Judith Buddenbaum and Debra Mason (eds)

Ames: Iowa State University Press, 2000

"At first we thought the task would be relatively simple: identify a few episodes and issues when religion and/or religion news coverage clearly made a difference, then find a few stories that would show how newspapers and news magazines covered the story. But quickly we found ourselves inundated with examples of times when religion made a difference. Similarly, we found so many interesting and varied examples of news coverage that helped shape public opinion that we very quickly found ourselves facing hard choices about what could be included in this anthology and what would have to be excluded." (p.xiii)

Out of this necessity, therefore, the book has a number of limitations. It is restricted to religion in the U.S., so significant overseas news and religious events are not included. Some otherwise easily accessed instances are omitted, as are longer pieces, even though important.

Nevertheless, the almost 120 stories included allow for selective reading according to interest and provide a reminder of some of the important movements and instances in American religious history. The different historical tones allow for exploration not only of religious events, but of journalistic styles and emphases across the centuries. The authors provide introductions to each section that gives a background to the social and cultural movements of the time.

Table of Contents:

I. Ideological Journalism in a New Jerusalem
1. Early Press Philosophy and Practice
2. Playing God and Playing for Power
3. The Great Awakening
4. Religion and Revolution
5. Disestablishment and Its Discontents

II. Personal Journalism for a Protestant America
6. The Missionary Spirit
7. The Birth of Modern Religion Reporting
8. Anti-Catholicism in 19th Century America
9. The Mormon Question
10. A Nation Divided
11. The "Jesus" Newspaper
12. Revivalism
13. The Spirit of Reform
14. Faith, Science and Scripture
15. Pulling Together

III. Detached Journalism in a Changing World
16. Consensus Religion
17. Winds of Change
18. The Death of God
19. All God's Children
20. The Electronic Church
21. God and the Ballot Box

IV. Coping with Diversity, Connecting to Readers
22. Culture Wars and Hot-Button Issues
23. Church and State
24. Pluralism Takes Hold
25. Spiritual Journeys
26. God and Mammon
27. Insights into Interpretations
28. Toward a New Millenium

Review by Peter Horsfield