The Money Cult

“A tour de force that illustrates the continuities of American cultural and economic history...Chris Lehmann has shown us why religious history is the mainstream of American history -- and how Protestant theologians became the court poets of capitalism.—The New York Times Book Review “Eye-popping and prodigiously researched."—Maclean's “Lehmann’s excavations may be sobering, but it is absolutely necessary for us to know this backstory if we are to have any hope of understanding the contemporary religious and political landscape, including the spiritual context that lies behind Trumpism’s rapid ascent.”—Religion Dispatches “One of the season’s most substantial nonfiction books — from one the best essayists and polemicists writing in the US.”—Flavorwire “Brilliantly written and wide-ranging.”—Reason "Entertaining and erudite."—Publishers Weekly “Lehmann’s intellectual history of the long association between Christian faith and the pursuit of the materially good life makes enthralling reading.”—Booklist “Far from being a simple polemic against an easy target, Lehmann provides an in-depth investigation into the social transformation of religious thought…A thorough, critical, and information-dense history of American ’self-help’ religion.”—Library Journal “Lively…Lehmann makes an important and timely point, which is that American religion has always been about money.”—Kirkus Reviews “American Christianity was not corrupted by capitalism, as I had charitably imagined. Almost from the start, it has peddled magical thinking as a means to success in the most mundane commercial undertakings, making it a literal ‘money cult.’ This is Chris Lehmann at his most biting best.” —Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel and Dimed “Chris Lehmann is your tour guide in a startling journey through the Protestant past. After providing heaps of stomach-turning evidence, he reaches a shocking conclusion: that old time religion we hanker to get back to is just the church of mammon. We’ve been confusing God and the market all along.”—Thomas Frank, author of What’s the Matter with Kansas? Praise for Rich People Things:   “Social criticism at its scorching-hot best.” —Barbara Ehrenreich   “Think H.L. Mencken crossed with Jon Stewart.” —The Phoenix   “This book made me laugh and cry. And wish I were a plutocrat. Chris Lehmann is an amazing writer. I will read his books until I die.” —Gary Shteyngart From the Hardcover edition.