The single most important work on Protestant fundamentalism written in the past decade, Timothy Gloege’s learned, far-reaching text is phenomenally researched and beautifully written, providing a Gilded Age history that links powerfully to the present story of American religions. It will inspire debate and admiration. – Kathryn Lofton, author of Oprah: The Gospel of an Icon
A smart, innovative, and engaging book that will transform what we think we know about American Christian fundamentalism. Not only will this book be important to historians of religion–whether they are interested in evangelicalism, liberal Protestantism, or alternative faiths–but it will also be necessary reading for those working on the evolution of modern business and the growth of consumer capitalism. Beautifully written, thoroughly researched, and carefully argued, Guaranteed Pure offers a powerful new interpretation of the origins of American fundamentalism as well as a compelling explanation for the long-term significance of evangelicals’ close ties to the free market. – Matthew Avery Sutton, author of American Apocalypse: A History of Modern Evangelicalism
Editorial Reviews
“An elegant book about how metaphors of industrial life seeped into the evangelical imagination….A significant contribution to the historiographical wrangling over the character of American evangelism.” – Kate Bowler, American Historical Review
“[A] cogently argued and beautifully written study.” – William Vance Trollinger, Fides et Historia
“An especially appealing book….Draws fascinating connections between business and religion.” – Peter Wosh, Business History Review
“[A] significant, thought-provoking work.” – CHOICE
“Eminently readable and frequently brilliant.” – Christianity Today
“Deftly argued, extensively researched, and with brilliant insight, Guaranteed Pure offers a major contribution to our understanding of American religion.” – Church History and Religious Culture
“A masterful work of cultural analysis.” – Books and Culture
“The interpretive frame on which Guaranteed Pure’s argument is built is a re-theorization of American Protestant history….I expect that this smart and useful argument will be engaged, utilized, and disputed by historians of American Protestantism.” – H-Net Reviews
“A valuable contribution to the story of the interactions between Protestant evangelicalism and capitalism in the United States.” – Journal of American History
A first-rate book that deserves close scholarly attention.” – Review and Expositor
“Outstanding….a rich analogy between the rise of corporate advertising and the rise of American fundamentalism.” – Patheos
“It might be too much to expect, but now that Gloege’s book is published perhaps we can do away entirely with the tiresome “liberal” versus “conservative” dichotomy when discussing American religion.” – Religion in American History
American church history fans will relish this work. – Library Journal
“May spark a new trend in American religious studies. . . . Add[s] significantly to our understanding and also speak[s] to our present situation.” – The Annals of Iowa
“Gloege’s revisionist work genuinely advances our understanding of this religious movement, and going forward his work will need to be consulted by all scholars of Protestantism in the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era.” – Themelios
“A well-researched, thoughtful, and engaging work of history. Guaranteed Pure raises many challenging questions for scholars and general readers alike, especially concerning the nature and provenance of modern evangelicalism.” – 9Marks
Offers [insights] on the social and economic contexts that shaped both institutional and personal religious identity since the end of the nineteenth century.” – Religious Studies Review
Tells the story of the founding and evolution of Moody Bible Institute through its history of practical business management. – Journal of American Culture
Timothy E. W. Gloege 