Sean McCloud Book order

Essays on the discipline of medieval history and its practitioners, from the late eighteenth century onwards.

American Possessions examines Third Wave evangelical spiritual warfare, a contemporary movement of evangelicals focused on banishing demons from human bodies, material objects, land, regions, political parties, and nation states.

Exploring the intersection of class and religion, Sean McCloud argues that class transcends mere economic status, embodying identity shaped by representations and relationships. He emphasizes that understanding class as a complex analytical tool reveals deeper insights into American religious life, intersecting with factors like creed, race, ethnicity, and gender. By addressing the often-overlooked role of class, McCloud offers a fresh perspective on how it influences beliefs, boundaries, and power dynamics within religious contexts.

The book delves into the portrayal of religion in major American magazines post-World War II, highlighting how they categorized faiths as either "mainstream" or "fringe." McCloud combines religious history and social theory to reveal that these publications, influenced by a white, middle-class, and religiously liberal perspective, presented a biased view of spirituality. This analysis critiques the notion of objective journalism, suggesting it often served as a spiritual justification for the prevailing social norms of the time.