Corwin E. Smidt is professor emeritus of political science at Calvin College, where he also served as the director of the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics for fifteen years. Smidt is the author or editor of numerous books, including In God We Trust?: Religion and American Political Life and The Oxford Handbook of Religion and American Politics, and currently serves as a Research Fellow with the Henry Institute.

Smidt provides a careful, thorough overview of white Evangelical Protestants in the US that is rooted in empirical data and objective in nature, which is essential and long overdue. Throughout the book, Smidt, one of the top scholars of religion and politics in the US, devotes a good deal of attention to matters of definition and measurement. This is too often lacking in the discussion of American Evangelicals and much appreciated here. Grounding his definition of Evangelicals in religious tradition (although other definitional options are outlined as well), Smidt offers concise, highly readable chapters on the history, size, social characteristics, religious beliefs and practices, social theology, civic life (writ large), and political lives of American Evangelicals. The book closes with a quick summary and an insightful look into the future. Smidt states that "there is a need today for a more systematic analysis of evangelicals. . . that provides a broader overview of their current social, religious, and political characteristics." Smidt is right about this, and here he delivers in full. Essential for scholars whose work deals with Evangelicals in the US and highly recommended for all other readers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.

• Introduction: When Morning Gilds the Sky? Evangelicals in Contemporary American Society1: Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past? The Evangelical Tradition in American Religious Life2: Seek and You Shall Find? The Bases of Analyzing Evangelicals Today3: Let the Weak Say I am Strong? The Size and Social Characteristics of Evangelicals4: How Firm a Foundation? The Theological Beliefs and Behavior of Evangelicals5: Living for Jesus? The Social Theology of Evangelicals6: They Will Know We are Christians by our Love? The Civic Life of Evangelicals7: We’re Marching to Zion? The Politics of Evangelicals8: In the Sweet By and By? Evangelicals and the FutureReferences

Corwin E. Smidt is professor emeritus of political science at Calvin College, where he also served as the director of the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics for fifteen years. Smidt is the author or editor of numerous books, including In God We Trust?: Religion and American Political Life and The Oxford Handbook of Religion and American Politics, and currently serves as a Research Fellow with the Henry Institute.

Smidt provides a careful, thorough overview of white Evangelical Protestants in the US that is rooted in empirical data and objective in nature, which is essential and long overdue. Throughout the book, Smidt, one of the top scholars of religion and politics in the US, devotes a good deal of attention to matters of definition and measurement. This is too often lacking in the discussion of American Evangelicals and much appreciated here. Grounding his definition of Evangelicals in religious tradition (although other definitional options are outlined as well), Smidt offers concise, highly readable chapters on the history, size, social characteristics, religious beliefs and practices, social theology, civic life (writ large), and political lives of American Evangelicals. The book closes with a quick summary and an insightful look into the future. Smidt states that "there is a need today for a more systematic analysis of evangelicals. . . that provides a broader overview of their current social, religious, and political characteristics." Smidt is right about this, and here he delivers in full. Essential for scholars whose work deals with Evangelicals in the US and highly recommended for all other readers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.

• Introduction: When Morning Gilds the Sky? Evangelicals in Contemporary American Society1: Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past? The Evangelical Tradition in American Religious Life2: Seek and You Shall Find? The Bases of Analyzing Evangelicals Today3: Let the Weak Say I am Strong? The Size and Social Characteristics of Evangelicals4: How Firm a Foundation? The Theological Beliefs and Behavior of Evangelicals5: Living for Jesus? The Social Theology of Evangelicals6: They Will Know We are Christians by our Love? The Civic Life of Evangelicals7: We’re Marching to Zion? The Politics of Evangelicals8: In the Sweet By and By? Evangelicals and the FutureReferences

Corwin E. Smidt is professor emeritus of political science at Calvin College, where he also served as the director of the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics for fifteen years. Smidt is the author or editor of numerous books, including In God We Trust?: Religion and American Political Life and The Oxford Handbook of Religion and American Politics, and currently serves as a Research Fellow with the Henry Institute.

Smidt provides a careful, thorough overview of white Evangelical Protestants in the US that is rooted in empirical data and objective in nature, which is essential and long overdue. Throughout the book, Smidt, one of the top scholars of religion and politics in the US, devotes a good deal of attention to matters of definition and measurement. This is too often lacking in the discussion of American Evangelicals and much appreciated here. Grounding his definition of Evangelicals in religious tradition (although other definitional options are outlined as well), Smidt offers concise, highly readable chapters on the history, size, social characteristics, religious beliefs and practices, social theology, civic life (writ large), and political lives of American Evangelicals. The book closes with a quick summary and an insightful look into the future. Smidt states that "there is a need today for a more systematic analysis of evangelicals. . . that provides a broader overview of their current social, religious, and political characteristics." Smidt is right about this, and here he delivers in full. Essential for scholars whose work deals with Evangelicals in the US and highly recommended for all other readers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.

• Introduction: When Morning Gilds the Sky? Evangelicals in Contemporary American Society1: Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past? The Evangelical Tradition in American Religious Life2: Seek and You Shall Find? The Bases of Analyzing Evangelicals Today3: Let the Weak Say I am Strong? The Size and Social Characteristics of Evangelicals4: How Firm a Foundation? The Theological Beliefs and Behavior of Evangelicals5: Living for Jesus? The Social Theology of Evangelicals6: They Will Know We are Christians by our Love? The Civic Life of Evangelicals7: We’re Marching to Zion? The Politics of Evangelicals8: In the Sweet By and By? Evangelicals and the FutureReferences