Blending personal narrative with the story of Christianity in the United States over the last fifty years, the award-winning former editor of Newsweek tells the roller-coaster ride of religion through the cultural, public, and political landscapes of American history. Kenneth L. Woodward, one of the most well-respected journalists in the United States, served as Newsweek's religion editor and chief religion writer for almost forty years, reporting from five continents and contributing more than 700 articles, essays, and book reviews, including nearly 100 cover stories, to the magazine. In this new book, Woodward tells a truly American story about how faith shaped, and continues to shape, our culture and politics (and vice versa). Recent polls from Pew and others attest to the changing demographics of believers in the United States. This book provides historical insights into why these changes have happened (and why some of the information that is being touted by mainstream media may actually be wrong). From the myopic optimism of the 50s, to the civil rights battles of the 60s, to the evangelicalism of Billy Graham and Bill Bright, to the years of Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush, and Obama, we get eye-opening answers to the questions: Is religion really an important part of the American experience? And why do people believe and act the way they do when it comes to religion? Impeccably researched and thought-provoking, this book is perfect for an NPR and Charlie Rose crowd of informed readers looking to understand a topic that continues to cause devotion and division in equal parts.

Author Biography

KENNETH L. WOODWARD, edited Newsweek's Religion section from 1964 until his retirement in 2002. He remained a writer-at-large at Newsweek until 2009. He is the author of Making Saints: How the Catholic Church Determines Who Becomes a Saint and Who Doesn't and The Book of Miracles: The Meaning of the Miracle Stories in Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam.