1950: Crossroads of American Religious Life

In his book, 1950: Crossroads of American Religious Life, Robert S. Ellwood writes about the religious revival that swept the country during the 1950's and it's relationship to the historical events of the time. Post war Americans were returning to their churches and synagogues, and attendance was up across the board. In fact, new members of Judaism, Roman Catholicism, and Protestantism actually exceeded the real growth in the general population - Gloria in excélsis Deo. It was a time of great change, and organized religion was helping reshape American culture and preparing it for the challenges of a brand new future in the era of baby boomers, emerging technology, the Evil Empire and the hydrogen bomb. I found the book to be a very interesting read, and I am glad that I was around in the 1950's to witness some of those great changes. I give the book three Hail Maries

The 1950s saw new postwar religious booms in America, with the year being a focus on religion and communism alike. This provides a history of 1950 and shows how events of that year influence today's trends, providing a focus on the religious changes of the times. Essential for any studying American religious history.