Building the Old Time Religion

2015 Smith/Wynkoop Book Award presented by the Wesleyan Theological Society

2014 Choice Outstanding Academic Title


During the Progessive Era, a period of unprecedented ingenuity, women evangelists built the old time religion with brick and mortar, uniforms and automobiles, fresh converts and devoted protégés. Across America, entrepreneurial women founded churches, denominations, religious training schools, rescue homes, rescue missions, and evangelistic organizations. Until now, these intrepid women have gone largely unnoticed, though their collective yet unchoreographed decision to build institutions in the service of evangelism marked a seismic shift in American Christianity.







In this ground-breaking study, Priscilla Pope-Levison dusts off the unpublished letters, diaries, sermons, and yearbooks of these pioneers to share their personal tribulations and public achievements. The effect is staggering. With an uncanny eye for essential details and a knack for historical nuance, Pope-Levison breathes life into not just one or two of these women—but two dozen.

Priscilla Pope-Levison is Associate Dean for External Programs at the Perkins School of Theology in Southern Methodist University. Her previous books include Sex, Gender, and Christianity; Turn the Pulpit Loose: Two Centuries of American Women Evangelists; Return to Babel: Global Perspectives on the Bible; Jesus in Global Contexts; and Evangelization in a Liberation Perspective.

Readers without detailed knowledge of the US political, social, and ecclesiological context will need to hold on tightly, but will be richly repaid through the sheer accessibility of the stories, through them, the clearly presented context.

[Pope-Levisons] rich and detailed history of these religious institutions has brought to life an understudied set of female evangelists who had a significant influence on American religious history by building lasting but sometimes forgotten religious organizations.

This study suggests scholars can better understand woman as institution builders in American religion, even women as varied as Phoebe Palmer and Mother Angelica.

This deeply engaging book will interest audiences ranging from general readers (particularly those with an interest in women and Christianity, or Christianity during the Progressive Era) to students and scholars. It will be valuable in undergraduate or graduate classrooms.

In her book, Pope-Levison explores the role of women evangelists as institution builders of evangelic enterprises, churches and denominations, religious training schools and benevolence ministries...Pope-Levinson utilizes an ecumenical approach in exploring religious institutions built by women during the Progressive Era.

Matthew Avery Sutton,author of Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America:

"Brings to life a series of fascinating, charismatic, and innovative women religious leaders. Priscilla Pope-Levisons careful research, engaging narrative, and smart arguments make this an invaluable study for scholars in the fields of religion, gender, and the progressive era, as well as for general readers interested in the ways in which women have transformed American religious life.

Readers without detailed knowledge of the US political, social, and ecclesiological context will need to hold on tightly, but will be richly repaid through the sheer accessibility of the stories and, through them, the clearly presented context.

Paul Harvey,University of Colorado:
Argues that historians have ignored the significant number of independent religious organizations founded by evangelical and Catholic women in the progressive era. This institution-building by progressive-era women was fundamental to reshaping American Christianity in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century as it moved from 'itinerant to institutional revivalism.' A great strength of this work is to bring to the fore stories that are either not as well known as they need to be, or not known at all, a testament to the huge amount of archival research done by the author. This will be a significant contribution to American religious history.

Margaret Bendroth,Executive Director, Congregational Library:
Priscilla Pope-Levisons lively account takes our understanding of gender and American religion to the next level, demonstrating the permanent impact of women on the institutional shape of twentieth-century Christianity. She introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters, high-profile female evangelists and lesser-known toilers who founded schools, hospitals, and even denominations on a shoe-string. The women Pope-Levison brings to life are a colorfuland essentialpiece of the larger story of religion in the United States.

Christy Mesaros-Winckles,Free Methodist Historical Society:
Priscilla Pope-Levisons (Seattle Pacific University) new book Building The Old Time Religion: Women Evangelists in the Progressive Era is the most significant contribution to the collective memory of women evangelists in the United States since Janette Hasseys 1986 No Time for Silence. There are so few books that focus on the contributions of women evangelists who were both amazingly gifted preachers and gifted institution builders. Pope-Levisons achievement is that she is able to create a compelling narrative focused not on a single woman, but on many womens contributions to ministry during this important time in American history. Building The Old Time Religion is an effortless read; so captivating that it might be easy to overlook the amount of painstaking archival research put into this book project . . . . Pope-Levison draws attention to the fact that it wasnt just one woman who was breaking down barriers and opening doors for women to preach; it was countless women, upon whose shoulders we all stand.

Nicola Menzie:
Pope-Levison, professor of theology at Seattle Pacific University, has been fascinated with the history of Christian women for decades. The theologian, author, and ordained United Methodist minister shares her discoveries unearthed over the last 20 years through painstaking research in Building the Old Time Religion: Women Evangelists in the Progressive Era.Building the Old Timefeatures in-depth accounts of the lives, accomplishments, and controversies of influential Christian leaders such as Amanda Berry Smith, Evangeline Booth, Helen Sunday, Aimee Semple McPherson, Jennie Fowler Willing, Martha Lee, Anna Prosser, Minnie Draper, and numerous others.

Paul Putz:
I really enjoyed this book. It is well organized, well written, and full of interesting detailsa sign, no doubt, of many hours of research. . . . Scholars of American Christianity, the Progressive Era, the holiness movements, and American women's history (religious or otherwise) would all benefit from Pope-Levison's work in Building the Old Time Religion.