American Evangelicals and Religious Diversity

Subcultural Education, Theological Boundaries, and the Relativization of Tradition

Edited by:
Kevin M. Taylor, Trinity Academy

A volume in the series: Research on Religion and Education. Editor(s): Larry Burton, Andrews University. Anthony J. Dosen, DePaul University, Chicago.

Published 2006

American Evangelicals and Religious Diversity is a qualitative study of how religion and education intersect at one conservative Christian school. The school is Evangelical and American. The school’s curriculum is bible-based and fulfills its state’s educational requirements for high school graduation. While the school has an environment that is Evangelical, the students live in a religiously-diverse world. This book documents how three students and their teacher struggle to understand a world that challenges their faith. The context for this understanding is how the teacher presents and the three students come to understand Catholicism, Islam, and the indigenous religions of the Americas. Americans continue to debate whether religious schools are too parochial and do not prepare students to live a diverse society.

CONTENTS
Foreword. Christian Schools and the Implications of Identity. A Theological Overview of American Evangelical Protestant Christianity. A Historical Overview of the American Evangelical Movement and Its Role in Education. Religion in a Pluralistic World: Secularization Theory, Religious Vitality, and the Relativization of Tradition. The State of American Evangelical Christianity. A Subcultural Education Case Study: Setting, Participants, and Methodology. Midwest Christian Academy Encounters Islam, Roman Catholicism, and the Worldviews of the Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas. Amy. Caleb. Nathan. Interpreting the Primary Informants. Evangelicals, Civil Society, and Other Religious Traditions. Ingroups, Outgroups, and Christian Education. Appendicies. A. Midwest Christian Academy Statement of Faith. B. Primary Document References. C. Video References. D. Student Demographic Survey. E. Reflective Essay Questions. F. Student Questionnaire. G. Focus Group Interview Schedules. References.

REVIEWS
"Drawing upon the depths and best of the evangelical tradition, this is a balanced and wise reflection on how to respond as faithful Christians to the reality of religious pluralism now in our midst." Thomas Groome Boston College

"This book contains the findings of a study on how young Evangelicals confront religious pluralism. It is an excellent study. Religious pluralism is one of the most important forces of our present situation. And Evangelicals constitute the most dynamic sector of American religion. How those two phenomena relate to each other is a question of highly topical significance." Peter Berger Boston University

"American Evangelicals and Religious Diversity is a well-written and impeccably researched work on a topic important both to education and to society as a whole—the role of religious truth in an increasing pluralistic world." Matthew Maruggi University of St. Thomas