Alumni Bulletin - Winter 2008 - (Page 13)

ARTS & CULTURE bookshelf GALA2008 GOES BROADWAY HOW THE SOUTH BECAME THE BIBLE BELT Joel Grey In her new book, Monica Najar, associate professor of history, chronicles the South’s transformation from a largely irreligious place to one so intrinsically tied to religion that it’s been dubbed the “Bible Belt.” Evangelizing the South: A Social History of Church and State in Early America not only traces the shift to an evangelical society during the 18th century, but also examines how the change affected political and social relations. even slavery, and showed how these people struggled with the requirements of faith.” The evangelical churches reformulated the line between church and state, and reshaped many central elements of authority in Southern Najar’s book sheds light not only on the history of the American South but also on the balance between religious and secular life. Najar—a historian of the American revolutionary and Early National eras who specializes in the histories of gender, religion, and the South—documents how early evangelicals rose to a dominant segment in the South by accruing a disproportionate amount of inﬂuence. By the late 18th century, evangelicals functioned as civil as well as religious bodies and began infusing religion into all functions of society—regulating marriage, monitoring prices, arbitrating business, and settling disputes. Najar’s research is founded on detailed records maintained over 50 years by dozens of Baptist congregations and organizations. “The Baptists are a fascinating group, and the records they left are vivid and intrusive,” Najar says. “They talked about remarkable things such as marriage, sex, family discord, society. Najar addresses religion’s role in slavery, the position of women, family life in the South, and the political culture of the early republic. While Najar’s book provides a look at the South’s past, it also sheds light on the delicate balance between religious and secular life—a struggle that’s still seen today. “It’s a very interesting moment to be thinking about those questions,” Najar says. “They’ve come to a crossroads where they’ll have to decide what issues matter to them.” Evangelizing the South, Najar’s first book, represents the culmination of years of research she ﬁrst undertook for her dissertation at the University of Wisconsin. Her ongoing research is now taking her west, where she’ll study migration and how churches transmit culture. —Tricia Long Two Broadway legends—Marvin Hamlisch and Joel Grey—backed by a full orchestra, will perform an Evening of Broadway Hits for Zoellner Arts Center’s Gala2008 on Oct. 11. The evening includes showstoppers from Cabaret, Chicago, and George M!, sung by the star of these shows, Joel Grey. Composer Marvin Hamlisch has collected every major award the theatrical community can bestow, earning four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony, three Golden Globe awards, and even a Pulitzer Prize. He has composed many shows, including They’re Playing Our Song, The Goodbye Girl, Sweet Smell of Success, and Imaginary Friends. He garnered acclaim for his Oscar-winning movie scores, The Way We Were and The Sting, both starring Robert Redford. No less illustrious, Joel Grey earned his first Tony nomination when he appeared on Broadway with exaggerated lashes and ﬂashing red lips as the emcee of Harold Prince’s 1966 show Cabaret. In 1973, the year after the musical was adapted to film, Grey won both the Tony award for Marvin his stage perfor- Hamlisch mance and the Academy Award for his film performance in the same role. Since 1966, he has starred in many Broadway shows, including George M!, Goodtime Charley, and The Grand Tour. His portrayal of Mr. Cellophane in the 1996 revival of Chicago was impossible to overlook, and most recently he played the Wizard of Oz in Wicked. For more information about Gala2008, please contact Colleen Griggs at (610) 758-4294 or via e-mail at colleengriggs99@lehigh.edu—Becky Straw PHOTO BY THEO ANDERSON winter 2008 13

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Alumni Bulletin - Winter 2008

Alumni Bulletin - Winter 2008 Contents From the President's Desk Mailbox On Campus Research Arts & Culture Sports Ugly is in the Eye of the Beholder Fitch's Law of Motion A Blessing to the Community The Amidonian Acclamation China Trip Bridges Cultures, Generations From the Publisher's Desk Alumni News The Last Word

Alumni Bulletin - Winter 2008

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