Rise Up, O Men of God

"At the beginning and end of the twentieth century, two large organizations for men 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."--BOOK JACKET.