First published 2020
Henrietta Mears never achieved the fame of Billy Graham, yet she wielded greater influence over modern evangelicalism than almost any other woman. Her book What the Bible Is All About reached millions of readers. Leaders like Bill Bright, Harold John Ockenga, and Jim Rayburn credited her teachings as central to their ministries. Graham called her the most important female influence in his life besides his mother and wife. Arlin Migliazzo delivers the first complete biography of this pivotal figure. He draws on neglected archival materials and extensive interviews with Mears's colleagues to reconstruct her life and impact. The portrait reveals how Mears carved a middle path for conservative theology, steering it away from both fundamentalism and liberal modernism through her emphasis on Christian service. She rejected the anti-intellectual and culturally narrow tendencies of early twentieth century fundamentalism while maintaining fierce commitment to her faith. Though she never preached from a pulpit and refused the title of preacher, Mears demonstrated how religious leadership could engage the world with both grace and conviction.
Genres: biography, christian, 20th-century, american, non-fiction, christianity, church-history, evangelism
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: biography, religious-figure
Period: 20th-Century
320 pages · Paperback · Eerdmans