, between American and Al Qaeda - religion is at the root of all a lot of the hot points around the world, and when religion is involved rationality tends to fly out of the window a lot of the time.
"God is dead", Nietzsche once claimed - but on this evidence he's very much alive and kicking. Whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you, but it's certainly food for thought.
Want to read
December 28, 2010Off this review:
Well, there are many distinctive and interesting things going on in America, many things that make it religious. It’s certainly not just the relatively low life expectancy and so on. It’s other things too. And these other things are discussed quite a lot in the last book on my list—a book by two British journalists, John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, called "God is Back: How the Global Revival in Faith is Changing the World". It came out a couple of weeks ago, the title is fairly self-explanatory, and what they argue is that religion is back, or that it certainly isn’t in decline. The book’s quite careful and subtle, and there are various strains in it, but the main thrust is that modernity brings not necessarily secularism but rather pluralism—in other words a lot of freedom to adopt and adapt the religion of your choice. And what makes this book valuable is that it has up to date research from Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa where there are all sorts of unexpected religious developments. The huge growth of Pentecostalism, for example, in Latin America; the rise of Christianity in Africa; the coming battles between Christianity and Islam in Africa. God is certainly back in the headlines, 9/11 and Islamic fundamentalism saw to that. But that’s not all. Religion is for various reasons in the headlines. One of the other reasons is mobility. Immigration brings clashes of separate cultures, including religious cultures. When you get a lot of immigrants practicing their own religion, the natives tend to practice their religion even more vehemently. So there’s a lot of religious activity going on.
So is God back?
In a limited sense, perhaps. He’s in the headlines, as I said. And he’s certainly bouncing back in formerly communist countries. So it is probably true that there are fewer unbelievers now than there were when communism had not yet begun to collapse. But the secularism thesis, I think, still holds true, and the long-term trend is against religion: in the course of the 20th century, unbelief (though it is still globally very much a minority position) has grown much faster than any religion.
Well, there are many distinctive and interesting things going on in America, many things that make it religious. It’s certainly not just the relatively low life expectancy and so on. It’s other things too. And these other things are discussed quite a lot in the last book on my list—a book by two British journalists, John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, called "God is Back: How the Global Revival in Faith is Changing the World". It came out a couple of weeks ago, the title is fairly self-explanatory, and what they argue is that religion is back, or that it certainly isn’t in decline. The book’s quite careful and subtle, and there are various strains in it, but the main thrust is that modernity brings not necessarily secularism but rather pluralism—in other words a lot of freedom to adopt and adapt the religion of your choice. And what makes this book valuable is that it has up to date research from Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa where there are all sorts of unexpected religious developments. The huge growth of Pentecostalism, for example, in Latin America; the rise of Christianity in Africa; the coming battles between Christianity and Islam in Africa. God is certainly back in the headlines, 9/11 and Islamic fundamentalism saw to that. But that’s not all. Religion is for various reasons in the headlines. One of the other reasons is mobility. Immigration brings clashes of separate cultures, including religious cultures. When you get a lot of immigrants practicing their own religion, the natives tend to practice their religion even more vehemently. So there’s a lot of religious activity going on.
So is God back?
In a limited sense, perhaps. He’s in the headlines, as I said. And he’s certainly bouncing back in formerly communist countries. So it is probably true that there are fewer unbelievers now than there were when communism had not yet begun to collapse. But the secularism thesis, I think, still holds true, and the long-term trend is against religion: in the course of the 20th century, unbelief (though it is still globally very much a minority position) has grown much faster than any religion.
October 15, 2011
This book investigates the reasons for, and possible consequences of, the global resurgence of religion at the beginning of the 21st century. The first half of the book concentrates on a comparison between religion in America and Europe, focusing on why Americans remain overwhelmingly religious people while Europeans generally are not interested in the subject. The second half of the book focuses on how religion plays out in the non-Western world, and why the authors believe the American, rather than the European, way will prevail worldwide.
The writing style is good, a mix of quantitative methodology and personal interviews that enlivens the book. The authors do a good job of presenting their case, and generally seem to be even-handed. They are certainly taking on an interesting and controversial topic. I wish that they had spent more time talking about religion in the non-Western world, however. I think the book is a bit too focused on America and Europe. The sections on Christianity vs. Islam are good (and provide thought-provoking ideas about the strengths and weaknesses of each faith that I've not seen discussed anywhere else), but I wish he had talked more about other faiths such as Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, and East Asian philosophies in the contemporary world.
