Selling God: American Religion in the Marketplace of Culture

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Synopsis
[Back Cover] "Religion in America is up for sale. The products range from a plethora of merchandise in questionable taste--such as Bible-based diet books (More of Jesus. Less of Me), Rapture T-shirts (one features a basketball game with half its players disappearing in the Rapture--the caption is "Fast Break"), and bumper stickers and frisbees with inspirational messages--to the unabashed consumerism of Jim Bakker's Heritage USA, a grandiose Christian theme park with giant water slide, shopping mall, and office complex. We tend to think of these phenomena--which also include a long line of multimillionaire televangelists and the almost manic promotion of Christmas giving--as a fairly recent development. But as R. Laurence Moore points out in Selling God, religion has been deeply involved in our commercial culture since the beginning of the nineteenth century. In a sweeping, colorful history that spans over two centuries of American culture, Moore examines the role of religion in the marketplace, revealing how religious leaders have borrowed (and invented) commercial practices to promote religion--and how business leaders have borrowed (and invented) religion to promote commerce. It is a book peopled by a fascinating roster of American originals, including showman P.T. Barnum and painter Frederick Church, film directors D.W. Griffith and evangelist Norman Vincent Peale. Ranging from the rise of gymnasiums and "muscular Christianity," to L. Ron Hubbard's Church of Scientology, Selling God provides both fascinating social history and an insightful look at religion in America."
Copyright:
1994

Book Details

Book Quality:
Excellent
Book Size:
319 Pages
ISBN-13:
9780195098389
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Oxford University Press
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
History, Nonfiction, Religion and Spirituality, Sociology
Submitted By:
Barbara Baker
Proofread By:
Barbara Baker
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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