1
such as statistics or interviews with people who embodied this transformation, Shires’ thesis remains tentative. Still, while Shires may not fully convince the liberal left and con- servative right that they share a common heritage in the counterculture, Shires’ narrative successfully suggests, at the least, a surprising kinship. AnneMarie Kooistra Bethel University POPULIST SAINTS: B. T. AND ELLEN ROBERTS AND THE FIRST FREE METHODISTS. By Howard A. Snyder. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2006. Pp. xx + 979. $39, ISBN 0-8028-2884-1. Meticulously researched and exquisitely footnoted, Snyder’s book will be the biography of record on this pair. Snyder tells of a pious Methodist couple whose lives and careers stretched across the tumultuous decades of the nine- teenth century. In some ways, they were microcosms of the significant political, social, and cultural events during their lives. Yet in other ways, they were key actors in the forma- tion of the Free Methodist Church. In terms of historiogra- phy, Snyder attempts to revise the hagiography of previous biographers, including the Roberts’ son. Yet Snyder lauds their faith and accomplishments, opening his book with a note of gratitude for the millions of souls reaching heaven as a result of the Roberts. Snyder’s most important addition to the historiography is his use of Victor and Edith Turner’s theories to interpret the “liminal” years 1855-60 in which B. T. Roberts was expelled from the Methodist Church and began forming the Free Methodists. Snyder sees these years as a rite of passage for B. T., one taking place during the middle of his life. There can be no argument that Snyder is a good historian, and the merit of this book’s research deserves an audience in universities. Likewise, Snyder the theologian also offers this book as a didactic to would-be populist saints in seminaries. Students at both institutions would benefit from this book. Barton E. Price Florida State University THE NEW ENGLAND THEOLOGY. FROM JONATHAN EDWARDS TO EDWARDS AMASA PARK. Edited by Douglas A. Sweeney and Allen C. Guelzo. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic Press, 2006. Pp. 320; bibliography, index. $29.99, ISBN 0-8010-2709-8. Edwards has long been recognized as America’s theolo- gian and his Calvinism has been long studied and appropri- ated by succeeding theologians and philosophers, not to forget literary figures. Specifically, he was adopted by late nineteenth-century Reformed theologians and in the twenti- eth century by powerful strands of American Evangelicalism. This focus on Edwards has all but obscured his immediate and later disciples, and it is this omission this volume seeks to rectify. This volume of scarce documents is divided into nine parts, starting with the thought of Edwards himself and then proceeds to provide original materials illustrating the move- ment of New Divinity, Edwards’s views of God’s moral rule, ethics, slavery, mission, human experience, theology in New Haven, Finney and the New Measures, concluding with two parts devoted to the Edwards Amasa Parks and the whole Calvinist movement as remembered by H. B. Stowe. Apart from the figures noted earlier, extracts from J. Bellamy, S. Hopkins, T. Dwight, S. Osborn, N. W. Taylor, and J. Edwards the younger and others are offered. An essential text for all interested in the intellectual history of New England and the successors to the Calvinist movement there through to modern times. Iain S. Maclean James Madison University The Americas: Central and South America CROSSING THE WATER: A PHOTOGRAPHIC PATH TO THE AFRO-CUBAN SPIRIT WORLD. By Claire Garoutte and Anneke Wambaugh. Durham, NC: Duke Uni- versity Press, 2007. Pp. xiii + 258. $24.95, ISBN 978-0-8223- 4039-3. Written by two photographers, this book is a delight of both black-and-white and color photos documenting the reli- gious life of a priest of Santería, Palo Monte, and of Espirit- ismo in Santiago de Cuba on the eastern side of the island. After a short introduction, each chapter highlights one aspect of Santiago Castañeda Vera’s religious practice. As it focuses on the rituals performed by a single person (together with his godchildren), the book has a certain idiosyncratic quality. The photographs that form the heart of this book have been lovingly edited to catch the dynamics of the rituals documented within the form of still images. The text, mainly written in a first-person narrative style, expands and explains the photos so that the reader comes away feeling as though they also experience these rituals in some measure. The price of this book is astonishing given the production qualities—almost every page has one or more photographs if not devoted to one print, all printed on high-quality paper. This would be a wonderful addition to both private and library collections with an interest in Caribbean religions. Mary Ann Clark Yavapai College South Asia S ´ RI ¯ KRSNA : THE LORD OF LOVE. By Prema ¯ nanda Bha ¯ ratı ¯. With an introduction by Gerald Carney. Edited, annotated, and prefaced by Neal Delmonico. Kirksville, MO: Blazing Sapphire Press, 2007. Pp. cii + 353. $35, ISBN 0-9747968-7-5. This is a hypercorrected edition of what is likely the first book on theistic Vaisnavism published in the West, in 1904, Religious Studies Review VOLUME 34 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2008 224

Crossing the Water: A Photographic Path to the Afro-Cuban Spirit World – By Claire Garoutte and Anneke Wambaugh

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such as statistics or interviews with people who embodiedthis transformation, Shires’ thesis remains tentative. Still,while Shires may not fully convince the liberal left and con-servative right that they share a common heritage in thecounterculture, Shires’ narrative successfully suggests, atthe least, a surprising kinship.

