Lutheranism and American Culture

""The book's triumph lies in explaining how the Civil War accelerated a general Lutheran shift toward dogmatic confessionalism, strict church-state separation, and social conservatism—but alongside an ardent embrace of American exceptionalism. All, whether Lutherans or not, who have long desired a thorough account of Lutheran history carefully situated in American history will greatly value this landmark volume."" - Mark A. Noll, author of America's Book: The Rise and Decline of a Bible Civilization, 1794–1911 ""With an expansive knowledge of the terrain and careful attention to unexpected deviations, Grundmeier adeptly charts the denomination's theological and organizational history. The result serves not only as a valuable reference work but also as an important interpretive contribution."" - Alison Clark Efford, author of German Immigrants, Race, and Citizenship in the Civil War Era ""Lutheranism and American Culture fills a significant gap in nineteenth-century American religious history. Deeply researched, richly detailed, and forcefully argued, Grundmeier's work explores the complex interactions between a confessional church in the Civil War era and the broader American culture, including the dilemmas posed by denominational separatism and political conservatism."" - George C. Rable, author of God's Almost Chosen Peoples: A Religious History of the American Civil War ""As an immigrant group moving into nineteenth-century America, the Lutherans were somewhat religiously and culturally different. Timothy Grundmeier's careful history of this dynamic is a fine addition to the history of Lutherans in America, and one that adds depth and complexity to the larger religious history of the United States."" - Mark Granquist, author of Lutherans in America: A New History