Customer Reviews

Steeples and Stacks: Religion and Steel Crisis in Youngstown, Ohio (Cambridge Studies in Religion and American Public Life)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I live in Youngstown and have only recently begn to dive into the city's past. It gained national, even world, recognition in the heyday of the steel industry as one of the largest manufacturers of steel in the world. It has now garnered a reputation as one of the most corrupt cities in the nation. Yet there is something good here, something strong. It simply doesn't get the press coverage.

Here is a book that discusses the movement called the Ecumenical Coalition where a group of religiously diverse groups came together to put their faith in action in the social arena. When the steel mills abandoned the people who gave their lives for the good of the company, this group sought to bring ethics and morals into the corporate world. For anyone who believes there is no place in the corporate world for faith, ethics or morals, all we have to do is run down the list of scandals over the past several years.

Here was a unique response to deindustrialization. Whereas many cities merely folded without much of a fight, Youngstown fought back. It may not have been victorious in preventing the shutdowns but it showed the world the heart of the city. It also revealed that ethics plays a part in running successful businesses. In this regard, it was successful.

This book was written by an individual whose father-in-law worked the mills and who was present for much of the movement. It really provides some interesting insights and details of a movement that was overshadowed by the destruction and havoc wrought when the mills left town.

I give it four stars as it is a bit dry. I was excited because I am from the area and the information was fascinating to me but it is not an exciting read. But it is well written and well documented and seems to me to be relevant today in a world where religion has taken a back seat and corporate (and individual) greed is on the rise.