A New Discussion Topic: American Evangelicalism

Announcing a new discussion topic: “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” — a video series featuring historical Randall Balmer. It is available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime (only $2.99 for rental for 30 days but only 48 hours to watch it) and on Youtube. You can buy it on Amazon Prime for $19.99. I can’t recommend that you watch it on Youtube and I don’t know that it will stay there or that all episodes are there. I own the DVD set but don’t have a DVD player! I will rent it from Amazon, possibly twice, depending on how long it takes to complete our viewing and discussion. I will watch it all within the 48 hours allowed and take notes on each segment.

I first saw the PBS series in the 1990s and then bought and read the book. I was deeply moved by the scenes, the interviews, and Randall’s commentaries. (I know Randall personally and that is why I call him by his first name.)

This is an in-depth examination of American evangelicalism AS IT WAS in the 1980s and 1990s by an insightful historian and commentator, one who grew up in the thick of American evangelicalism. His father and my father both pastored evangelical churches in the same Upper Midwest city.

Yes, I know, this survey of American evangelicalism is dated. But viewing it will give you background to today’s American evangelicalism. And Randall’s selection of evangelical churches and organizations is broader than that of many contemporary commentators on the subject. I agree with his “big tent” version of American evangelicalism.

His version includes scenes and interviews and commentary related to Willow Creek Church, a Black Pentecostal church, Calvary Chapels, an Appalachian Holiness prayer camp, Jack Wyrtzen’s Christian youth camp and many other disparate evangelical churches and organizations.

I will announce segments to watch and for weekly discussions here. If you are at all interested, please rent it and wait a few days for me to announce the first segment for discussion and the date for the beginning of it.

*Note: If you comment, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links.*