I'm reading and blogging about Omri Elisha's Moral Ambition: Mobilization and Social Outreach in Evangelical Megachurches, an ethnography of two evangelical megachurches in Knoxville, Tennessee. See my introduction to the series and my follow-up post about Bible Belt Christianity. In Chapter 4 of Moral Ambition, anthropologist Omri Elisha profiles four evangelical leaders who personify the activist orientation of evangelical social engagement, and embody the virtues, struggles, and moral ambitions that go along … [Read more...] about Omri Elisha: The Frustrations of Socially Engaged Evangelicals
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Is Bible Belt Christianity Relevant to Christians in Academia?
Last week, as I began my review of Omri Elisha's Moral Ambition, I quoted a line that resonated strongly with me: Here in the Bible Belt, going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger. In the comments to my post, however, not everyone agreed about the strength of this sound bite. As I've reflected on the conversation, I've wondered if the difference in understanding is related to a difference in context —specifically, the difference between hearing the line in the … [Read more...] about Is Bible Belt Christianity Relevant to Christians in Academia?
Omri Elisha: The Moral Ambition of Evangelical Christians
Last year, I began a series reviewing academic perspectives on evangelical Christians, beginning with James Bielo's Words Upon the Word and T.M. Luhrmann's When God Talks Back. I'm picking up this series again with Moral Ambition: Mobilization and Social Outreach in Evangelical Megachurches by Queens College anthropologist Omri Elisha. Elisha's work came highly recommended by two trusted sources. First, friend-of-ESN and occasional guest blogger Kevin Birth suggested I review Moral Ambition when I asked for … [Read more...] about Omri Elisha: The Moral Ambition of Evangelical Christians