{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7221908599","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.70113","title":"The Church Must Grow or Perish: Robert H. Schuller and the Business of American Christianity","display_name":"The Church Must Grow or Perish: Robert H. Schuller and the Business of American Christianity","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-10-14","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7221908599","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.70113"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1111/jssr.70113","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.70113","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.70113","pdf_url":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/jssr.70113","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S207420867","display_name":"Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion","issn_l":"0021-8294","issn":["0021-8294","1468-5906"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["anvur-class-a","anvur-scientific","cwts-core","erih-plus","jufo-3","norway-2","poland-100","russia-white-list-1","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320595","host_organization_name":"Wiley","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320595"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Wiley"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"bronze","oa_url":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/jssr.70113","any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5015072156","display_name":"Courtney Ann Irby","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3310-3693","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3310-3693"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I184616310","display_name":"Illinois Wesleyan University","ror":"https://ror.org/021aqk126","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I184616310"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Courtney Ann Irby","raw_affiliation_strings":["Illinois Wesleyan University  Bloomington Illinois USA"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Illinois Wesleyan University  Bloomington Illinois USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I184616310"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5015072156"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I184616310"],"apc_list":{"value":3240,"currency":"USD","value_usd":3240},"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.97711218,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13636","display_name":"Pentecostalism and Christianity Studies","score":0.6089000105857849,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1212","display_name":"Religious studies"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13636","display_name":"Pentecostalism and Christianity Studies","score":0.6089000105857849,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1212","display_name":"Religious studies"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11507","display_name":"Religion and Society Interactions","score":0.1662999987602234,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13072","display_name":"Contemporary Christian Leadership and Education","score":0.09059999883174896,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1212","display_name":"Religious studies"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/religious-marketplace","display_name":"religious marketplace","score":0.5429999828338623},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/christianity-in-the-united-states","display_name":"American Christianity","score":0.5410000085830688},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/religious-entrepreneurship","display_name":"religious entrepreneurship","score":0.4169999957084656},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/spiritual-biography","display_name":"religious biography","score":0.3970000147819519},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/religious-change","display_name":"religious change","score":0.460999995470047}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778311575","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18534","display_name":"Metaphor","level":2,"score":0.5995000004768372},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776900844","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8028383","display_name":"Witness","level":2,"score":0.5590999722480774},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C551968917","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5043","display_name":"Christianity","level":2,"score":0.5338000059127808},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.5033000111579895},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C520712124","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36279","display_name":"Biography","level":2,"score":0.4478999972343445},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C24667770","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34187","display_name":"Religious