The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship

The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship, by George Marsden, is a short, forceful argument by a leading religious historian that the secular academy can and should be more open to faith-based scholarship. Marsden brings his considerable knowledge of fundamentalist and evangelical history to bear on the questions that face Christian students and teachers in mainstream universities: Is it better to stay quiet about faith? What will colleagues think of professors who talk about their religious beliefs in class? What kinds of knowledge are best illuminated by religious reflection? Marsden's main goal is practical, and the best parts of this book give advice about how Christian academics can connect with and encourage one another. He also points readers toward the work of a few academics who, Marsden argues, do topnotch research that also brings glory to God. --Michael Joseph Gross