Despite all the hype surrounding the "New Atheism," the United States remains one of the most religious nations on Earth. In fact, 95% of Americans believe in God--a level of agreement rarely seen in American life. The greatest divisions in America are not between atheists and believers, or even between...
Despite all the hype surrounding the "New Atheism," the United States remains one of the most religious nations on Earth. In fact, 95% of Americans believe in God--a level of agreement rarely seen in American life. The greatest divisions in America are not between atheists and believers, or even between people of different faiths. What divides us, this groundbreaking book shows, is how we conceive of God and the role He plays in our daily lives.
*America's Four Gods*draws on the most wide-ranging, comprehensive, and illuminating survey of American's religious beliefs ever conducted to offer a systematic exploration of how Americans view God. Paul Froese and Christopher Bader argue that many of America's most intractable social and political divisions emerge from religious convictions that are deeply held but rarely openly discussed. Drawing upon original survey data from thousands of Americans and a wealth of in-depth interviews from all parts of the country, Froese and Bader trace America's cultural and political diversity to its ultimate source--differing opinions about God. They show that regardless of our religious tradition (or lack thereof), Americans worship four distinct types of God: The Authoritative God--who is both engaged in the world and judgmental; The Benevolent God--who loves and helps us in spite of our failings; The Critical God--who catalogs our sins but does not punish them (at least not in this life); and The Distant God--who stands apart from the world He created. The authors show that these four conceptions of God form the basis of our worldviews and are among the most powerful predictors of how we feel about the most contentious issues in American life.
Accessible, insightful, and filled with the voices of ordinary Americans discussing their most personal religious beliefs,*America's Four Gods*provides an invaluable portrait of how we view God and therefore how we view virtually everything else.
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Despite all the hype surrounding the "New Atheism," the United States remains one of the most religious nations on Earth. In fact, 95% of Americans believe in God--a level of agreement rarely seen in American life. The greatest divisions in America are not between atheists and believers, or even between...
Despite all the hype surrounding the "New Atheism," the United States remains one of the most religious nations on Earth. In fact, 95% of Americans believe in God--a level of agreement rarely seen in American life. The greatest divisions in America are not between atheists and believers, or even between people of different faiths. What divides us, this groundbreaking book shows, is how we conceive of God and the role He plays in our daily lives.
*America's Four Gods*draws on the most wide-ranging, comprehensive, and illuminating survey of American's religious beliefs ever conducted to offer a systematic exploration of how Americans view God. Paul Froese and Christopher Bader argue that many of America's most intractable social and political divisions emerge from religious convictions that are deeply held but rarely openly discussed. Drawing upon original survey data from thousands of Americans and a wealth of in-depth interviews from all parts of the country, Froese and Bader trace America's cultural and political diversity to its ultimate source--differing opinions about God. They show that regardless of our religious tradition (or lack thereof), Americans worship four distinct types of God: The Authoritative God--who is both engaged in the world and judgmental; The Benevolent God--who loves and helps us in spite of our failings; The Critical God--who catalogs our sins but does not punish them (at least not in this life); and The Distant God--who stands apart from the world He created. The authors show that these four conceptions of God form the basis of our worldviews and are among the most powerful predictors of how we feel about the most contentious issues in American life.
Accessible, insightful, and filled with the voices of ordinary Americans discussing their most personal religious beliefs,*America's Four Gods*provides an invaluable portrait of how we view God and therefore how we view virtually everything else.
America's Four Gods: What We Say About God & What That Says About Us$79.99
Koorong code318211
ISBN9780195341478
Pages258
PublisherOxford University Press
Publication date07 October 2010
Dimensions22 x 155 x 234mm
Weight0.541kg
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Rated 3.0 out of 5 stars
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An interesting analysis, but nothing new in the absence of Scripture
Froese & Bader document the religious climate of the United States of America and the cultural Christianity that has emerged over the centuries, in which the concept of """"God"""" has been firmly established, but is defined then approached and understood very differently across the social landscape. Based on surveying how people perceive the character of God, the authors propose four types of """"God"""" according to Americans: Authoritative, Benevolent, Critical and Distant. They contended that our understanding of """"God"""" """"emerge from myriad sources-our parents, our religious tradition or denomination, our peers, and our culture. """" They state that in seeking morality, many humans appeal to the concept of """"God"""" but even then, there are differences in whether they align with what God has stated (the Scriptures) or should differ, seeing that His statements are more opinions and suggestions than absolutes. Science is seen as a challenge to religion, in that the former is seen as incompatible and superior to the later. When it comes to money, it defines class, is balanced between charity, necessary preservation and vice driven excesses, and shapes economies and politics. In relation to disasters and evil, the authors document that God is seen either as the cause, enabler or indifferent party. In closing, the authors believe that believers should keep focused on God, not how people define and perceive God. While it is an interesting analysis, it does not help…
