The Quiet Hand of God : Faith-Based Activism and the Public Role of Mainline Protestantism

Robert Wuthnow and John H. Evans bring together a stellar collection of essays that paints a contemporary portrait of American Protestantism—a denomination that has remained quietly, but firmly, influential in the public sphere. Mainline Protestants may have steered clear of the controversial, attention-grabbing tactics of the Religious Right, but they remain culturally influential and continue to impact American society through political action and the provision of social services. The contributors to this volume address religion's larger role in society and cover such topics as welfare, ecology, family, civil rights, and homosexuality. Pioneering, timely, and meticulously researched, __The Quiet Hand of God__ will be an essential reference to the dynamics of American religion well into the twenty-first century. Contents Tables and Figures Acknowledgments Introduction PART I. HISTORY , ORGANIZATION, AND ACTIVITIES 1. The Logic of Mainline Churchliness: Historical Background since the Reformation 2. Mainline Protestant Washington Offices and the Political Lives of Clergy 3. The Generous Side of Christian Faith: The Successes and Challenges of Mainline Women’s Groups 4. Religious Variations in Public Presence: Evidence from the National Congregations Study 5. Connecting Mainline Protestant Churches with Public Life 6. The Changing Political Fortunes of Mainline Protestants PART II . INVOLVEMENT IN PUBLIC ISSUES 7. Furthering the Freedom Struggle: Racial Justice Activism in the Mainline Churches since the Civil Rights Era 8. The Hydra and the Swords: Social Welfare and Mainline Advocacy, 1964–2000 9. Caring for Creation: Environmental Advocacy by Mainline Protestant Organizations 10. Vital Conflicts: The Mainline Denominations Debate Homosexuality 11. For the Sake of the Children? Family-Related Discourse and Practice in the Mainline 12. From Engagement to Retrenchment: An Examination of First Amendment Activism by America’s Mainline Churches, 1980–2000 13. Doing Good and Doing Well: Shareholder Activism, Responsible Investment, and Mainline Protestantism 14. Love Your Enemies? Protestants and United States Foreign Policy 15. Beyond Quiet Influence? Possibilities for the Protestant Mainline Contributors Index Robert Wuthnow and John H. Evans bring together a stellar collection of essays that paints a contemporary portrait of American Protestantism—a denomination that has remained quietly, but firmly, influential in the public sphere. Mainline Protestants may have steered clear of the controversial, attention-grabbing tactics of the Religious Right, but they remain culturally influential and continue to impact American society through political action and the provision of social services.

The contributors to this volume address religion's larger role in society and cover such topics as welfare, ecology, family, civil rights, and homosexuality. Pioneering, timely, and meticulously researched, The Quiet Hand of God will be an essential reference to the dynamics of American religion well into the twenty-first century.