Faith and Meaning in the Southern Uplands by Loyal Jones

Faith and Meaning in the Southern Uplands by Loyal Jones

Written by one of Appalachian religion's eloquent spokesmen, this book talks about a people devoted to and thoughtful about their religion. Supplemented by documents, such as sermons, testimonies, and articles of faith, it articulates Southern Upland views on basic issues of the human condition - faith, God, the world, the Word, and the devil.

"[Jones] presents the mountain people's religious ideas on everything from God to the human condition in their own words.. An excellent book by an expert insider." - Library Journal "A sensitive and personal book about religion in the Upland South... For thirty years he has accumulated interviews and conversations with the people of the region, and he allows his friends, neighbors, and acquaintances to speak for themselves." -Paul David Nelson, Appalachian Heritage "Jones, ... one of Appalachia's most eloquent spokesmen, spent over 30 years interviewing the people of Appalachia, and in this book allows them to speak for themselves about their religious experiences, revealing a deep conviction that is often misunderstood." - Goldenseal "A scholarly book that reads as smoothly as mass-market non-fiction. It's insightful and inspiring. It's absolutely fair to all concerned... Jones has once again sown respect for the faith of those outside the social elite." - Paul Prather, Lexington Herald-Leader "One of Appalachian religion's most eloquent spokesmen reveals a people devoted to and thoughtful about their religion, and profoundly influenced by it. Loyal Jones' three decades of conversations and interviews, supplemented by documents such as sermons, testimonies, and articles of faith, articulate Southern Upland views on basic issues of the human condition - faith, God, the world, the Word, and the devil- as well as on community issues such as racial integration and women in the church." - The Appalachian Quarterly "Jones draws upon numerous interviews conducted over many years, organized topically to produce a comprehensive and readable overview... The result is a full and rich perspective, all the more impressive for a region with considerable religious diversity." - Ellen Eslinger, Georgia Historical Quarterly "Jones seems to be reminding Christians ... what a palpable faith is like among the people he knows best. Hear their voices as you would listen to the testimony of people who speak from profound experience. Their voices are not analysis, but rather proclamation. In this sense, the book is a primary source about primary things! -Donald G. Mathews, Church History "An important study that gives unparalleled insight into the practice of native religion in the mountain South... Students of southern religious or cultural history will find this book illuminating." -- Richard D. Starnes, The North Carolina Historical Review "Ultimately and satisfyingly convincing. Jones goes directly to people's words to explain this oral tradition, and, with just a bit of background and explanation from the author, it is surprising how much more articulate, coherent, sophisticated, and believable these religious beliefs appear here than they have in far too many works on Appalachian religion written by unsympathetic outsiders... What Jones does so well here ... is to transmit what people are already saying within their own group to a new audience outside that group." -- Bruce E. Baker, The South Carolina Review ADVANCE PRAISE "Considered by many as the unofficial 'Dean of Appalachian Studies,' Loyal Jones continues to provide sensitive and sagacious insight into the religious mind of the Upland South. This latest work is sweeping, astute, and compassionate, capturing both the foundational essence and the rich variability of southern mountain faith. Relying heavily on this spiritual culture's own discourse, Jones has allowed the region to speak for itself rather than be spoken for ... This work most certainly will be classified as one of the essential sources for understanding the 'Appalachian way.'"- Howard Dorgan, author of In the Hands of a Happy God: The 'No-Hellers' of Central Appalachia "If you read one book to know about mountain religious life, what makes it special and unique on the American landscape, this is the one. It is an experience of profound faith."- Deborah Vansau McCauley, author of Appalachian Mountain Religion: A History

Loyal Jones Bio: Jones was born in Marble, Cherokee County, and lived there until he was 12, when his family moved to Brasstown in Clay County. We were farmers, living on rented land, he said. One of eight children, Jones served a brief stint in the Navy after high school, and then worked as a farmer and horse trainer before enrolling as an undergraduate at Berea College. Jones began writing in college, but did not publish until several years later. He has been a prolific writer with literally dozens of published articles concerning Appalachian culture and its people to his credit. One characteristic of Jones' writing is optimism about the resiliency of mountain people and their culture, says Ron Eller, former director of the Appalachian Center at the University of Kentucky. Jones' message has been that Appalachia should be judged by its own core values - family, land, traditionalism - rather than by more mainstream values of accumulation, wealth and power, Eller said. In many ways, he represents the best of Appalachia, the part of Appalachian society that values people for what they really are. In his years of writing and speaking about the region, Jones has become one of its best-known and best-loved figures. In addition to the numerous articles he has written about Appalachia, he has also authored nine books, including multiple volumes on regional humor.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780252024313
ISBN 10	0252024311
Title	Faith and Meaning in the Southern Uplands
Author	Loyal Jones
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	University of Illinois Press
Year published	1999-02-01
Number of pages	288
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.