by Ross Douthat
First published 2012
Ross Douthat examines how American Christianity shifted from its role as a unifying moral force in the 1950s to today's fractured landscape. The New York Times columnist tracks this transformation across decades, from the faith that powered the Civil Rights movement through the culture wars to contemporary polarization. Douthat argues that heretical versions of Christianity now dominate where traditional faith once thrived. He identifies the prosperity gospel that promises wealth through prayer, therapeutic spirituality that treats God as a personal coach, and politicized left and right wing religious movements as corruptions of authentic Christian belief. The book analyzes figures from Glenn Beck to Oprah Winfrey, examining how these distorted faiths foster narcissism and materialism. Douthat contends that these religious deformations have weakened America's capacity to address critical problems and contributed to national decline. He calls for recovering orthodox Christian tradition as necessary for American renewal.
Genres: american, sociology, religion, non-fiction, 21st-century, christianity
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: social-commentary
Setting: America
Period: 1950s, Contemporary
352 pages · Hardcover · Free Press