“A book that’s part pilgrimage, part history lesson, and part celebration of the many versions of Christianity in the South. [Hudnut-Beumler] writes with grace about almost everyone he meets. . . . Still, [he] doesn’t shy away from the deep divides and sins of Southern Christians.”—Bob Smietana, Christianity Today
“Will serve as a good reference for those interested in further exploring or conducting research on the recent history of Christianity in the South.”—Nova Religio
“Though it has long been common knowledge that the South has remained the most religious section of the United States, few realize just how diverse are the expressions of its faith. James Hudnut-Beumler . . . now dispels long held stereotypes, drawing upon a decade of interviews, field trips, and research in a host of primary and secondary sources. . . . An engaging work.”—Anglican and Episcopal History
“An accessible text . . . [that] successfully posits the South not as monolithic but an increasingly diverse space, as evidenced in and through its Christian churches.”—Religious Studies Review
“Highlighting the everyday voices of people within and outside of churches in the South, James Hudnut-Beumler provides a new look at what ‘southern religion’ means in the twenty-first century. What he finds out about the complicated legacies of southern religion—hospitable, in spite of a painful and difficult history regarding race, gender, and sexuality—will be of great interest to southerners and nonsoutherners alike.”—Anthea D. Butler, author of Women in the Church of God in Christ
“This rich, warm book wears its learning lightly, telling fascinating stories of diversity in the expression of contemporary Christianities in the South. The diversity here is very real—snake-handlers, Civil War reenactors, post-Katrina victims, megachurch attendees, Catholics, homeschoolers, LGBT-friendly congregations, creationists, and political figures ranging from right to left. While Christianity continues to dominate the culture of the southern states, Christianities represent many different kinds of people.”—Paul Harvey, co-author of The Color of Christ
“In a lively portrayal of southern Christian communities’ witness to their faith, Hudnut-Beumler dispels long-standing stereotypes about this multifaceted region and offers rich insights about its history as well as contemporary realities. Natives will discover new dimensions of the place they call home, while newcomers to the South and those outside of it will encounter new revelations and quite a few surprises.”—Jan Love, dean of Candler School of Theology, Emory University
“Consulting a bounty of people and places throughout his travels in the South, Hudnut-Beumler opens new vistas for interpretation of southern religion. With strong sensitivity to the different perspectives he encounters—whether, for example, Hispanic immigrant families flocking to a revitalized Catholic parish or believers wrestling with issues of spirituality and sexual identity—his experiences as a pastor, as well as a professor, help him to get inside what he finds, and then to show its richness to the reader.”—Charles H. Lippy, author of Do Real Men Pray?
