Rethinking Zion: How the Print Media Placed Fundamentalism in the South

Long before the red state/blue state divide, Americans have tended to think of the South as a natural home to and birthplace of Christian fundamentalism. Despite historical evidence and scholarly research to the contrary, the view of the South as a fundamentalist center persists. Rethinking Zion documents the process by which the South received its fundamentalist label and chronicles the forces at work in creating the image of the South as the Bible Belt. Mary Beth Swetnam Mathews places the discussion more squarely in the complex history of the print media. She argues that the idea of the South as fundamentalist sprang from long-held cultural observations and prejudices—both real and unfounded—that were developed long before the opening of the famous 1925 Scopes trial in Tennessee. She examines how the growth of the media in the early twentieth century played a crucial role in portraying the South as a violent, poorly educated, provincial region. By examining secular media sources, Mathews places the study of the influence of religion upon culture and culture upon religion in a broader context. A thought-provoking book, Rethinking Zion adds much to the study of existing literature on the rise of fundamentalism and is an important resource for scholars and students of southern history, religious history, and the history of journalism
ASIN: 1572334932
VSKU: BVV.1572334932.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Mathews, Mary Beth Swetnam
Binding: Hardcover
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact including the dust cover, if applicable . Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.