Attending to the National Soul

Shortlisted for the 2020 Australian Christian Book of the Year Award

Following on from The Fountain of Public Prosperity, the acclaimed historical account of Australian evangelical Christianity in the period preceding the First World War, in this major new contribution, Stuart Piggin and Robert Linder tell the story of how Australian evangelical Christians responded to the decline of the British empire and to the expanding international reach of their religious mission and beliefs. They explore how these Christians reacted to the challenges of secularism and how they have sought to 'attend to the national soul': sensitising the national conscience and helping to shape the national consciousness.

The authors offer an extensive treatment of evangelical involvement in the First and Second World Wars, and in the wars in Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. They consider Alan Walker and Billy Graham, and the development of an energetic evangelism more calculated to address global fears and personal anxieties. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, they show how the movement had trifurcated into conservative, progressive, and Pentecostal branches, with each learning the necessity of bringing a prophetic ministry to bear on social issues for greater engagement with wider society.

This ambitious study seeks to recognise the influence of 'the public opening up of the word of Christ to the world', 'to tell the truth about his influence' on Australia's social and cultural history, and to show that, in spite of secularism's success in marginalising faith, evangelical Christianity continues to be as much a public ethic as a personal credo.

'There has probably never been a better history of evangelical traditions in a single country.' - Mark Noll, Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

'Stuart Piggin and Robert D. Linder discuss the impact of this vibrant interdenominational movement on Australia with clarity, authority, and critical sympathy.' - David Bebbington, Professor of History, University of Stirling

'A great achievement and one that will help over time to change the way Australian history is written.' - Wayne Hudson, Professor in Australian Studies, Australian National University