Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite

Free lecture by D. Michael Lindsay

March 6, 2008 – 7 p.m.
Cornell Hall, Room 115
University of Missouri-Columbia
• See flier

Lindsay examines the rise of the evangelical Christian influence in the spheres of power in American life:  political, intellectual, cultural and economic.

An assistant professor of sociology at Rice University, Lindsay is the author of Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite. Lindsay recently completed the nation’s largest and most comprehensive study of public leaders who are people of faith. He interviewed 360 leaders, including two former presidents, for the book, which was named one of the "Best Books of 2007" by Publishers Weekly. A book signing follows the lecture. 

More about Lindsay:
Lindsay is assistant director of the Center on Race, Religion and Urban Life at Rice University and a former consultant on religion and culture for Gallup International Institute. Lindsay earned his doctorate in sociology at Princeton University after earning a master of divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and an additional degree at Oxford as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. He was a summa cum laude graduate of Baylor University.

As a sociologist, Lindsay specializes in issues related to leadership, religion and culture. He has been honored by the International Sociological Association and the International Leadership Association, as well as the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and the Association for the Sociology of Religion. Lindsay's research is published in the leading scholarly journals of sociology, religion and American studies. He is also a frequent contributor to Rev, a magazine for religious leaders.

Where you’ve seen him:

• USA Today
• American Sociological Review
• U.S. News & World Report
• National Review
• First Things
• Christianity Today
• Book TV on C-SPAN2
• YouTube

Reviews of Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite:
 “An impressive and admirably fair-minded book:  anybody who wants to understand the nexus between God and power in modern America should start here.”
- The Economist

“The (book) is the most sympathetic portrayal the elite can hope for from someone with unimpeachable academic credentials and sociological chops.”
- Christianity Today

“This important work should be required reading for anyone who wants to opine publicly on what American evangelicals are really up to.”
- Publishers Weekly

 “People of faith have an enormous impact on our society.  Michael Lindsay's brilliant book has the story everyone else has missed.  You must read this book.”
- Senator Bill Frist, R-Tenn.

“Faith in the Halls of Power is the most sophisticated and comprehensive study of Evangelical leadership and power in America.”
- Commonweal magazine

Sponsored by the MU Center on Religion & the Professions. For more information, call (573) 882-2770 or e-mail whiteab@missouri.edu.

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