Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780195147070)

Through a nationwide telephone survey of 2,000 people and an additional 200 face-to-face interviews, Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith probed the grassroots of white evangelical America. They found that despite recent efforts by the movement's leaders to address the problem of racial discrimination, evangelicals themselves seem to be preserving America's racial chasm. In fact, most white evangelicals see no systematic discrimination against blacks. But the authors contend that it is not active racism that prevents evangelicals from recognizing ongoing problems in American society. Instead, it is the evangelical movement's emphasis on individualism, free will, and personal relationships that makes invisible the pervasive injustice that perpetuates racial inequality. Most racial problems, the subjects told the authors, can be solved by the repentance and conversion of the sinful individuals at fault.
Combining a substantial body of evidence with sophisticated analysis and interpretation, the authors throw sharp light on the oldest American dilemma. In the end, they conclude that despite the best intentions of evangelical leaders and some positive trends, real racial reconciliation remains far over the horizon.

Author: Michael O. Emerson, Christian Smith
ISBN-10: 0195147073
ISBN-13: 9780195147070
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Language: English
Published: 09/06/2001
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.37lbs
Size: 8.02h x 5.34w x 0.41d

Review Citation(s):
CBA Retailers 04/01/2002 pg. 86