Andrea L. Turpin

Mother of Modern Evangelicalism

History & Biography

“Historians have long recognized that Christianity in America has been strengthened, if not sustained, by women. Yet, when it comes to twentieth-century evangelicalism, most of the stories we tell focus on strong male characters. Arlin Migliazzo joins a growing number of scholars who are trying to correct this narrative. He has convinced me that all future accounts of modern evangelicalism must place a California Sunday School teacher at the center. This well-researched and accessible biography of Henrietta Mears is a game-changer.” — John Fea author of Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump “We have long needed a scholarly biography of Henrietta Mears, one of the most influential women—and educators—in modern American evangelicalism. Migliazzo has given us one that is readable, chock-full of detail, and centered on Mears’s passion for Christian education. As director of a wildly popular ministry at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, she built bridges connecting leading conservative Protestants both to each other and to the wider culture. Mears thus emerges as one of the chief architects of today’s evangelical church.”

To Think Christianly

History & Biography

“Charles E. Cotherman has written a fascinating history of a type of Christian higher education that has been growing in importance: Christian study centers, often adjacent to secular campuses. The first such work, To Think Christianly, contextualizes the movement and in so doing provides wisdom for its future development. This history is sympathetic but not hagiographic; Cotherman points out both strengths and weaknesses. He is also particularly attentive to how these centers have facilitated women's theological training. I commend the book to all those interested in the development of Christian higher education.”