In the series preface to John Williamson Nevin: High Church Calvinism, D.G. Hart observes that “Nevin discerned fundamental changes in American religious life that were undermining the vitality of Reformed Christianity in the United States (10).” He elaborates further that Nevin provides a “high-church” Calvinism that responds both to religious enthusiasm (think revivalism) and the growing presence of Roman Catholicism (think sacerdotalism). Professor Nevin saw the trends of popular Protestantism in the nineteenth century. Though a controversial voice in the 19th century, Nevin’s prophetic words need to be heard again and again in our own day.
I wish to refer you my Brother to http://freedominourtime.blogspot.com for an outline of who the real Rick Perry is. It appears that he has become a man of prayer because Republicans don’t win without the Christian right.
Thank you, Winford. As I said in my post: “While the roster for the day of prayer seemed quite troubling, and while Perry may be using this event to catapult his presidential aspirations by alluring evangelical voters, the point remains: Christian prayer is still the starting point of politics and religion. Pluralism is the post-modern deception.”
It’s the latter point I want to stress. When critics treat prayer as foolishness, then we should criticize critics. That’s the central point I am making. Perry is status quo…a worst version of Bush.