In this first of a three-volume, comprehensive series, Gary Dorrien mixes theological analysis with historical and biographical detail to present the first comprehensive interpretation of American theological liberalism. Arguing that the indigenous roots of American liberal theology existed before the rise of Darwinism, Dorrien maintains that this tradition took shape in the nineteenth century and was motivated by a desire to map a progressive "third way" between authority-based orthodoxies and atheistic rationalism. Dorrien characterizes American liberal theology by its openness to historical criticism and evolutionary theory, its commitment to the authority of individual reason and experience, its conception of Christianity as an ethical way of life, and its commitment to make Christianity credible and socially relevant to modern people.
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As the first entry in a projected three-volume series on American liberal Christianity, this masterfully written work offers a biographical narrative of the 19th-century figures who, while influenced by English and German ideas, shaped an indigenous theology. Writers such as William E. Channing, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Horace Bushnell, Henry Ward Beecher, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Charles Briggs, and Borden Parker Bowne are all featured here. These thinkers developed modernist schools that sought to find a middle ground between orthodoxy and rationalism, claims Dorrien (The Barthian Revolt in Modern Theology). A significant feature is the author's coverage of the divinity schools at Harvard, Boston, Yale, and Chicago universities; surprisingly, he finds the most consistent theological liberalism at Boston University. He also describes the controversies these liberals engendered in the churches and the resulting heresy trials. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.AJames A. Overbeck, Atlanta-Fulton P.L., GA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
About the Author
Gary Dorrien is Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary and Professor of Religion at Columbia University in New York City. An Episcopal priest, he is the author of eleven books and over one hundred articles that range across the fields of theology, philosophy, social theory, politics, ethics, and history.
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24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
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History of A Different Way,
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This review is from: The Making of American Liberal Theology: Imagining Progressive Religion, 1805 - 1900 (v. 1) (Paperback)
Dorrien's book provides a well-written and informed look at the roots of American liberal theology. Dorrien starts with the Unitarians (most notably Ralph Waldo Emerson -- did you remember he was a minister from high school?) and considers other forerunners such as Harriet Beecher Stowe's brother and Elizabeth Cody Stanton. I am a firm believer in complicated information presented in an easily read fashion, and Dorrien's book fits the bill. I've actually been reading a history of Atonement Theory and Trinitarianism for light bedtime reading because it's so fascinating. Dorrien explores theology through biography, painting a realistic picture of the all-too-human proponents of the theory of the Divine. I also appreciate learning about the historical roots of an informed, loving, intelligent Christian faith that sought to fight against the fire-and-brimstone intolerant exclusivism of its day. A must read for Bible and religion students, seminarians, historians, and anyone who wishes to claim the historical roots of progressive Christianity.
0 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Making of American Liberal Theology:Imagining Progressive Relition,
This review is from: The Making of American Liberal Theology: Imagining Progressive Religion, 1805 - 1900 (v. 1) (Paperback)
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
The idea of liberal Christianity was not novel to the nineteenth-century founders of American liberal theology. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Cady Stanton, New England, New York, Plymouth Church, General Assembly, Lyman Beecher, United States, New Testament, Union Seminary, Newman Smyth, Old Testament, North Adams, Elizabeth Tilton, Henry Ward Beecher, Andover Seminary, New Haven Theology, Theodore Parker, Westminster Confession, Holy Spirit, Harvard Divinity School, Washington Gladden, Horace Bushnell, Jonathan Edwards, National Association, Theodore Tilton New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
The idea of liberal Christianity was not novel to the nineteenth-century founders of American liberal theology. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Cady Stanton, New England, New York, Plymouth Church, General Assembly, Lyman Beecher, United States, New Testament, Union Seminary, Newman Smyth, Old Testament, North Adams, Elizabeth Tilton, Henry Ward Beecher, Andover Seminary, New Haven Theology, Theodore Parker, Westminster Confession, Holy Spirit, Harvard Divinity School, Washington Gladden, Horace Bushnell, Jonathan Edwards, National Association, Theodore Tilton New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
4
books
cite this book:
- American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon by Stephen Prothero in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Restless Souls: The Making of American Spirituality by Leigh Schmidt in Back Matter
- Daily Life in the Early American Republic, 1790-1820: Creating a New Nation (The Greenwood Press Daily Life Through History Series) by David S. Heidler in Back Matter
- The Gospel of Justification in Christ: Where Does the Church Stand Today? by Wayne C. Stumme on page 87
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