Depending on whom you ask, America has always been “Christian Nation,” its guiding principles rooted firmly in Protestant tradition. Such an invocation has long been put forth by those on the right, frequently in contrast to a perceived shift away from “core” American values as the nation has become increasingly liberal.
She eventually broke off ties with evangelicalism when a group of her friends performed a dance with insulting Indian stereotypes. Nonetheless she shows compassion and understanding to all the people she discusses throughout the book, even those resisting change. Instead of demonizing slow-moving evangelicals for failing to embrace the changes rapidly spreading throughout the country, she finds powerful examples of those successfully challenging religious orthodoxy. One particularly moving story concerns the Biola Queer Underground, a group of students at a conservative Christian university in California whose daring organizational efforts helped open up a dialogue on a campus where “homosexual acts” were considered grounds for expulsion.
By Deborah Jian Lee (Beacon) Reading 11/17, 6 PM Barnes & Noble 1 E. Jackson 312-362-8792bn.com Free
