American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon

There's no denying America's rich religious background—belief is woven into daily life. But as Stephen Prothero argues in American Jesus, many of the most interesting appraisals of Jesus have emerged outside the churches: in music, film, and popular culture; and among Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and people of no religion at all.

Delve into this compelling chronicle as it explores how Jesus, the carpenter from Nazareth, has been refashioned into distinctly American identities over the centuries. From his enlistment as a beacon of hope for abolitionists to his appropriation as a figurehead for Klansmen, the image of Jesus has been as mercurial as it is influential. In this diverse and conflicted scene, American Jesus stands as a testament to the peculiar fusion of the temporal and divine in contemporary America.

Equal parts enlightening and entertaining, American Jesus goes beyond being simply a work of history. It's an intricate mirror, reflecting the American spirit while questioning the nation's socio-cultural fabric.

"Prothero is nothing if not sly. Within his narrative, ostensibly a popular and often entertaining account of the rendering of Jesus in song, story and spirituality, he has embedded a fairly detailed history of American religion itself." —R. Scott Appleby, The New York Times

"In this sparkling and engrossing book . . . Prothero surveys the myriad ways Americans have remade Jesus in their own image." — Publishers Weekly

"A wide-ranging investigation . . . probes the cultural dynamics that have transformed Jesus into a ubiquitous American presence while weakening the tethers of orthodoxy." — Booklist