Great Awakenings Popular Religion and Popular Culture

Taking a sweeping look at religion in America, Fishwick argues that popular religion can take many shapes and forms, it can wax and wane, but it cannot be eliminated or ignored. Fishwick fears that in recent times religion has become captive of the culture and its values. He deliver's his message with a mixture of humor, scholarly insight, and vivid writing.

As religious fervor grows, Dr. Fishwick, a recipient of the Ray and Pat Browne Award for Lifetime Achievement from The American Culture Association, takes a sweeping look at religion in the United States--the country with the highest church attendance in the Western world. Popular religion can take many shapes and forms. It can wax and wane, but it cannot be eliminated or ignored. That is what prompted him to write Great Awakenings: Popular Religion and Popular Culture.

He ponders how religion affects American life and popular culture, and why religion has become a major force in contemporary politics. How has the Electronic Revolution furthered the religious right? What does popular religion tell us about popular culture? And about our faith?

He identifies and explores five great religious revivals or “Great Awakenings:”

• the Atlantic Seaboard Awakening
• the Urban Awakening
• the Modernist Awakening
• the Celebrity Preacher Awakening
• the Electronic Awakening
  
  Fishwick explores the current events preceding and during each awakening, its leaders, followers, and critics. Great Awakenings gives a new understanding of the American religious past and leaves us with an anticipation for the next great awakening.

Contents Preface

• Introduction
• The Atlantic Seaboard Awakening
• The Appalachian Awakening
• The Urban Awakening
• The New American Gospel
• Confronting the Serpent
•  The Modernist Awakening
• Civil Religion
• Secular Salvation
•  Religion on the Airwaves
•  Star to the Stars
•  The Aging Eagle
•  The Electronic Awakening
•  Dixie’s Holy Warriors
• The Chicken Little Panic
•  Big Mac and Big Jesus: Brave New McWorld
• Some Final Thoughts
• Further Information
•  Further Reading
• Index