Who's Saving Whom?

Who’s Saving Whom?

Saving America? Faith-Based Services and the Future of Civil Society, by Robert Wuthnow. Princeton University Press

Reviewed by Brent Coffin

To the extent domestic affairs have not been sidelined by the war on terrorism, public debate over social welfare has focused on the government’s support of faith-based social services. Not only is this focus myopic, it is based on invalid assumptions that are yet to be corrected by empirical data and a broader perspective on the role of religious organizations in American civil society. Out of exasperation, not inspiration, the sociologist of religion Robert Wuthnow devotes his 24th book to this problem. Saving America? Faith-Based Services and the Future of Civil Society is timely and illuminating not only for policy makers and religious and civic leaders struggling through this thicket of issues. It offers valuable insights to those who have ignored these issues.