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Rise Up, O Men of God
The "Men and Religion Forward Movement" and the "Promise Keepers"
L. Dean Allen
The first comparative analysis of the two evangelical Christian mens' movements of the twentieth century.
At the beginning and end of the twentieth century, two large organizations for men only gained substantial followings among evangelical Christians in the United States. The first organization, the Men and Religion Forward Movement (MRFM) of 1911-1912, drew nearly 1.5 million men to campaign in
seventy cities and in over 1,000 auxiliary towns across the US. The second organization, Promise Keepers (PK), sponsored conferences for men in athletic stadiums across the country, beginning in 1991 with attendance totaling more than 4 million men.
L. Dean Allen analyzes both groups' constructions of masculinity and social ethics in relation to the family, the church, and a prominent social issue. Evangelical Christian leaders designed both organizations in response to their alarm at men's absence from evangelical churches, and they sought to increase men's participation in churches and to improve society as a whole by their efforts. Each group faced important social changes during its era such as new economic realities, women's activities, and perceived moral crises. Despite their similarities as groups for evangelical Christian men only, MRFM and PK developed contrasting constructions of masculinity and divergent social ethical calls for action. MRFM leaders constructed an image of men as strong, calm, and logical who were to be efficient, active, and practical leaders in family, church, and society. PK leaders, by contrast, constructed an image of men as sensitive, caring, and emotionally expressive who would develop healthy relationships as servant-leaders in their families, churches, and societies.
L. Dean Allen (Ph.D., Boston University) is Associate Dean for Academic Programs and assistant professor of ethics at Andover Newton Theological School.
Titles of Related Interest
The Challenges of Roger Williams: Religious Liberty,
The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for Cause of Conscience: Classics of Religious Liberty 2 by Roger Williams
A Short Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity: Classics of Religious Liberty 1 by Thomas Helwys
Richard Groves, editor
128 pp. Hardback. $32.00s. 0-86554-766-1. H429.
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