George M. Marsden is Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. His many books include Fundamentalism and American Culture, The Secularization of the Academy (edited with Bradley J. Longfield), and Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism.
"Even this book sharpest critics will find it hard to ignore.
Meticulous research, cogent arguments and radical reframing of
current debate make this book a valuable contribution."--The
Washington Post
"Comprehensively researched and lucidly narrated....Mr. Marsden's
timely book serves as an indispensable backdrop to a debate raging
today."--The New York Times Book Review
"Well-written, documented and indexed work....[A] valuable
resource!"--John Pisarek, Penn State University
"Marsden weaves a fascinating and enlightening story about the role
organized Protestant Christianity played in the foundation and
nurture of higher education in America, at schools both private and
public....Shed[s] valuable insight on the worlds of American
education and theology."--Lutheran Quarterly
"This is superb history, richly detailed, comprehensive,
stimulating. For anyone who thinks that religion is an important
part of American history, this is an indispensable book deserving
the most careful attention."--The Catholic Historical Review
"Marsden's treatment in the body of his text is eminently fair and
judicious. His accessible style and economic yet thorough treatment
make it without a peer."--Method & Theory in the Study of
Religion
"[T]his volume provides a rather comprehensive history of higher
education in America, traced through what the author calls
'pace-setting' universities. One great value of the book is the
numerous case studies included of such schools as Harvard, Yale,
Princeton, Johns Hopkins, and state universities in Michigan and
California....Marsden's Soul of the American University will go far
toward helping readers understand more about the soul of
America.
The book can be highly recommended."--Southwestern Journal of
Theology
"Marsden, a history professor at the University of Notre Dame,
writes well and possesses a masterly command of both the historical
terrain and the intellectual issues of his subject...The relation
between institutional religion and academe is an important subject,
and Marsden has written an essential guide to what he rightly calls
the 'moral crisis' of the modern university."--New York Newsday
"Marsden calls for a return of religious perspectives to the
university discourse. But he does not glamorize the previously
close relationship between religion and education....Marsden makes
a strong argument for the academy to come full circle and once
again welcome religious perspectives."--The Christian Science
Monitor
"An extremely thorough but readable account of one of the most
important - but overlooked - developments in U.S. intellectual
history."--Richard Elphick, Wesleyan University
"Marsden's point is not to argue for restoration of Christian
hegemony in university life, but to show how the disappearance of
lively religious debate has left a vacuum at the heart of
university life. He argues that a more meaningful commitment to
pluralism would produce healthy debate, including views informed by
faith....Even [this book's] sharpest critics will find it hard to
ignore. Meticulous research, cogent arguments and radical reframing
of current
debate make this book a valuable contribution to discussion of the
university's role in American life."--The Washington Post
"First-rate historical analysis...a compelling argument for giving
God a voice on campus."--Kirkus Reviews
"Argues that just as the academy has introduced alternative
curricula...it should again consider making room for traditional
religious viewpoints that can provide a legitimate contribution to
the highest level of scholarship."--Library Journal
"This book will depress some and enrage others. Everyone should
read it. Marsden demonstrates clearly how far American higher
education has moved from its roots in the Protestant establishment.
If we are to regain a moral vision for our colleges and
universities, we must come to terms with this critical dimension of
our past."--Robert Wuthnow, author of Christianity in the 21st
Century
"A national debate currently rages about the role of religion in
higher education and in public intellectual life more generally.
The Soul of the American University is indispensable reading in
that debate. Grounded in serious historical research, argued with
clear-headed passion, George Marsden's book will raise hackles.
More importantly, it raises crucial--and now
unavoidable--questions."--James Turner, University of Michigan
"Comprehensively researched and lucidly narrated....Mr. Marsden's
timely book serves as an indispensable backdrop to a debate raging
today. Does America need a common set of values to assure its
historical identity?"--The New York Times Book Review
"Marsden's research [is] compelling and his conclusions
sobering....[A] landmark study....An invaluable
resource."--Theology Today
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