God and Country : How Evangelicals Have Become America's New Mainstream

In this important exploration of one of the most misunderstood phenomena of our day, former fundamentalist Christian Monique El-Faizy argues that evangelicals have become the new establishment, constituting over 40% of our population by some estimates. The 2004 Presidential election opened the eyes of many so-called blue state Americans to the reach of evangelical Christianity, yet much of the media and Hollywood still fail to understand the paradigm shift that has placed evangelicals in the American mainstream.With the intimate perspective of a former insider, __God and Country__ takes readers past the edges of the evangelical community into its heart, presenting an in-depth look at megachurches, Christian rock, Christian publishing, and the day-to-day lives of evangelical Americans. El-Faizy shows how, by mimicking many elements of secular America and creating strong communities, evangelical leaders lure converts by the thousands. But while the public face of the movement has softened, the conservative old guard still drives the political agenda. Evangelicals see every aspect of their life through the prism of their faith; their belief is central to every decision, personal, social or political. To dismiss or miscast such an influential population would be a grave mistake. Intelligent, clear-headed and piercing, __God and Country__ is essential reading for anyone interested in our nation's future. In this important exploration of one of the most misunderstood phenomena of our day, former fundamentalist Christian Monique El-Faizy argues that evangelicals have become the new establishment, constituting over 40% of our population by some estimates. The 2004 Presidential election opened the eyes of many so-called blue state Americans to the reach of evangelical Christianity, yet much of the media and Hollywood still fail to understand the paradigm shift that has placed evangelicals in the American mainstream. With the intimate perspective of a former insider, God and Country takes readers past the edges of the evangelical community into its heart, presenting an in-depth look at megachurches, Christian rock, Christian publishing, and the day-to-day lives of evangelical Americans. El-Faizy shows how, by mimicking many elements of secular America and creating strong communities, evangelical leaders lure converts by the thousands. But while the public face of the movement has softened, the conservative old guard still drives the political agenda. Evangelicals see every aspect of their life through the prism of their faith; their belief is central to every decision, personal, social or political. To dismiss or miscast such an influential population would be a grave mistake. Intelligent, clear-headed and piercing, God and Country is essential reading for anyone interested in our nation's future. In this exploration of a misunderstood phenomenon, former fundamentalist Christian El-Faizy explains how evangelicals have been able to increase their influence by mimicking elements of secular culture. Taking an in-depth look at megachurches, Christian rock music, Christian publishing, celebrity preachers, and the day-to-day lives of evangelical Americans--who now constitute over 40% of our population--the book reveals the broad spectrum of evangelical practice and thought, at the same time tracing its history and considering its future. Far from the radical group they have often been painted to be by mainstream media, the majority of evangelical Christians are typical, middle-of-the road Americans, which is why they have been able attain a position of dominance in the country. They also have major political clout, as evidenced by the last presidential election. Is there a backlash in the making? How does the power of this brand of Christianity affect us all?--From publisher description