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In some ways it is appropriate that a sprawling, unstructured subject has spawned a sprawling, unstructured book. An encyclopedia too narrowly constructed to include Canadian fundamentalist prophet William Aberhart, Reformed missionary to Muslims Samuel M. Zwemer, and thousands of people in between might hang together nicely, but it would not encompass evangelicalism.

It is to Balmer's credit that he can write intelligently on so much of the family. It's just unfortunate that this family album lacks a family tree.

Elesha Coffman, former managing editor of Christian History, is a doctoral student in American Christianity at Duke University.

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Randall Balmer's Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism in North America is available at Christianbook.com, as are his other books including Growing Pains, Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, and Grant Us Courage.

Christianity Today Editor-at-large Randall Balmer has written several articles for CT including:

2012: A School Odyssey | Baylor strives to go where no Christian university has gone before—in ten years. (Nov. 22, 2002)

Fundamentalist With Flair | Cantankerous Carl McIntire protested against nearly every major expression of 20th-century Christianity, and always with a flourish. (May 17, 2002)

The Wireless Gospel | Sixty-two years ago, Back to the Bible joined the radio revolution; now it is finding new media for its old message. A case study in evangelicals' love affair with communications technology. (Feb. 22, 2001)

The Kinkade Crusade | "America's most collected artist" is a Christian who seeks to sabotage Modernism by painting beauty, sentiment, and the memory of Eden. (Dec. 8, 2000)

Hymns on MTV | Combining mainstream appeal with spiritual depth, Jars of Clay is shaking up Contemporary Christian Music. (Nov. 15, 1999)

Hollywood's Renegade Apostle | Unless films like The Apostle succeed, other worthy motion pictures stand little chance of being produced. (April 6, 1998)

Still Wrestling with the Devil | A visit with Jimmy Swaggart ten years after his fall. (March 2, 1998)

Columbia University offers a brief sketch of Balmer's professional life, as well as his full curriculum vitae.

See more Christianity Today book reviews in books.

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January 2003, Vol. 47, No. 1