Turning Word into Flesh: Congregational History as American Religious History

This essay examines American religious history from the perspective of local churches and their congregational histories, asking what the micro trends and everyday events in a congregation have to teach those who think and write about American religious history. Encompassing the broad changes in American religion over the last hundred years, this article also draws on twenty years of ethnographic research to identify two major shifts that have shaped American religious culture. The essay concludes with four lessons for how American religious history can move forward toward a more accurate and plausible portrayal of American religious life.