Evangelicalism is one of the strongest religious traditions in America today; 20 million Americans identify themselves with the evangelical movement. Given the modern pluralistic world we live in, why is evangelicalism so popular?

Based on a national telephone survey and more than three hundred personal interviews with evangelicals and other churchgoing Protestants, this study provides a detailed analysis of the commitments, beliefs, concerns, and practices of this thriving group. Examining how evangelicals interact with and attempt to influence secular society, this book argues that traditional, orthodox evangelicalism endures not despite, but precisely because of, the challenges and structures of our modern pluralistic environment. This work also looks beyond evangelicalism to explore more broadly the problems of traditional religious belief and practice in the modern world.

With its impressive empirical evidence, innovative theory, and substantive conclusions, "American Evangelicalism" will provoke lively debate over the state of religious practice in contemporary America.

From the outset, cultures and neighboring faith traditions have influenced the development of Christian theology. This process continues even today, as Christians in the West are encountering a whole host of other believers, including Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. As people of all faiths come together, Christians have begun asking some important questions: How does Christianity differ from other faiths? Can Christians learn from other religions? And if so, can other religions learn from Christianity? Many Christians have looked to other religions and wondered whether Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus can be saved. But according to Amos Young, Christians should rather seek to understand the role and purpose of religions in the overall providential plan of God. While not ignoring questions about salvation through other religions, Yong asks Christians to focus on the work of the Holy Spirit, which is both universal and particular. In other words, God creates human beings by breathing his spirit into them, and yet the Spirit is sent by Jesus to a particular group of people. Recognizing the various understandings of the Spirit in Scripture helps Christians to take seriously the variety of world religions and consider that dialogue with these religions might well spark a renaissance of Christian theology in the twenty-first century. Beyond the Impasse will appeal to pastors, students, and laypeople interested in formulating a robust, biblical, and comprehensive Christian theology of religions.

The historic teachings of four major Christian traditions--Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Reformation and Union Churches, and Evangelical and Free churches--are set forth here in a comparative framework. Following a brief historical introduction of each tradition, Ted Campbell provides an extensive overview of the tradition's beliefs on religious authority, God and Christ, human nature and salvation, and church, ministry, and the sacraments. He concludes by considering whether a definable core of Christian teachings cuts across denominational and confessional boundaries.