The writing style is good, a mix of quantitative methodology and personal interviews that enlivens the book. The authors do a good job of presenting their case, and generally seem to be even-handed. They are certainly taking on an interesting and controversial topic. I wish that they had spent more time talking about religion in the non-Western world, however. I think the book is a bit too focused on America and Europe. The sections on Christianity vs. Islam are good (and provide thought-provoking ideas about the strengths and weaknesses of each faith that I've not seen discussed anywhere else), but I wish he had talked more about other faiths such as Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, and East Asian philosophies in the contemporary world.
November 29, 2011
This book clarified what it is about the USA and religion, or rather Christianity. The strict separation of church from state produced from the outset a free, open market in faith and the people of faith responded enthusiastcially. Also since religion wasn't tied to an oppressive state (as frequently in Europe) modern Americans became much less inclined to embrace secularism as the natural partner of modernisation and democratisation (as in Europe). Hence the most powerful free-market democracy is, say the authors, also happily Christian, and it works. This historical thesis is now maybe in need of an update as the neocons, theocons and teaparty nutters try to set the pace, even undermining science (creationism, ideological denial of global warming)and the state/church separation. The outcome may not be as benign as these authors imply.
June 23, 2009
The book is exhaustively researched and has keen perspective on the history of U.S. religion. The authors, one a Catholic and one an atheist, give an evenhanded treatment of Christianity as well as Islam. The authros contend that these two religions will dominate thinking on the world stage for years to come. Rather than atheists becoming more prominent, the book points out that religious beliefs will increasingly be at the root of what drives the world's economy and politics. The insights into Muslim distinctions from country to country should be required reading for American politicians and military personnel.
May 18, 2017
This book provides a fairly even-handed analysis of the power of religion in influencing the global political economy. The discussion on refuting the secularization thesis is fairly familiar to me already (i.e. increasing modernity does not necessarily mean inevitable secularization), showing how the religious America where modernity and religiosity coexist and thrive together is not an oddity but actually a harbringer of what is happening in the global South as well. The key for religion thriving in the mdoern world is competition in a free-market of choice in religion (in contrast to the state religion model of Europe) which means an acceptance of pluralism, including giving religious voice space in the public square.
I learned some details about the marrying of modern marketing and management appraoches in megachurch evangelicalism. However, the most interesting parts are about Islam in politics across the globe (a multitiude of models and its lesser degree of success in coexisting with modernity when compared to Protestantism) and pointing out the woeful inadequacy of many Western policy makers and diplomats in understanding the significance of religious dimension in global politics.
I learned some details about the marrying of modern marketing and management appraoches in megachurch evangelicalism. However, the most interesting parts are about Islam in politics across the globe (a multitiude of models and its lesser degree of success in coexisting with modernity when compared to Protestantism) and pointing out the woeful inadequacy of many Western policy makers and diplomats in understanding the significance of religious dimension in global politics.
November 30, 2025
Book was well written and easy to read. The authors propose that the principle reason behind the explosion of Faith across the globe is due to the American model of pluralism combined with capitalism embedded within the US Constitution and in particular the First Amendment which guarantees the freedom of religious expression. Our so called adversary in China for example could have more practicing Christians by the year 2050 than the European continent I would strongly recommend this work … truly an eye opening experience Makes me grateful for the wisdom of the founders as well as the grace of the Almighty
January 31, 2024
It is an optimistic and hopeful book. We need more of these today.
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March 19, 2017I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
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March 25, 2020
I was reading this book more or less alongside "Stealing Jesus", and it was a most odd experience. Often the two books were covering the exact same ground and yet their perspectives were vastly different.
This book, however, is less concerned with questions of the merit of faith as to describing what is actually happening on the ground. As such it was an extremely interesting read, from authors who are not particularly wedded to any of the world views they are describing.
The fundamental thesis is that the assumption that modernity leads to secularism is in fact incorrect - that as countries are developing, they are becoming more religious, and that Europe here is an exception. What is more there is a thesis as to why this should be the case. The argument is made that US style separation of church and state, and the resulting pluralism this produces creates a need for religions to compete in a religious marketplace. This commoditisation of religion is well described, with historical examples of how churches have become more outward focussed and keyed into the winning of converts as they have found themselves unable to rest on the laurels of state establishment.
The result is a kind of tailored religion that people such as Bruce Bawer have clearly reacted against, and yet has proved incredibly durable. The result is that religion has prospered.
The book looks at issues for the future. It also discusses how some policy makers have radically misunderstood the place of faith in foreign policy, and also deals with issues of tension in the major religions themselves.
All in all this is an excellent work - not least because it avoids any triumphalism in the information it presents. This book is about numbers, but it is fundamentally an analysis of the current situation. It nowhere propounds a view that a numbers game is actually what the issue should be all about, and this then lends credence to the findings.
