Places of Faith

Lavishly illustrated with over 100 color photographs Places of Faith takes readers on a fascinating religious road trip. Christopher Scheitle and Roger Finke have crisscrossed America visiting churches in small towns and rural areas as well as the mega-churches storefronts synagogues Islamic centers Eastern temples and other places of faith in major cities. Each stop on their tour provides an opportunity to introduce a particular current of American religion. Memphis serves as a window into the Black Church a visit to Colorado Springs provides insight into evangelicalism and a stop in Detroit sheds light on American Muslims. Readers visit Hare Krishnas in San Francisco the Amish in central Pennsylvania and a cowboy church in Amarillo Texas. As the authors journey across the country they retell unique religious histories and touch on local religious profiles and trends. They draw from conversations they had with pastors imams bishops priests and monks along with ordinary believers of all kinds. Most of all they tell the reader what they saw and heard putting a human face on America''s astounding religious diversity.