studies","level":1,"score":0.44609999656677246},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C201717286","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q938185","display_name":"Rationality","level":2,"score":0.3785000145435333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C521751864","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1729207","display_name":"Christian ministry","level":2,"score":0.3693999946117401},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780791683","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846785","display_name":"Action (physics)","level":2,"score":0.3605000078678131},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199539241","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7748","display_name":"Law","level":1,"score":0.3400000035762787},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779581858","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9049677","display_name":"Neutrality","level":2,"score":0.3278999924659729},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C530175646","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11460","display_name":"Clothing","level":2,"score":0.3255000114440918},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C27206212","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34178","display_name":"Theology","level":1,"score":0.3046000003814697},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2994117223","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1530022","display_name":"Religious organization","level":2,"score":0.2922999858856201},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C158071213","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7257","display_name":"Ideology","level":3,"score":0.2879999876022339},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C198082294","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3399648","display_name":"Position (finance)","level":2,"score":0.28200000524520874},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C186764553","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q46607","display_name":"Free market","level":3,"score":0.26579999923706055},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138885662","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5891","display_name":"Philosophy","level":0,"score":0.2639000117778778},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777783167","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1579384","display_name":"Veneration","level":2,"score":0.2637999951839447},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C84515081","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17149311","display_name":"Original position","level":3,"score":0.25529998540878296},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778832681","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q157188","display_name":"Usury","level":3,"score":0.25459998846054077},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778012447","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1034415","display_name":"Scope (computer science)","level":2,"score":0.2540999948978424},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C537575062","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q851824","display_name":"Persecution","level":3,"score":0.25360000133514404},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776085293","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5116601","display_name":"Church Growth","level":2,"score":0.25110000371932983}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1111/jssr.70113","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.70113","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.70113","pdf_url":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/jssr.70113","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S207420867","display_name":"Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion","issn_l":"0021-8294","issn":["0021-8294","1468-5906"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["anvur-class-a","anvur-scientific","cwts-core","erih-plus","jufo-3","norway-2","poland-100","russia-white-list-1","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320595","host_organization_name":"Wiley","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320595"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Wiley"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.1111/jssr.70113","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.70113","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.70113","pdf_url":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/jssr.70113","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S207420867","display_name":"Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion","issn_l":"0021-8294","issn":["0021-8294","1468-5906"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["anvur-class-a","anvur-scientific","cwts-core","erih-plus","jufo-3","norway-2","poland-100","russia-white-list-1","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320595","host_organization_name":"Wiley","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320595"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Wiley"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"sustainable_development_goals_aurora":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7221908599.