Hobby Lobby is a multibillion-dollar craft store chain with more than a thousand US locations, founded and owned by the Greens--an evangelical Christian family committed to establishing the Bible as the ultimate authority behind our laws and society. In The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby, Michael Blanding explores how the Greens have quietly yet effectively used their vast wealth to spread their beliefs throughout the US and beyond.
An eye-opening book ... Blanding unfurls this story with great sensitivity ... Blanding helpfully makes clear that American evangelicalism, while all in for Trump, is not ideologically a monolith ... Blanding is at the height of his arts and crafts in telling exactly how Hobby Lobby’s adventurers went so far astray in their effort to raid so many lost and phony arks.
Blanding thoroughly investigates the Green family’s involvement in purchasing many artifacts that were illegally obtained or forged ... Offers background information on the Bible from a historical perspective, noting how views of the holy book have evolved over time ... A fascinating exploration of corporate involvement in the religious and conservative right, appealing to readers interested in conservatism and religion.
In this enlightening yet overstuffed investigation, journalist Blanding (The Map Thief) examines how the billionaire Green family behind the retail chain Hobby Lobby has used their considerable wealth to promote Christian nationalism ... For readers who can stick it out, this offers insight into a powerful family’s relentless approach to spreading their beliefs.
