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Rating: 
Summary: Must Read for all Serious Students of Theology
Review: Dr. Holifield has written a masterwork of theological history. His attention to detail and his knowledge of the subject are truly stunning. By reading his analysis I was forced to reexamine and sharpen my own (reformed) beliefs. This is a must read for any serious student of theological or church history. A successful reader should have at least a basic knowledge of the key theological terms, i.e. regeneration, justification, etc. But if you normally get your theology from the "Left Behind" books and other such tripe then don't attempt this one. If you don't know your "Ivy Tower" from an "Ivory Tower" this work is not for you.
Rating: 
Summary: From the Ivy Tower
Review: Dr. Holifield sitting in his Ivy Tower has written a book on the Theology in American. If you have trouble sleeping at night and take sleeping pills. I would recommend you buy this book. It will solve all your sleeping problems. Dr. Holifield needs to get out of this Ivy Tower and learn to wrote for the very day person. This book is only good for those people who live in the Ivy Tower and teach. The real world looks and acts in a diffent way. Thank God for that.
Rating:
Summary: bored in elba
Review: i finished with the book and cannot believe how how many trees were sacrificed for this book.
bored out of my skull.
Rating:
Summary: A masterful achievement
Review: This book is beautifully written, sweeping in scope, and meticulous in its thoughtful attention to detail. It belongs in the library of anyone who thinks seriously about the history of religious ideas in America. I learned a great deal from reading this book and recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: Ignore the one star reviews
Review: This is a masterful work--truly destined to be a classic. But readers should understand that this is not a book of "pop religion"; it's a meticulously researched *academic* book, designed for serious students of American history. And it's an outstanding one.
Rating:
Summary: Ignore the one star reviews
Review: This is a masterful work--truly destined to be a classic. But readers should understand that this is not a book of "pop religion"; it's a meticulously researched *academic* book, designed for serious students of American history. And it's an outstanding one.
Rating:
Summary: "Deep and Wide"
Review: This text is monumental for many reasons. First, it is the most comprehensive text of its kind. 'Of its kind' merely means that there is no other text-at least that I am aware of-that covers, in as much detail the theological trends, movements, and groups, and individual thinkers/theologians in American historical theology. Second, the text is very well written, well documented, researched, and structured. This makes it easy for the reader to glean information and facts from its content. Another excellent feature of this text is its examination of not only Protestant movements, groups, and thinkers, but Catholic movements, groups and thinkers as well. Holifield begins his work with Calvinistic origins (focusing on Jonathan Edwards, and then moves into other groups such as Unitarians, Diests, Methodists, Baptists, Episcopal, and even Black theology. From here, Holifield discusses Lutherans, Catholics, Transcendentalists, several individual thinkers such as Horace Bushnell, and Isaac Hecker (transcendental Catholics). Scattered throughout the text, Holifield describes how certain thinkers such as Kant and Hume, for example, had an impact on certain other thinkers and religious movements or groups. These 'tid bits' of extra history are very helpful for the reader to gain a better grasp of what was going on historically during certain movements, etc. As an added bonus, Holifield devotes an entire chapter to the affects of slavery in American religious history. Overall, this is a great text for the person who wishes to gain greater insight into historical theology, Church history, and/or theological movements.
Rating:
Summary: a monument
Review: This work will be the standard text in the history of theology in America. Other books may attract attention through daring theses or unsubstantiated claims. Holifield's thorough examination of all relevant sources and his measured claims lift his text above the rest. Though some will find its intellectual angle parochial, the author makes no unwarranted arguments from theological text to social situation.
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