The analysis is so wide ranging it is going to be wrong in places. I detected a few places where I felt the authors had simplified issues (for instance in the summary of Robert Pape's work in "Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism". But read with an open mind, I think this book provides a convincing thesis.
This book, however, is less concerned with questions of the merit of faith as to describing what is actually happening on the ground. As such it was an extremely interesting read, from authors who are not particularly wedded to any of the world views they are describing.
The fundamental thesis is that the assumption that modernity leads to secularism is in fact incorrect - that as countries are developing, they are becoming more religious, and that Europe here is an exception. What is more there is a thesis as to why this should be the case. The argument is made that US style separation of church and state, and the resulting pluralism this produces creates a need for religions to compete in a religious marketplace. This commoditisation of religion is well described, with historical examples of how churches have become more outward focussed and keyed into the winning of converts as they have found themselves unable to rest on the laurels of state establishment.
The result is a kind of tailored religion that people such as Bruce Bawer have clearly reacted against, and yet has proved incredibly durable. The result is that religion has prospered.
The book looks at issues for the future. It also discusses how some policy makers have radically misunderstood the place of faith in foreign policy, and also deals with issues of tension in the major religions themselves.
All in all this is an excellent work - not least because it avoids any triumphalism in the information it presents. This book is about numbers, but it is fundamentally an analysis of the current situation. It nowhere propounds a view that a numbers game is actually what the issue should be all about, and this then lends credence to the findings.
The analysis is so wide ranging it is going to be wrong in places. I detected a few places where I felt the authors had simplified issues (for instance in the summary of Robert Pape's work in "Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism". But read with an open mind, I think this book provides a convincing thesis.
April 15, 2011
This is a well-written book with lots of interesting empirical evidence for the global resurgence of religion, but the theoretical underpinnings of the two authors' arguments are seriously flawed and the historical facts presented are biased in order to prove the authors' points. They present the religious history of America as essentially peaceful and pluralistic, while Europe is portrayed as the cesspool of religious strife. This is supposed to explain the spread of atheism in Europe, and the strength of religion in America. However, the authors fail to point out that the religious strife in Europe was interconnected with the early modern state conflicts, and also avoid discussing the birth of modern Fundamentalism in America. The fact that Darwin's ideas never really were hotly contested in Europe, but still are controversial in the US, should tell us that the authors have missed something in their analysis.
The authors seem to want to portray religion in a positive light. This goes way off-bounds when they argue that prayers work (they badly misrepresent a study which shows that people who pray generally feel happier than those who don't). They also argue that religion can work wonders in society by working as a social welfare network for people who fall on hard times. Personally, I find it morally repugnant to advocate a system that forces poor people into the arms of religious organizations because that is their only way not to be miserable, but maybe that's just me.
In sum, interesting facts about modern-day religious revival are interwoven with arguments built on ignorance or misrepresentation. A deeply flawed book.
The authors seem to want to portray religion in a positive light. This goes way off-bounds when they argue that prayers work (they badly misrepresent a study which shows that people who pray generally feel happier than those who don't). They also argue that religion can work wonders in society by working as a social welfare network for people who fall on hard times. Personally, I find it morally repugnant to advocate a system that forces poor people into the arms of religious organizations because that is their only way not to be miserable, but maybe that's just me.
In sum, interesting facts about modern-day religious revival are interwoven with arguments built on ignorance or misrepresentation. A deeply flawed book.
September 20, 2011
An intelligent, even-handed look at the influence of religion on international politics and commerce today (despite the flamboyant title). Micklethwait and Woolridge, writers for The Economist, did interviews all over the world and compiled mountains of data to examine the reality of the resurgence of religion. Their basic argument is that 1) religion is here to stay, 2) sometimes that’s good and sometimes that’s bad (an argument lost on non-thinking polemicists on both sides), and 3) that America’s particular “open religious market” leads to the cohabitation of religion and modernity in a unique way. Along the way, the authors look at the reality of American history with religion, the difference between Islam’s reading of the Koran and Christianity’s reading of the Bible, capitalism and religion, and a host of other examples. It is refreshing to read a book (written by a Roman Catholic and an atheist) that critically examines religion’s action in the global public sphere sensibly and even-handedly – and it doesn’t hurt that the authors are very readable as well. Recommended especially for undergraduate students (great for a world religions class) or any intelligent person who wants to see past the hype and see where global trends in religion are pointing.
March 9, 2010
Of puritains and pornographers. That is the land of america and the reason we are more "religious" then our secular european counterparts. Since america is a free market so does our preachers try to hawk their religion- constantly changing styles as to attract the next generation. The last part of the book is the true gem, because it highlights reasons why (though contrary to what most people think) Christianity is here to stay, even though Islam is the fastest growing religion. A good book for anyone curious about why america is so different from the rest of the west when it comes to seperation of church and state.
