This book investigates how local urban dynamics and specific social tensions catalyzed the rise of fundamentalism within Boston's Protestant churches between 1885 and 1950. Margaret Lamberts Bendroth, a historian of American religion, utilizes archival records and local historical accounts to argue that fundamentalism was not merely a theological movement but a response to the shifting social landscape of the city. By examining the intersection of sacred doctrine and secular urban pressures, she demonstrates how conservative Protestants gradually detached from their urban environments.

Scholars of American religious history frequently cite this work for its nuanced approach to the local origins of national fundamentalist movements. Experts highlight the text as a significant contribution to understanding how urban social conflict shapes theological development.