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7221908599.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"For":[0,720],"decades,":[1],"scholars":[2],"theorizing":[3,806],"religious":[4,10,34,102,202,762,832,849,860],"change":[5,763],"have":[6,698],"documented":[7],"how":[8,89,363,660,696,706,809],"a":[9,28,39,50,76,110,113,122,201,221,247,283,286,331,377,460,675,724,819,828,853],"marketplace":[11,861],"has":[12],"contributed":[13,93],"to":[14,94,118,130,200,214,225,228,253,273,281,319,325,342,355,366,379,387,475,506,529,537,548,572,595,611,618,646,718,738,773,786,800],"the":[15,25,69,95,101,119,131,134,155,166,181,185,212,217,232,254,260,274,295,299,310,321,336,351,392,396,407,414,427,464,476,487,490,511,525,534,539,561,576,661,669,702,714,754,766,789,801,810,816,839,843,859],"privatization":[16],"and":[17,36,45,68,82,147,162,184,191,209,230,243,245,271,279,307,338,358,361,373,399,412,424,429,444,459,479,494,517,552,566,574,590,614,621,649,683,712,731,744,750,764,781,791,797,836,856],"individualization":[18],"of":[19,71,97,112,121,133,141,158,187,220,239,277,285,298,312,353,376,409,440,463,467,482,489,563,588,608,640,671,753,756,761,768,778,788,812,818,830,842,845,848,852,858],"American":[20,72,491,831],"faith.":[21],"While":[22,391],"some":[23,580],"treated":[24],"market":[26,98,151,369,507,556,710],"as":[27,38,109,256,405,501,524,579,593,635,747,827],"literal":[29],"economic":[30],"model":[31],"for":[32,41,174,241,623,705,716,742,805],"understanding":[33],"action":[35],"others":[37],"metaphor":[40],"voluntarism,":[42],"Mark":[43],"Mulder":[44,190,208,443,565,749,835],"Gerado":[46],"Marti":[47,192,210,445,567,837],"offer":[48,436,654],"us":[49,785],"new":[51],"theoretical":[52],"vantage":[53],"point":[54],"with":[55,216,422,431,454],"their":[56,171,389,437,558],"biography":[57,725,803],"entitled,":[58],"The":[59,175,236,347,625,690],"Church":[60,691],"Must":[61,692],"Grow":[62,693],"or":[63],"Perish:":[64],"Robert":[65,143,178],"H.":[66,179],"Schuller":[67,144,249,301,364,495,826],"Business":[70],"Christianity.":[73],"Rather":[74],"than":[75],"scholarly":[77],"heuristic":[78],"framed":[79],"by":[80,290,323,503,541,555,584,667,862],"rationality":[81],"choice,":[83],"through":[84,267],"Schuller's":[85,410,441,570,604,672,757],"life,":[86,442],"we":[87],"witness":[88],"one":[90,512,679],"influential":[91],"man":[92],"rise":[96],"logics":[99,597],"within":[100],"field.":[103],"From":[104],"his":[105,251,268,313,344,374,483,600,619],"first":[106,237],"clerical":[107],"position":[108],"minister":[111,284],"1950":[114],"Chicago":[115,354],"suburban":[116],"congregation":[117,288],"creation":[120,375],"drive-in":[123],"church":[124,322,345,493,540,577],"in":[125,234,263,335,426,701],"Southern":[126],"California":[127],"and,":[128],"finally,":[129],"building":[132],"Crystal":[135,182,477],"Cathedral":[136,478],"where":[137],"he":[138,257,470],"filmed":[139],"Hour":[140],"Power,":[142],"developed,":[145],"employed,":[146],"disseminated":[148],"an":[149,196,585,629,655,728],"explicit":[150],"orientation":[152],"focused":[153],"on":[154,447,510],"management":[156],"styles":[157],"clergy,":[159],"cutting-edge":[160],"technology,":[161],"adopting":[163,330],"tactics":[164],"from":[165,195,259,599],"entertainment":[167],"industry.":[168],"Building":[169],"upon":[170],"previous":[172],"research":[173,743],"Glass":[176],"Church:":[177],"Schuller,":[180,458],"Cathedral,":[183],"Strain":[186],"Megachurch":[188],"Ministry,":[189],"shift":[193],"away":[194],"organizational":[197],"sociological":[198],"analysis":[199,462,559,656],"biography.":[203],"Over":[204],"nine":[205],"substantive":[206],"chapters,":[207],"employ":[211],"genre":[213],"wrestle":[215],"full":[218],"scope":[219],"life":[222,758,820],"lived\u2014from":[223],"birth":[224],"death,":[226],"formation":[227,670],"legacy,":[229],"all":[231],"moments":[233],"between.":[235],"couple":[238],"chapters\u2014\u201cRestless":[240],"More\u201d":[242],"\u201cCommitments\u2014Marriage":[244],"Ministry\u201d\u2014present":[246],"young":[248],"following":[250],"calling":[252],"ministry":[255],"journeys":[258],"\u201crural":[261],"hinterland":[262],"northeast":[264],"Iowa\u201d":[265],"(28),":[266],"advanced":[269],"studies,":[270],"eventually":[272],"formative":[275],"experiences":[276],"marrying":[278],"moving":[280],"become":[282,713],"small":[287],"wracked":[289],"bitter":[291],"divisions.":[292],"Thus,":[293],"despite":[294],"attendance":[296],"boom":[297],"1950s,