An inside look at the young; diverse; progressive Christians who are transforming the evangelical movementDeborah Jian Lee left the evangelical world because she was frustrated by its conservative politics. But over the years she stayed close to those in the movement; and she has come to realize that evangelical culture and politics are changing; and changing fast. Friends had stopped voting based on wedge issues. Believers of color were changing church demographics and political interests. Women were rising in the ranks despite familiar sermons about female submission. LGBTQ Christians were coming out; staying in the church; and leading ministries.What Lee came to find is that most of what we think we know about evangelicals is wrong; or is well on its way to becoming dated. In Rescuing Jesus; she ventures into the world of progressive evangelicalism and tells the stories of the young women and men at the forefront of a movement that could change both the face and the substance of religion in the United States.Generational changes and the shifting racial make-up of evangelicals are transforming the movement and pushing it in a more progressive direction. A young and diverse array of people on this leading edge of progressive evangelicalism—LGBTQ and straight; white; black; Asian; Hispanic; and indigenous—are working to wrest political power away from conservatives. Today’s young evangelicals are more likely than their elders to accept same-sex marriage; more inclined to think of “pro-life†issues as being about supporting society’s disenfranchised; and more accepting of equality between men and women.With empathy; journalistic rigor; and powerful storytelling; Lee unpacks the diverse and complex strands of this movement—and what it means for the rest of us. Given the clout that evangelicals still hold in national politics; Lee argues; this movement is important not only for the future of evangelicalism but also for the future of our country.From the Hardcover edition.
#611812 in Books 2008-04-01 2008-04-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.27 x 1.07 x 6.23l; 1.33 #File Name: 0807021423320 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. WOW - Who Knew!?By ChelaAn eye-opener in many ways; I could not put it down! Maria Mitchell was a guiding light and a truth-seeker among the giants of her era. In the life of Maria Mitchell; Renee Bergland captured a moment in time when American culture was at a crossroads. The Oneness of Spirit and nature - science and religion - body; mind and soul - the unity of all dualities - could be seen for a brief moment on the stage of American life in the Mitchell family in Nantucket. Bergland put it thus: "For Mitchell; the mission to 'face the light' and 'seek only for the truth' was urgent. She hoped for great revelations in time -- a chance to leap over the gulf that seemed to separate the physical from the spiritual." Mitchell through Bergland is an inspiration for all truth-seekers who hope for a return to the true American spirit in global culture today. The Quakers; Unitarians and Transcendentalists in American history built a solid foundation; preparing the way for Self realization - the merging of East and West within and without. Let us never forget and always strive to express equal opportunity for women in science and humanities.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy HermitFascinating and fast read.6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. At the Nexus of Feminism; Emancipation and the Birth of Modern ScienceBy Elizabeth Truebenbach"Maria Mitchell and the Sexing of Science" is much more than a biography. Mitchell lived at a pivotal time of social change and; rather than being a backdrop to the story; those changes are as much a part of the story as Mitchell herself. The story moves from Mitchell's early nineteenth century childhood in the Quaker dominated whaling community of Nantucket Island; through Mitchell's tour of Europe and her visits to the renowned scientists and authors of the time; and on to her becoming the first Professor of Astronomy at Vassar College and the first president of the American Association for the Advancement of Women. Mitchell witnessed the the effects of the Civil War and Emancipation on the Women's Rights movement; but; most notably; she witnessed the transition from recreational parlor science to modern professional science and the way in which women became excluded from scientific education and achievement. This book explores a fascinating period of change in American education and in the history of science that is little understood today; even though it has shaped the cultural attitudes that still make it difficult for women to take an equal place in scientific endeavors. The book reads rather like a thesis paper; but is well researched and reasoned and is an easy and enjoyable read.
