- Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks (12 Jun 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0340909277
- ISBN-13: 978-0340909270
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
445,217 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #70 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Fundamentalism
God's Own Country: Religion and Politics in the USA
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Product Description
Review
'An essential read.' (Guardian )
'With a Presidential election coming up, Bates's observations provide a fascinating, sometimes disturbing, backdrop to the good fight ahead [US elections].' (Independent )
'Bates's account of American religious life is detailed, accurate and engaging...' (Church Times )
'This tour of the wilder shores of US evangelism engages seriously with its ideas....' (Financial Times Magazine )
'This is the best book on the religious politics of the USA thats come out for years. Once again, Stephen Bates gets it right.' (Rev'd Dr Giles Fraser )
'[Stephen Bates] is one of the most perceptive observers of religion in America -- on either side of the Atlantic.' (Mark I. Pinsky, author of The Gospel According to the Simpsons )
'Insightful, knowledgeable and at times a bit frightening . . . Bates reveals a social and political force with influence on the world stage that cannot be ignored.' (Canon Dr Judith Maltby, University of Oxford )
'I could not wait for this book to come out and it does not disappoint.' (The Times Online )
'Bates drove across the Bible Belt to write this book and packs it with a journalist’s eye for detail and a good story ... It’s a remarkable achievement; vivid, eloquent and vital for anyone wishing trying to understand the soul of the most powerful nation on earth.’ (Observer, Stephen Pritchard )
'intriguing material' (Sunday Tribune )
'A fascinating insight into the history and political influence of the Religious Right in the USA' (UC Magazine )
'With a Presidential election coming up, Bates's observations provide a fascinating, sometimes disturbing, backdrop to the good fight ahead [US elections].' (Independent )
'Bates's account of American religious life is detailed, accurate and engaging...' (Church Times )
'This tour of the wilder shores of US evangelism engages seriously with its ideas....' (Financial Times Magazine )
'This is the best book on the religious politics of the USA thats come out for years. Once again, Stephen Bates gets it right.' (Rev'd Dr Giles Fraser )
'[Stephen Bates] is one of the most perceptive observers of religion in America -- on either side of the Atlantic.' (Mark I. Pinsky, author of The Gospel According to the Simpsons )
'Insightful, knowledgeable and at times a bit frightening . . . Bates reveals a social and political force with influence on the world stage that cannot be ignored.' (Canon Dr Judith Maltby, University of Oxford )
'I could not wait for this book to come out and it does not disappoint.' (The Times Online )
'Bates drove across the Bible Belt to write this book and packs it with a journalist’s eye for detail and a good story ... It’s a remarkable achievement; vivid, eloquent and vital for anyone wishing trying to understand the soul of the most powerful nation on earth.’ (Observer, Stephen Pritchard )
'intriguing material' (Sunday Tribune )
'A fascinating insight into the history and political influence of the Religious Right in the USA' (UC Magazine )
Product Description
Right-wing evangelical Christianity has come to dominate American political and social life in recent years, dividing the country and sparking cultural and moral battles. High politics and low tactics frame a fierce debate which goes much further back in the country's history than the accession of George W. Bush in 2001.
It's a battle that sears America's soul and affects the world. In this book Stephen Bates explains why what happens in the Bible Belt matters to us and how there are those who hope to export the battle to Britain.
American fundamentalist religion has the potential to impact on crucial and acutely dangerous areas of the world. Its priorities are often arcane and sometimes weird. But it is already affecting American government policy at home and abroad: not least in Israel and the Middle East. How is religion affecting the current presidential elections and where will America's battle for its soul take the world next? (20080601)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
"God's Own Country" is an engaging and insightful book written by an Englishman tracing the history of American Christianity from the founding of the country until today. Stephen Bates writes with real clarity and occasional touches of humour, making a subject that might feel hard going always interesting. Subjects include tracing the idea of the separation of religion and state through America's history, the creation vs evolution debate, the links between politics and religion, the Moral Majority, issues of abortion and homosexuality and George W Bush's own personal faith. With his British viewpoint the author explains some of the weirder aspects of modern day American religiosity in an amusing and clear style and yet his affection for America also comes through.
This book is not a dry and objective text book but more of a warm and fascinating journey through America's history and its life today. It shows some of the excesses of American Christians in their attempts to link religion and state but also some of the other people in US history and the present time who work to be voices of reason across the pond.
This book is not a dry and objective text book but more of a warm and fascinating journey through America's history and its life today. It shows some of the excesses of American Christians in their attempts to link religion and state but also some of the other people in US history and the present time who work to be voices of reason across the pond.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Stephen Bates's book is an essential read for anybody trying to understand the American religious mindset. As an English alien he is looking on the issues outside enough, so also a Finn like me can also follow things and understand what it is all about.
Book is a troubling tread though, as the American fundamentalist narrow mindedness can really be dumbfounding for a European at times.
The book is also an expose of an exotic phenomena for us Europeans, but I don't think Stephen Bates is just drooling on the stupidity of the Americans, but to my mind he brings out a quite balanced view on how the Religious Right really works.
Stephen Bates is the Religious Affairs Correspondent for the venerable Guardian and this position has opened many doors for him that would be unreachable for many.
He meets many of the leading figures of the Moral Majority and many other American organizations and feels quite comfortable with them even if exposing quirks in their thinking a moment later.
Jaakko Wallenius
[]
Book is a troubling tread though, as the American fundamentalist narrow mindedness can really be dumbfounding for a European at times.
The book is also an expose of an exotic phenomena for us Europeans, but I don't think Stephen Bates is just drooling on the stupidity of the Americans, but to my mind he brings out a quite balanced view on how the Religious Right really works.
Stephen Bates is the Religious Affairs Correspondent for the venerable Guardian and this position has opened many doors for him that would be unreachable for many.
He meets many of the leading figures of the Moral Majority and many other American organizations and feels quite comfortable with them even if exposing quirks in their thinking a moment later.
Jaakko Wallenius
[]
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