Book Review: Getting Religion by Kenneth L Woodward

If you have followed the news, you would notice religion seems to be a topic that many talk about whether negative or positive. The landscape of religion in America has changed as well. In the 1950's, church attendance was looked on as a positive aspect about your character where today, in some circles, it is considered very negatively.

Religion has always been in the history of America whether it is acknowledged or not. Religion has also shaped America in every generation. Kenneth L Woodward is the former Religion Editor for Newsweek and has written a book that highlights the changes in the American culture and how religion has influenced it from the 1950's to today. The book is titled, Getting Religion.

Woodward highlighted that many Americans attended church in the 1950's where today many don't have a religious affiliation. He goes through the times of the civil rights movement, anti-Vietnam war protests, and the rise of religious cults. He does all this to being about how religion is view in the 21st century and how it has played a role in politics and the current cultural climate. He even looks at each president from Eisenhower to Obama on how religion has influenced them.

Woodward has done a lot of research in this book and has carefully communicated the history of the second half of the 20th century up to this point on how religion has played a role in the current American culture. There is a lot of information to process. This book will be a good tool for pastors and theologians to use in understanding more of the current religious climate in America today.

Thanks Crown Publishing for letting me review this book.