AnneMarie KooistraBethel University

POPULIST SAINTS: B. T. AND ELLEN ROBERTSAND THE FIRST FREE METHODISTS. By Howard A.Snyder. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,2006. Pp. xx + 979. $39, ISBN 0-8028-2884-1.

Meticulously researched and exquisitely footnoted,Snyder’s book will be the biography of record on this pair.Snyder tells of a pious Methodist couple whose lives andcareers stretched across the tumultuous decades of the nine-teenth century. In some ways, they were microcosms of thesignificant political, social, and cultural events during theirlives. Yet in other ways, they were key actors in the forma-tion of the Free Methodist Church. In terms of historiogra-phy, Snyder attempts to revise the hagiography of previousbiographers, including the Roberts’ son. Yet Snyder laudstheir faith and accomplishments, opening his book with anote of gratitude for the millions of souls reaching heaven asa result of the Roberts. Snyder’s most important addition tothe historiography is his use of Victor and Edith Turner’stheories to interpret the “liminal” years 1855-60 in whichB. T. Roberts was expelled from the Methodist Church andbegan forming the Free Methodists. Snyder sees these yearsas a rite of passage for B. T., one taking place during themiddle of his life. There can be no argument that Snyderis a good historian, and the merit of this book’s researchdeserves an audience in universities. Likewise, Snyder thetheologian also offers this book as a didactic to would-bepopulist saints in seminaries. Students at both institutionswould benefit from this book.

Barton E. PriceFlorida State University

THE NEW ENGLAND THEOLOGY. FROMJONATHAN EDWARDS TO EDWARDS AMASAPARK. Edited by Douglas A. Sweeney and Allen C. Guelzo.Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic Press, 2006. Pp. 320;bibliography, index. $29.99, ISBN 0-8010-2709-8.

Edwards has long been recognized as America’s theolo-gian and his Calvinism has been long studied and appropri-ated by succeeding theologians and philosophers, not toforget literary figures. Specifically, he was adopted by latenineteenth-century Reformed theologians and in the twenti-eth century by powerful strands of American Evangelicalism.This focus on Edwards has all but obscured his immediate andlater disciples, and it is this omission this volume seeks torectify. This volume of scarce documents is divided into nineparts, starting with the thought of Edwards himself and thenproceeds to provide original materials illustrating the move-

ment of New Divinity, Edwards’s views of God’s moral rule,ethics, slavery, mission, human experience, theology in NewHaven, Finney and the New Measures, concluding with twoparts devoted to the Edwards Amasa Parks and the wholeCalvinist movement as remembered by H. B. Stowe. Apartfrom the figures noted earlier, extracts from J. Bellamy, S.Hopkins, T. Dwight, S. Osborn, N. W. Taylor, and J. Edwardsthe younger and others are offered. An essential text for allinterested in the intellectual history of New England and thesuccessors to the Calvinist movement there through tomodern times.

Iain S. MacleanJames Madison University

The Americas: Central andSouth AmericaCROSSING THE WATER: A PHOTOGRAPHIC PATHTO THE AFRO-CUBAN SPIRIT WORLD. By ClaireGaroutte and Anneke Wambaugh. Durham, NC: Duke Uni-versity Press, 2007. Pp. xiii + 258. $24.95, ISBN 978-0-8223-4039-3.

Written by two photographers, this book is a delight ofboth black-and-white and color photos documenting the reli-gious life of a priest of Santería, Palo Monte, and of Espirit-ismo in Santiago de Cuba on the eastern side of the island.After a short introduction, each chapter highlights oneaspect of Santiago Castañeda Vera’s religious practice. As itfocuses on the rituals performed by a single person (togetherwith his godchildren), the book has a certain idiosyncraticquality. The photographs that form the heart of this bookhave been lovingly edited to catch the dynamics of the ritualsdocumented within the form of still images. The text, mainlywritten in a first-person narrative style, expands andexplains the photos so that the reader comes away feeling asthough they also experience these rituals in some measure.The price of this book is astonishing given the productionqualities—almost every page has one or more photographs ifnot devoted to one print, all printed on high-quality paper.This would be a wonderful addition to both private andlibrary collections with an interest in Caribbean religions.

Mary Ann ClarkYavapai College

South AsiaSRI KRSNA : THE LORD OF LOVE. By PremanandaBharatı. With an introduction by Gerald Carney. Edited,annotated, and prefaced by Neal Delmonico. Kirksville, MO:Blazing Sapphire Press, 2007. Pp. cii + 353. $35, ISBN0-9747968-7-5.

This is a hypercorrected edition of what is likely the firstbook on theistic Vaisnavism published in the West, in 1904,

Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34 • NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008

224