Pulpit Politics: Faces of American Protestant Nationalism in the Twentieth Century

Pulpit politics discusses the manner in which nationalistic expression forged a new religious relevance to the American experience, and the extent to which these diverse styles of religious nationalism created and reflected tension in twentieth-century America. Vinz identifies the form of American nationalism as the nationalism of messianism, but demonstrates that Protestant leadership throughout the twentieth century gave no consistent voice on what America should be messianic about, displaying a cacophonous mix of nationalistic expressions that both reflected and contributed to societal confusion. This book enables the reader to understand the American struggle to focus on national meaning, to appreciate the long standing polarization of absolutes inherent in the American experience, and suggests potential scenarios of resolution.