In the Hands of a Happy God: The "No-Hellers" of Central Appalachia [Paperback]

Howard Dorgan (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Univ Tennessee Press; 1 edition (April 23, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870499629
• ISBN-13: 978-0870499623
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,105,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Introduction to a little recognized religious group, July 30, 2003

By 

B. ADKINS (Kentucky USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Hands of a Happy God: The "No-Hellers" of Central Appalachia (Paperback)

This book collects most of the written material available and includes actual person-to-person contact to document the Primitive Baptist Universalist church in Central Appalachia. Well-researched and well-written, this book describes a religious group that is remarkable for its openness and extreme forgiveness in a region traditionally viewed as fundamentalist, crude, and harsh. Readers must wade through excessive detail at times but if they persevere, the detail helps to color in the shades of this unique group.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Outstanding!, September 3, 2005

By 

James Ellison (Oberlin, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Hands of a Happy God: The "No-Hellers" of Central Appalachia (Paperback)

In the Hands of a Happy God is a superb introduction to a kinder view of religion and especially of the doctrine of atonement. Dr. Dorgan, in an easy-to-read but quite scholarly way, shows how the notion of universal salvation enlivens a religious view that can be rather dreadful. He shows how it works in the very real lives of people who live in the Appalachian culture.

This is a must-read for anyone who has an interest in culture and religion.