Jesus Springs

Evangelical Capitalism and the Fate of an American City

William J. Schultz

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Hardback

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English

The University of North Carolina Press
14 October 2025

History of the Americas; Christianity; Christian mission & evangelism; Religious groups: social & cultural aspects

In the years after World War II, American evangelicals flocked to the once-sleepy mountain town of Colorado Springs. Drawn by cheap property, beautiful scenery, and the encouragement of civic leaders who saw religion as a path to prosperity, evangelicals planted new churches and built religious nonprofits with a global reach. They preached their message in churches and schools, even in the United States Air Force Academy. Their efforts transformed the city into what some called the “Evangelical Vatican” and others dubbed “Jesus Springs.” But in the early 1990s, as the evangelical movement shifted its focus from saving souls to securing political and economic power, relations between the movement and the local community fractured. Today the city faces the prospect of reinvention, grappling with the challenges of America’s fast-changing religious landscape.

Jesus Springs reveals the power and influence of American evangelicalism within the nation’s spiritual economy. Linking the Cold War and the culture wars, William J. Schultz tracks how a deluge of defense spending helped Colorado Springs become the organizational heart of American evangelicalism. This story, taking place as evangelicalism transformed from a primarily religious movement into the social and political force we know today, illuminates the movement’s potential impact as its participants seek ever-greater power.

By: William J. Schultz
Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press
Country of Publication: United States [Currently unable to ship to USA: see Shipping Info]
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 25mm, Spine: 155mm
ISBN: 9781469689364
ISBN 10: 1469689367
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 14 October 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

William J. Schultz is assistant professor of American religions at the University of Chicago Divinity School.