Saving the Protestant Ethic: Creative Class Evangelicalism and the Crisis of Work

Protestant orientations to work and economics have shaped American culture, but not all strands have elevated secular work to the highest echelons of spiritual significance. This book surveys the efforts of a religious movement within white Protestant fundamentalism and its neo-evangelical successors to make work matter to God. It traces these efforts back to early-twentieth-century business leaders and theologically trained leaders who saw a need to foster a new work ethic among religious laity entering into professional, managerial, and creative class work.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 06 July 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Protestant attitudes towards work and economics have had a profound impact on American culture for centuries. While some branches of American Protestantism have placed great emphasis on secular work, others have not. This book explores the efforts of a religious movement within white Protestant fundamentalism and its neo-evangelical successors to make work matter to God.

Today, known as the faith and work movement, this effort showcases the innovative abilities of religious and lay leaders to adapt a faith system to the evolving social-economic conditions of advanced capitalism. Drawing from the insights of Max Weber, Andrew Lynn conducts a comprehensive survey and assessment of the growing number of new organizations, books, conferences, worship songs, seminary classes, vocational programming, and study groups promoting classically Protestant and Calvinist ideas of work and vocation. He traces these efforts back to early-twentieth-century business leaders and theologically trained leaders who recognized the urgent need to cultivate a new work ethic among religious laity entering into professional, managerial, and creative class work.

In interviews with movement leaders, the study captures ongoing in-group tensions and creative adaptations among American evangelicals as they navigate changing class and political dynamics that shape American society. Saving the Protestant Ethic provides a valuable insight into the complex dynamics of religious belief and practice in contemporary America.

Weight: 632g
Dimension: 166 x 244 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780190066680