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.

Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America

Christian Smith

Michael O. Emerson

Oxford University Press

For undergraduate/graduate courses in the Sociology of Religion in departments of Sociology; and for courses such as Religious Perspectives on Social Issues in departments of Theology. A reader that seeks to explore the relationship between the structure and culture of religion and various elements of social life in the U.S. Sociology of Religion: A Reader, 2e is ideal as either a standalone reader or supplement to the text written by the same author team, Why Religion Matters. Based on both classic and contemporary research in the sociology of religion, this reader highlights a variety of research methods and theoretical approaches. It explores the ways in which religious values, beliefs and practices shape the world outside of church, synagogue, or mosque walls while simultaneously being shaped by the non-religious forces operating in that world.

Sociology of Religion: A Reader (2nd Edition) (Mysearchlab Series for Religion)

Susanne C Monahan

William A. Mirola

Pearson

Religion Matters: How Sociology Helps Us Understand Religion in Our World

Routledge

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Books by Michael O. Emerson