":[300],"found":[302],"himself":[303,496],"worried":[304],"about":[305,309,688],"failing":[306],"frustrated":[308],"inefficacy":[311],"erudite":[314],"sermons.":[315],"He":[316],"instead":[317],"sought":[318],"grow":[320,538,573],"canvassing":[324],"learn":[326],"what":[327,717],"people":[328,455,641,685],"wanted,":[329],"more":[332],"therapeutic":[333,854],"approach":[334,370],"pulpit,":[337],"creating":[339],"strategic":[340],"opportunities":[341],"promote":[343],"locally.":[346],"next":[348],"few":[349],"chapters\u2014\u201cTaking":[350],"Lessons":[352],"Orange":[356],"County\u201d":[357],"\u201cGrowing":[359],"Ambition":[360],"Magnification\u201d\u2014document":[362],"begins":[365],"solidify":[367],"this":[368],"targeting":[371],"\u201cseekers,\u201d":[372],"network":[378],"help":[380],"other":[381],"clergy":[382],"develop":[383,647],"similar":[384],"market-driven":[385],"approaches":[386],"growing":[388,515],"churches.":[390],"chapters":[393,417],"entitled":[394],"\u201cExpanding":[395],"Ministry's":[397],"Boundaries\u201d":[398],"\u201cAccommodating-and":[400],"Instigating-Growth\u201d":[401],"could":[402,546],"be":[403,612,727,736],"seen":[404,523],"chronicling":[406],"heights":[408],"career":[411],"fame,":[413],"final":[415],"three":[416],"document":[418],"its":[419,740],"unravelling,":[420],"starting":[421],"\u201cTurbulence":[423],"Control":[425],"1980s\u201d":[428],"ending":[430],"\u201cThe":[432],"Ministry":[433],"Collapses.\u201d":[434],"To":[435],"rich":[438],"account":[439,627],"draw":[446],"archival":[448],"records,":[449],"almost":[450],"forty":[451],"semistructured":[452],"interviews":[453],"who":[456],"knew":[457],"thorough":[461],"extensive":[465],"trove":[466],"artifacts":[468],"that":[469,545,632,657,674,680,783,793,807],"left":[471],"behind,":[472],"including":[473],"visits":[474],"close":[480],"readings":[481],"numerous":[484],"publications.":[485],"Both":[486],"figure":[488],"Mainline":[492],"are":[497,637,794],"similarly":[498],"presented":[499],"here":[500],"plagued":[502],"anxieties":[504,551],"tied":[505,594,617],"society":[508,792],"which,":[509],"hand,":[513],"produced":[514],"challenges":[516],"uncertainties":[518],"but":[519,592],"also":[520],"increasingly":[521],"became":[522],"only":[526],"possible":[527],"way":[528],"imagine":[530,739],"solutions.":[531],"In":[532,771],"recounting":[533],"lifelong":[535],"effort":[536],"crafting":[542],"responsive":[543],"ministries":[544],"speak":[547],"people's":[549],"profane":[550],"dreams":[553],"caused":[554],"uncertainties,":[557],"recognizes":[560],"power":[562,767],"emotions.":[564],"routinely":[568],"connect":[569,603],"desire":[571,610],"evolve":[575],"not":[578],"dispassionate":[581],"strategy":[582,715],"motivated":[583],"objective":[586],"assessment":[587],"costs":[589],"benefits":[591],"emotional":[596,606],"emerging":[598],"subjectivity.":[601],"They":[602],"own":[605],"state\u2014fear":[607],"failure,":[609],"liked,":[613],"professional":[615],"anxieties\u2014as":[616],"actions":[620],"strategies":[622,711],"growth.":[624],"biographical":[626],"serves":[628],"illustrative":[630],"reminder":[631],"organizations,":[633],"such":[634],"churches,":[636],"made":[638],"up":[639],"whose":[642],"feelings":[643],"motivate":[644,709],"them":[645],"policies":[648],"take":[650],"action.":[651],"Furthermore,":[652],"they":[653,707],"helps":[658,684],"elucidates":[659],"current":[662],"religio-therapeutic":[663],"regime":[664],"took":[665],"root":[666],"examining":[668],"belief":[673],"marketable":[676],"Christianity":[677],"is":[678],"emotionally":[681],"resonates":[682],"feel":[686],"good":[687],"themselves.":[689],"thus":[694],"chronicles":[695],"emotions":[697],"been":[699],"central":[700],"congregational":[703],"landscape":[704],"both":[708],"market.":[719],"many":[721],"social":[722],"scientists,":[723],"may":[726,734],"unusual":[729],"read":[730],"perhaps":[732],"it":[733],"even":[735],"difficult":[737],"relevance":[741],"teaching.":[745],"Yet,":[746],"sociologists,":[748],"Marti's":[751],"telling":[752],"story":[755],"centers":[759],"theories":[760],"illuminates":[765],"individual":[769,864],"lives.":[770],"contrast":[772],"our":[774],"primary":[775],"methodological":[776],"tools":[777],"surveys,":[779],"interviews,":[780],"ethnographies":[782],"orient":[784],"accounts":[787],"self":[790],"often":[795],"cross-sectional":[796],"crystalize":[798],"someone":[799],"moment,":[802],"allows":[804],"considers":[808],"threads":[811],"history":[813],"weave":[814],"into":[815],"minutia":[817],"lived":[821],"over":[822],"time.":[823],"By":[824],"treating":[825],"\u201cbarometer":[829],"life\u201d":[833],"(20),":[834],"recount":[838],"familiar":[840],"terrain":[841],"decline":[844],"denominationalism,":[846],"impact":[847],"individualism,":[850],"entrenchment":[851],"self,":[855],"operations":[857],"centering":[863],"agency.":[865]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-10-17T09:40:24.721904","created_date":"2026-10-16T00:00:00"}