After Heaven: Spirituality in America Since the 1950s"Robert Wuthnow has undoubtedly become the most informed and insightful commentator on religion in America today. In this book he enlivens a comprehensive account of what has happened to us spiritually by including sparkling vignettes of real people and their stories. What he paints is a complex, sometimes confusing but hopeful picture of the changing soul of America."—Harvey Cox, author of Fire From Heaven "A beautifully written, sensitive interpretation of contemporary American culture and its religious dimensions. This book will surely stir considerable interest, discussion, and debate. It is not only a penetrating analysis, but a very stimulating and challenging one as well."—Father Andrew Greeley, University of Chicago "After Heaven occupies a rare and necessary place between sympathetic understanding and critical assessment. . . . Wuthnow has done a superb job examining the current state of religious practice in America."—Jacob Needleman, author of The New Religion "For those of us who are both excited and bewildered by highly visible recent trends in spirituality, this is a must-read book. Robert Wuthnow has a firm grasp on the traditions of spiritual life, but he also probes with great sensitivity the popular quests of recent decades. His study combines solid research into the social realities with genuine spiritual insight."—Richard J. Mouw, President, Fuller Theological Seminary "Robert Wuthnow, one of the foremost interpreters of American society and its religious cultures, excels at describing and analyzing America's complex negotiation with a world of expanding but fragmentary knowledge, distracting materialism, and fleeting moments of grace. After Heaven, in its range and depth of analysis of spiritual trends since the 1950s, is a worthy and welcomed companion to the author's classic study of ideological change in postwar religious institutions, The Restructuring of American Religion."—R. Scott Appleby, Associate Professor of History, Director, Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism |
Contents
In the House of the Lord | 19 |
The New Spiritual Freedom | 52 |
Desire for Discipline | 85 |
Angel Awakenings | 114 |
Spirituality of the Inner Self | 142 |
The Practice of Spirituality | 168 |
Notes | 199 |
| 247 | |
| 265 | |
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activities African Americans Alcoholics Anonymous Ameri Americans angels argued Arien Mack attended Avery become believe Bible Buddhism Caryl Catholic century changes Christian clergy Coleman congregations culture decade devotional emphasized encouraged everyday example experiences faith feel feminist focused freedom Gallup God's idea important increasingly individual inner institutions interest in spirituality Jerry Falwell kind learned less lives means meditation moral mother near-death experiences one's organized religion parents participated percent popular pray prayer Protestant quest reality relationship religious leaders religious traditions Robert Wuthnow sacred space says secular seeking sense Shirley Knight social society soul spiri spiritual discipline spiritual home spiritual practices spirituality of dwelling Suellen Sunday synagogues talked teachings things Thomas Merton thought tion Tom Rivers tuality University Press values Wendell Berry woman women World War II worship York