Description: Until about 1820, even learned Americans showed little interest in non-European religions--a subject that had fascinated their counterparts in Europe since the end of the seventeenth century. Fostered especially by learned Protestant ministers, this new discipline focused on canonical texts--the "bibles"--of other great world religions.
Brief description: JAMES TURNER is Cavanaugh Professor of Humanities and Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author, coauthor, or editor of seven other books including The Liberal Education of Charles Eliot Norton and The Sacred and the Secular University.
Review Quotes:
In a highly informative and readable book, Turner traces the development of the scholarly study of religion in the US. Instead of what could have been a tedious survey in the hands of a less adept writer, Turner offers a fascinating account of the relatively late American entry into the field of religious studies. His research, often encompassing obscure authors, supports a fertile narrative that is witty and always interesting . . . This volume will be useful for institutions offering religious studies programs and for seminaries.
--Choice