Deconstructing Evangelicalism: Conservative Protestantism in the Age of Billy Graham

Hart gives a personal and thoughtful account of why he finds the term "evangelical" such a vacuous concept. Hart argues that evangelicalism is an abstraction, which has insufficient content to function as a marker for Christian identity, because it lacks the formative practices, institutions, and rhythms that denominations provide. Part jeremiad, part history - this is an entertaining read,...more

Hart gives a personal and thoughtful account of why he finds the term "evangelical" such a vacuous concept. Hart argues that evangelicalism is an abstraction, which has insufficient content to function as a marker for Christian identity, because it lacks the formative practices, institutions, and rhythms that denominations provide. Part jeremiad, part history - this is an entertaining read, although Hart's thesis is unlikely to win you over entirely. Still, he might just start a conversation...   hide