One Nation without God?: The Battle for Christianity in an Age of Unbelief

by David Aikman

Overview

Christianity in America is under siege. From litigation over coaches starting games with prayer to expulsion from college for refusing to endorse beliefs at odds with the Christian faith, hardly a week goes by without news of the declining influence that Christianity has in the public square. Can Christianity in this country survive the advances of secularists and remain influential in our culture? And if a new spiritual awakening is possible, what form will it take?

Supported by an astonishing parade of concrete examples and direct quotes from reporters, judges, bloggers, and influencers, David Aikman turns his journalist's eye on the rise of hostility toward Christian expression in America and the alarming decline of orthodox belief among those who call themselves Christians. He explores the inspiring history of Christianity in America, the powerful cultural influences that have weakened the church, and the bright spots of hope he sees across the country, suggesting possible ways Christian influence in America might be refined and revived.

Pastors, culture-watchers, and anyone concerned about the state of the church in America will find this a fascinating and eye-opening read.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781441235848
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/01/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	766 KB

About the Author

David Aikman is an award-winning print and broadcast journalist, a bestselling author, and a foreign affairs commentator based in the Washington, DC, area. His wide-ranging professional achievements include a 23-year career at TIME Magazine and ten books. He has appeared as a commentator and guest on all the major news networks, including NBC, ABC, CNN, FOX News, and the BBC and his editorials regularly air on radio stations across the US. He lives in Virginia.

Table of Contents

1 Not a Christian Nation? The Battle for Our National Identity 9

2 Where Are the Christians in America? Withdrawal vs. Retreat 35

3 Was America Ever a Christian Nation? The Intention to Form a Christian Community 55

4 American Christianity and the Challenge of Modernity: The Rise of a Secular Intelligentsia 115

5 Countertrends: God Is Coming Back 163

Acknowledgments 191

Notes 193

Editorial Reviews

In his latest book, journalist and author Aikman (The Mirage of Peace) digs deep into the history of American Christianity, offering his own analysis of whether the United States was ever a Christian nation and how American religiosity has changed over time. He speaks in strong terms, calling America's mockery of Christianity a damaging, hostile "assault." The author spends two of the five total chapters on history, from the faith of the founders (a la Jon Meacham's The American Gospel) to the attitudes of the millennial generation. Though the timeline suggests that American Christianity has waxed and waned over the years, Aikman concludes that views of religion have ultimately worsened as a result of skepticism taught in universities and aggressive atheism promoted by the media. Despite a lack of tangible solutions and generalizations about Christians' political leanings, the book's broad and deep sourcing and Aikman's ability to include academic assessments without getting bogged down in academic jargon make this an ideal response to such other books as Letters to a Christian Nation and Myth of a Christian Nation. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly