University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Sociology Sociology 2016 The New Monastics and the Changing Face of American Evangelicalism William A. Samson University of Kentucky, [email protected] Digital Object Identifier: http://dx.doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2016.039 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Samson, William A., "The New Monastics and the Changing Face of American Evangelicalism" (2016). Theses and Dissertations--Sociology. 26. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/sociology_etds/26 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Sociology at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Sociology by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. 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Liberato, Director of Graduate Studies THE NEW MONASTICS AND THE CHANGING FACE OF AMERICAN EVANGELICALISM Dissertation A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky By William A Samson Lexington, Kentucky Copyright © William A Samson 2016 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION THE NEW MONASTICS AND THE CHANGING FACE OF AMERICAN EVANGELICALISM American Evangelicalism is, indeed, “embattled and thriving,” as Smith et. al. (1998) have suggested, thriving precisely because it has remained in an embattled state as it cyclically seeks to establish itself as a counter to the dominant culture. However, over the last 40 years American Evangelicalism has become ingrained in the dominant culture and a new group of young Evangelicals are establishing themselves as the counter to that culture and thus defining themselves against Evangelicalism itself. Employing Smith’s (1998) “sub-cultural identity” theory of religious strength while drawing on interviews with movement leaders, members and published writings, the following research provides an overview of four social movements within Evangelicalism – Evangelical Environmentalism, social justice Christianity, the Emerging Church and New Monasticism – suggesting that these groups represent a social movement area seeking to draw a distinction in identity with American Evangelicalism. Then, drawing on over two hundred hours of in-depth interviews with 40 New Monastic leaders and community members, combined with analysis of the writings of New Monastic movement leaders, the research focuses in specifically on the identity-making activities of New Monasticism, examining the ways in which this movement seeks to influence beliefs, practices and conceptions of place within American Evangelicalism. Keywords: sociology of religion, American evangelicalism, religious social movements William A Samson March 29, 2016 i THE NEW MONASTICS AND THE CHANGING FACE OF AMERICAN EVANGELICALISM By William A Samson Dwight Billings, PhD Director of Dissertation Ana S. Liberato Director of Graduate Studies March 29, 2016 ii Table of Contents Chapter One – Introduction ................................................................................................ 1 Research Question: .......................................................................................................... 3 A Note on American Evangelicalism .............................................................................. 4 Chapter Outlines .............................................................................................................. 6 Chapter Two – Theory and Methods .................................................................................. 9 Theory ............................................................................................................................. 9 New Social Movement Theory .................................................................................... 9 Defining a Social Movement Area ............................................................................ 14 Smith’s Sub-Culture Identity ..................................................................................... 16 Cultural and Historical Analysis................................................................................ 16 Religion as Opposition .............................................................................................. 17 Framing and Ideology ................................................................................................ 17 Religion and Civic Engagement ................................................................................ 19 A Theory of Place ...................................................................................................... 20 Methods ......................................................................................................................... 22 Interviews .................................................................................................................. 25 Documentary Analysis .............................................................................................. 28 Question Set ............................................................................................................... 28 Chapter Three – Positionality Statement .......................................................................... 29 iii Chapter Four – The History and Culture of American Evangelicalism ............................ 60 A Brief Thematic History of American Evangelicalism ............................................... 60 Therapeutism within Evangelicalism – From Charles Finney to Rick Warren ......... 61 Militaristic Moralism – The Rise of the Religious Right .......................................... 69 The Cultural Milieu of American Evangelicalism ........................................................ 87 Intellectualization ...................................................................................................... 89 Marketization (the Evangelical Industrial complex) ................................................. 95 Chapter Five – American Post-Evangelicalism .............................................................. 105 The Evangelical Environmental Movement – Serve God, Save the Planet ............ 106 The Evangelical Social Justice Movement – A Hole in our Gospel ........................ 114 The Emerging Church Movement – A New Kind of Christian................................ 124 New Monasticism – A Vision So Old It’s New ........................................................ 140 Other Contenders ..................................................................................................... 146 AP-E as a Social Movement Area ............................................................................... 147 Chapter Six – The Origins of New Monasticism ............................................................ 149 The 12 Marks in Practice ............................................................................................ 154 New Monasticism as a Theopolitical Response to American Evangelicalism ........... 157 Chapter Seven – New Monasticism as a Post-Evangelical Movement .......................... 161 New Monasticism as a Response to Therapeutism ..................................................... 161 New Monastic Beliefs vs. Therapeutism ................................................................. 162 iv New Monastic Practices vs. Therapeutism .............................................................. 166 New Monastic Conceptions of Place vs. Therapeutism .......................................... 168 New Monasticism as a Response to Militaristic Moralism ......................................... 170 New Monastic Beliefs vs. Militaristic Moralism ..................................................... 170 New Monastic Practices vs. Militaristic Moralism ................................................. 172 New Monastic Conceptions