Morgan, David. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. 417 + xiv pp. $42.00 (USD). ISBN: 0-19-513029-4.

[1] In this groundbreaking work, David Morgan tackles the history of Protestants and their use of religious imagery in teaching and devotion. The combination of Protestantism and pictures might seem out of place to some because of the association of Catholics and devotional images, but the author diligently proves that Protestants, despite early iconoclasm, relied on pictures in their religious lives as well. Morgan, however, provides the reader with more than a discussion of the aforementioned; he examines the mass production of images in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and its impact on religion in America. In fact, the author demonstrates a new way to "look" at and nuance American religious history by placing the image at the center of his study of American religious life.

[2] Morgan begins his work with a discussion of Walter Benjamin's 1936 essay, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." Benjamin posits that the essence or "aura" of the original work is lost because of the mass production of images. One of Morgan's goals is to show that the aura is not lost but "graphically transmissible" to believers who use the religious imagery (6). The author also wants to demonstrate that Protestants used imagery both that taught ("didactic imagery") as well as those "that were contemplated in the quiet of chapels, sanctuaries, bedrooms, and living rooms" ("devotional imagery") (9). This process began as a desire to instruct children and the "unconverted" and slowly evolved to a visual piety that formed one's character.

[3] The book - broken down into four parts ("The Millennial Mission of the American Republic," "Adventism and Images of the Mind," "Visual Pedagogy," and "The Rise of the Devotional Image in American Protestantism") - begins with a visual journey that moves from a discussion of the American Tract Society, to premillennialist use of imagery in their charts and tables, to "chalk-talking" in Sunday schools, to the meaning in the face of Jesus (that could be determined by phrenology). The author clearly demonstrates the Protestant reliance upon imagery and the elaborate systems developed around the imagery to incorporate into denominations and organizations. Morgan's work is quite long yet remains interesting and informative chapter after chapter because of his writing style and the richness of the history of these visual religious practices. At times, however, the details can be overwhelming, and the reader is apt to get lost in the minutiae and miss the main arguments of each section. The attention to detail is also understandable given his desire to prove (beyond a doubt) the Protestant use of religious imagery and their reliance on mass production. By far, his best work appears in Part III ("Visual Pedagogy"), where he examines the didactic imagery used to "attract" children to "evangelical learning," Sunday school, and benevolent societies (201). Teachers and colporteurs realized quickly that children were fond of pictures, and thus they molded this fondness into methods of inculcation such as their use of the blackboard, hieroglyphic Bibles, and drawing. Morgan explains how the blackboard, which is a tool that is often taken for granted or ignored, has played an important role in the religious education of tens of thousands of Protestant children. These children associated art and imagery with their religious experience, which established an intimate connection between art, religion, and visual culture in American religious history.

[4] Morgan begins and ends his work with the aura of images. His discussion of this concept as a power that images impress upon the viewer is convincing because he confirms that this power is transmissible despite reproduction. Protestants have been swayed by the authenticity of these religious images and have used them in didactic as well as devotional settings. Overall, Morgan's work is a great addition to the study of visual culture and American religious history, demonstrating that this is a new avenue ready to be explored. Anyone in the field of religious studies would benefit from reading this book because of its perspective on the importance of images and their influence on the religious. Morgan's indices are also a treasure trove for those involved in religious studies, cultural studies, or American history.

Kelly J. Baker
Department of Religion
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
kjb6056@fsu.edu