The Faith of 50 Million: Baseball, Religion, and American Culture
The religion scholars in this intriguing collection view baseball as a civil religion that can tell us much about American character and attitudes. Although more of us probably watch the Superbowl than any baseball event, baseball, with its historic claims and ties, is still regarded by many as the national pastime. Evans and Herzog, both professors at the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, NY, present ten essays on a wide range of topics, from the racial integration of the sport to the role of women and baseball. The authors, including Stanley Hauerwas (theological ethics, Duke Univ. Divinity Sch.), Christopher H. Evans (church history, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity Sch.), and Tracy J. Trothen (ethics and pastoral theology, Univ. of Winnipeg), are especially adept at examining how baseball has always been susceptible to gambling and corruption. Although written from a Protestant religious background, this unusual anthology will appeal to readers of various faiths and is best suited for libraries with comprehensive religion or sports holdings. Paul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., ILCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.