Guaranteed Pure: The Moody Bible Institute, Business, and the Making of Modern EvangelismTimothy E. W.Gloege. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2015.

Abstract

Guaranteed Pure: Moody Bible Institute, Business, and Making of Modern Evangelism Timothy E. W. Gloege. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2015.Guaranteed Pure: Moody Bible Institute, Business, and Making of Modern Evangelicalism tells story of founding and evolution of Moody Bible Institute through its history of practical management. front cover hosts a photograph of A. F. Gaylord, manager of Moody Bible Institute (MBI, named after Moody's death in 1900). inside cover describes emergence of a consumer-oriented ?orthodoxy'... [guaranteed of both liberal theology and Populist excesses, calling it old-time religion dependent on consumer capitalism. Reviewers praise book for advancing readers' knowledge of Protestant fundamentalism. author Timothy E. W. Gloege writes, This book attempts to explain continuing vibrancy of conservative and its ideological and political allegiances to consumer capitalism (13). Noting fundamentalism embraces an impossibly diverse coalition of people, Gloege limits his inclusion to those claiming label in 1910s and 1920s; he also bounds modern consumer capitalism, warning it cannot explain all aspects of conservative evangelicalism (14). book does, however, claim that core leadership of early fundamentalist movement-those who controlled key institutions, funded its endeavors, and helped define what ?fundamentals' were-was profoundly influenced by business (14).Gloege organizes the story of corporate in two parts: rise of post-Civil war and ensuing crisis; and, after 1900, its evolution into conservative evangelicalism. first chapter traces Dwight L. Moody's early life, rise of evangelical realism, and Moody's ideas of Christian work; Chapter 2 treats rising labor unrest and development of Moody Bible Institute (MBI); and Chapter 3 introduces early life of American evangelist Rueben A. Torrey (1889-1908), head of Bible Institute of Chicago Evangelization Society, later to become Moody Bible Institute, and his ideas about power for service. Chapter 4 examines 1890's crisis at Moody, involving radical evangelicals and faith healer John Alexander Dowie. Belonging to Part Two, Chapter 5 devotes itself to a Business Basis spearheaded by Henry Parsons Crowell, a leader in oatmeal in 1882 and Quaker Oats in 1891. Following a leave of absence by Reuben A. Torrey, Crowell reorganized MBI, giving it a sound plan and a vision for future. Gloege describes Crowell as early pioneer in the trifecta of trademark, package, and promotion proved to be applicable to any consumer good, including story of MBI (117). Chapter 6 charts pivot at MBI from identity rooted in Christian work to one of pure religion rooted in consumer identity, and Chapter 7 focuses on The Fundamentals, a project resulting in creation of an ad hoc ?orthodoxy' (11). Finally, Chapter 8 describes a conflict between fundamentalists and modernists arising in 1910s and rise in 1920s of a fundamentalist coalition. Epilogue returns to role of MBI in development of conservative evangelicalism.Succinctly, Gloege lays out a framework for understanding American Protestantism. He first describes a ?churchly' orientation influenced North American settlement and emphasized authentic faith as requiring church membership in a particular church, religious authority rooted in Bible but exercised by church, and a biblical interpretation guided by theological tradition and ordained clergy (5). After rise of intellectual Enlightenment, responsibility for thinking became privilege of individual, who used reason and empirical observation to question long-standing assumptions (6). …