How Christianity Made America—and How America Remade Christianity

The Summit of the Gods follows a Japanese photographer who finds a camera possibly belonging to the famed mountaineer George Mallory, prompting an obsessive investigation into the truth behind Mallory's disappearance and the nature of mountaineering. Originally a novel by Baku Yumemakura, it was adapted into a manga by Jiro Taniguchi, whose detailed art and contemplative pacing brought broader attention to the tale. The work explores themes of obsession, the drive to conquer mountains, and the personal costs of extreme alpinism. It blends historical speculation with intimate character study, making it resonate with readers interested in climbing and human motives. The title has become influential in climbing fiction and has inspired other creators exploring similar themes.

Matthew Avery Sutton's 'Chosen Land' traces how Christianity shaped key moments in American history and how Americans in turn reinvented Christianity across generations. Sutton argues the founders' pragmatic disestablishment opened space for powerful Protestant groups to form an unofficial establishment that influenced politics, expansion, and culture. He explores revivalism, the Civil War's religious dimensions, missionary efforts in the West, and the rise of entrepreneurial, consumer-oriented churches. Sutton highlights 'liberationist' Christian traditions—Indigenous, Black, and other progressive movements—that challenged dominant paradigms. The book also examines contemporary implications, including Christian nationalism and declining Christian affiliation, asking whether American Christianity faces a last gasp or another revival.