Böcker av Matthew Bowman

A gripping account of an alien abduction and its connections to the breakdown of American society in the 1960s

A gripping account of an alien abduction and its connections to the breakdown of American society in the 1960s

Religious diversity is a defining feature of the United States. But more remarkable than the range of faiths is the diversity of political visions embedded in them. Matthew Bowman delves into the ongoing struggle over the potent word "Christian," not merely to settle theological disputes but to discover its centrality to American politics.

"From one of the brightest of the new generation of Mormon-studies scholars comes a crisp, engaging account of the religion's history."-The Wall Street Journal With Mormonism on the nation's radar as never before, religious historian Matthew Bowman has written an essential book that pulls back the curtain on more than 180 years of Mormon history and doctrine. He recounts the church's origins and explains how the Mormon vision has evolved-and with it the esteem in which Mormons have been held in the eyes of their countrymen. Admired on the one hand as hardworking paragons of family values, Mormons have also been derided as oddballs and persecuted as polygamists, heretics, and zealots. The place of Mormonism in public life continues to generate heated debate, yet the faith has never been more popular. One of the fastest-growing religions in the world, it retains an uneasy sense of its relationship with the main line of American culture. Mormons will surely play an even greater role in American civic life in the years ahead. The Mormon People comes as a vital addition to the corpus of American religious history-a frank and balanced demystification of a faith that remains a mystery for many. "Fascinating and fair-minded . . . a sweeping soup-to-nuts primer on Mormonism."-The Boston Globe "A cogent, judicious, and important account of a faith that has been an important element in American history but remained surprisingly misunderstood."-Michael Beschloss "A thorough, stimulating rendering of the Mormon past and present."-Kirkus Reviews "[A] smart, lucid history."-Tom Brokaw