Cambridge Scholars Publishing A God More Powerful Than Yours: American Evangelicals, Politics, and the Internet Age

Throughout American history, religious movements have repeatedly proved themselves to be powerful forces capable of masterfully manipulating the social and political landscape of the nation. Key to the influence religious organizations have historically held in the United States is their use of communication technologies. In this vivid account, Christopher Boerl and Katie Donbavand adroitly weave a rich narrative illuminating the effects various historical phenomena have had and the reactionary religious response which followed. Through shifting social norms and political realities, the authors also show the role media has played in nurturing religious movements and fanaticism. Broadcast media in particular is identified as a unique conduit through which the now dominant, conservative articulation of Christianity both took root in the United States and flourished as an imposing cultural standard. More recently, new communication technologies, such as the Internet and social media, have usurped the reign of broadcast media. In so doing, these technologies are serving as a form of religious pluralization and theological fragmentation. In short, new communications technologies are fragmenting a once homogenous religious body, and, in so doing, proving that some gods are more powerful than others. About the Author Christopher W. Boerl was awarded his PhD in Politics and International Relations from Royal Holloway, University of London, where he is also a member of the New Political Communications Unit. His research primarily explores the relationship between American religious organizations, American politics, and American public policy. Widely published in leading peer-reviewed journals, Dr Boerl’s work has been cited by such bodies as the European Parliament and the Center for Unconventional Security Studies (at the University of California Irvine). A 2014 Corps Member with Teach for America, Dr Boerl resides in Massachusetts with his beautiful wife, Bonnie, and their beloved son, John. Katie Donbavand is an opinionated writer and editor. Hundreds of thousands have read, adored, or loathed her editorials for the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye, articles for InStyle.com, and other works. She met Dr Boerl at their alma mater, Emmanuel College, when she first began proofreading his sociology essays. She has been correcting his grammar ever since. Katie currently resides in New York City and is working on her debut novel. Visit her website, katiedonbavand.com, to read more of her work.