October 5, 2012
From the D.C. bureau chief and editor of the Economist, reads as smoothly and entertainingly as the newspaper. Although the narrative begins in China, it's regrettably more of a study of the American marketplace for religion than a demonstration of how a revival of religion is changing the world. A good read for activist secularists, non-judgmentally explaining the mindset and appeal of evangelical and Muslim revivalists. The demographics discussed are more depressing, perhaps, for old-world mainline Protestant and Catholic followers. In the marketplace for ideas, it's the market-savvy American-style faiths (including non-Christian ones) are more marketable and successful.
March 13, 2013
I’m glad I read the book. The authors don’t go incredibly deep - but they are broad and insightful as they contemplate what is happening on earth regarding religions. Because of their perspective as journalists on this beat, they are pretty well informed. I found their thoughts very provoking and challenging (in the best of ways). There is a much heavier focus on Europe and the Middle East than there is on most of the southern hemisphere - but this is not a weakness. Instead they are focusing their attention where the public, at least the Western public, has been focusing over the last decade or so. Bravo.
Want to read
October 6, 2009Most recent edition of America, National Catholic Weekly, has a thoughtful article on this book. In a nutshell, the book's authors argue that far from diminishing practice of religion around the world, modern secularism has in fact promoted a revival in religious commitment. Micklethwait is editor of The Economist, and therefore takes a non-theological approach to his subject. (On a personal note, I find this argument intriguing since the pastor at church I attend is prone to complaining about the alleged assault of secularism on religion.)
January 4, 2011
This is a well-written book about an interesting topic. I wonder about the staying power of the book, though. It seems like the type of work that will need to be updated every 5 years to be worth reading. I appreciated that the authors treated religious people and beliefs with respect. They repeatedly fell into the USA=Christians error, but this was mostly in the context of how the US is perceived abroad.
April 14, 2011
A fascinating book if you're interested in the interaction of religion and society. However, it has a few flaws; for example, the exhaustive research is almost overwhelming to read (there hundreds of tidbits about historical events, churches, important people, and so on), and sometimes isn't tied together effectively to support the authors' main point.
Nevertheless, you will leave this book with many interesting questions to ponder, and with amusing anecdotes to use at cocktail parties.
Nevertheless, you will leave this book with many interesting questions to ponder, and with amusing anecdotes to use at cocktail parties.
January 31, 2016
John Micklethwait (editor in chief at The Economist) and Adrian Woolridge (Washington bureau chief for The Economist) have jammed at lot of information and insights into a 400-page tome. Why is religion flourishing in America? Why is religion going away in Europe? How and why is Islam growing? Is religion compatible with modernity? etc. etc. A really good read for the times. I personally feel their information is more compelling than their conclusions.
November 28, 2009
Really liked this book that says God is back, he/she is not always the reason for trouble, but if there’s trouble and religion, the trouble gets worse. Religion is very entrepreneurial; and the U.S. would be wise to export it’s pluralism and put more U.S. Muslims out there to show the world. The writers work for The Economist.
April 11, 2010
The authors are both a little too fond of modernity and "Progress" for my taste, but they're from the Economist, so you kinda expect it.
Meticulous research, clever writing, enormous in scope... It's certainly worth reading. But if you have Porcher proclivities (like I do) prepare to be annoyed at several points.
Meticulous research, clever writing, enormous in scope... It's certainly worth reading. But if you have Porcher proclivities (like I do) prepare to be annoyed at several points.
August 4, 2012
I think this book should be required reading for pretty much anyone who grew up in the Northeast. We just don't get the exposure to the type of religion that Micklethwait and Wooldridge are studying. This is an absolutely fascinating read about American-style religion and how it is having an increasing impact on the world. Highly recommended.
April 22, 2010
The Economist normally has little time for religion, so it was wonderful to see them tackle religion in a manner that was both fascinating and fair. Like a giant Economist article, it gives scope to the big issues, and life to the detail, of the global rise of aggressive, American-style religion.
July 3, 2011
Explains strange marriage of capitalistic business practices and religion in America.
March 20, 2011
Great Book, well worth the read, though as an Insider there are perspectives that I would have that would defiantly be different, but posses some really interesting scenarios.
September 10, 2011
Two authors from The Economist make the great point that the US version of religious freedom is rising along with all other aspects of globalization. A heavy but interesting, solid read.
September 29, 2011
Extremely insightful, considering it was written by journalist for the Economist.
August 28, 2015
This is an astonishing book. Looking at the great growth in the Christian faith due to the rise in memberships, corporate activity and leadership growth schemes.
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