{{short description|American historian (born 1959)}} {{multiple issues| {{BLP sources|date=March 2010}} {{lead rewrite|reason = it presents material unsourced in the article, and new material appearing only in the lead | date = August 2022}} {{third-party|date = August 2022}} {{citations broken|date = August 2022}} }} {{Use American English|date=June 2019}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2019}} {{Infobox academic | name = Diana Butler Bass | image = Diana butler bass (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Bass in 2018 | birth_name = Diana Hochstedt Butler | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1959}} | birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = {{marriage|Richard Bass|1997}} (second husband) | website = {{official URL}} | alma_mater = {{ubl | Westmont College | Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary | Duke University}} | thesis_title = Standing Against the Whirlwind | thesis_year = 1991 | school_tradition = Liberal Christianity | doctoral_advisor = George Marsden | discipline = {{hlist | History | religious studies}} | sub_discipline = History of American Christianity | workplaces = {{ubl | Westmont College | Rhodes College | {{nowrap|Virginia Theological Seminary}}}} }}

'''Diana Butler Bass'''{{efn|Pronounced {{IPAc-en|b|æ|s}}.}} (born 1959) is an American historian of Christianity and an advocate for progressive Christianity.<ref>{{cite video | last1=Arca | first1=Deborah | last2=Forward | first2=Faith | date = June 2011 | title = Progressive Christianity: An Interview with Diana Butler Bass | work = Patheos.com | format = video | time = | url = https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithforward/2011/06/an-interview-with-diana-butler-bass/ | language=en | access-date = 2022-08-07}}</ref> She is the author of eleven books.

Bass earned a PhD in religious studies from Duke University in 1991 with an emphasis on American ecclesiastical history,<ref name=thesis/> studying under George Marsden.<ref name="Dochuk, Kidd, & Peterson 2014"/> From 1995 to 2000, she wrote a weekly column on religion and culture for the ''New York Times'' syndicate that appeared in more than seventy newspapers nationwide. She has blogged for the Sojourners God's Politics blog, ''On Faith'' at ''The Washington Post'', ''Beliefnet'', and ''The Huffington Post''. She authored a Substack newsletter, ''The Cottage''.

Bass is associated with ''Sojourners''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sojo.net/biography/diana-butler-bass |title=Diana Butler Bass &#124; Sojourners: Celebrating 40 Years of Faith in Action for Social Justice |publisher=Sojo.net |date=February 16, 2011|access-date=2014-06-28}}</ref> and is a member of the Episcopal Church.

==Early life and education== Diana Butler Bass was born '''Diana Hochstedt Butler''' in 1959, in Baltimore, Maryland.<ref name = thesis/> She grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona.<ref>{{cite podcast |last=Price |first=Seth |date=March 17, 2018 |title='Grateful' with Diana Butler Bass |url=https://www.canisaythisatchurch.com/listen/2018/2/19/15-diana-butler-bass |work=Can I Say This at Church |access-date=August 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Meet Diana Butler Bass |url=https://kocucc.org/meet-diana-butler-bass/ |publisher=Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the United Church of Christ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416201517/https://kocucc.org/meet-diana-butler-bass/ |access-date=August 1, 2020|archive-date=April 16, 2020 }}</ref> Raised a United Methodist, she became an evangelical. She attended Westmont College, a Christian college in Santa Barbara, California, from which she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1981.

Bass received a Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree in ecclesiastical history from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1986. Studying under the supervision of George Marsden,<ref name="Dochuk, Kidd, & Peterson 2014">{{cite book |year=2014 |chapter=Appendix: George Marsden's Doctoral Students and Their Dissertations |editor1-last=Dochuk |editor1-first=Darren |editor2-last=Kidd |editor2-first=Thomas S. |editor2-link=Thomas S. Kidd |editor3-last=Peterson |editor3-first=Kurt W. |title=American Evangelism: George Marsden and the State of American Religious History |location=Notre Dame, Indiana |publisher=University of Notre Dame Press |isbn=978-0-268-15855-2}}</ref> she received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in religious studies from Duke University in 1991.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2015-08-24 |title=About Diana {{!}} Diana Butler Bass |url=https://dianabutlerbass.com/about-diana/ |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=dianabutlerbass.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Her doctoral thesis was titled ''Standing Against the Whirlwind: The Evangelical Party in the 19th Century Protestant Episcopal Church''.<ref name = thesis>{{cite thesis |last= Hochstedt Butler |first=Diana |year=1991 |title=Standing Against the Whirlwind: The Evangelical Party in the 19th Century Protestant Episcopal Church |degree=PhD |location=Durham, North Carolina |publisher=Duke University |oclc=31391686}}</ref><ref name="Dochuk, Kidd, & Peterson 2014"/>

Following her first marriage,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bass |first=Diana Butler |date=March 28, 2018 |title=Practicing Gratitude: How Keeping a Journal Changed My Perspective |magazine=The Christian Century |volume=135 |issue=7 |location=Chicago |page=11 |issn=0009-5281}}</ref> she married Richard Bass on January 18, 1997.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bass |first=Diana Butler |year=2017 |title=Strength for the Journey: A Pilgrimage of Faith in Community |edition=2nd |location=New York |publisher=Church Publishing |page=221 |isbn=978-0-89869-082-8}}{</ref>

==Career== {{multiple issues|section = yes| {{third-party|section|date = August 2022}} {{update|section|date = August 2022}} }} Bass worked primarily as an academic for a decade before becoming an independent scholar. She began in 1991 as an assistant professor of religious studies at Westmont College, from which she was fired in 1995.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bass |first=Diana Butler |date=March 3, 1993 |title=Between Two Worlds: Evangelical, Female&nbsp;– and a Scholar |magazine=The Christian Century |volume=110 |issue=7 |location=Chicago |page=232 |issn=0009-5281}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bass |first=Diana Butler |date=March 28, 2018 |title=Practicing Gratitude: How Keeping a Journal Changed My Perspective |magazine=The Christian Century |volume=135 |issue=7 |location=Chicago |page=10 |issn=0009-5281}}</ref> She went on to serve as a history instructor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, from 1995 to 1996, as a visiting assistant professor of religious studies at Macalester College from 1996 to 1997, and as an associate professor of religious studies at Rhodes College from 1997 to 2000. In 2002, the Lilly Endowment awarded Bass a major grant to support her research on mainline Protestant churches at Virginia Theological Seminary.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dianabutlerbass.com/aboutdiana.html |author = Bass, Diana Butler | title = About Diana | work = DianaButlerBass.com | publisher=self-published |access-date=2014-06-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912074723/http://dianabutlerbass.com/aboutdiana.html |archive-date=2014-09-12 }}</ref>

==Scholarship and writings== {{multiple issues|section = yes| {{BLP sources section|date = August 2022}} {{expand section|with = '''an independently sourced, up-to-date description of past and present writings, not in conflict with the lead'''|small = no|date = August 2022}} }} Bass's books range from a study of nineteenth-century evangelicalism (''Standing Against the Whirlwind: Evangelical Episcopalians in Nineteenth-Century America'') to a contemporary ethnography of mainline Protestantism (''Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church Is Transforming the Faith'') to theological explorations of contemporary life (''Grounded'' and ''Grateful'') to a spiritual memoir (''Strength for the Journey: A Pilgrimage of Faith in Community''), the latter of which records her growing dissatisfaction with conservative evangelicalism.

==Speaking appearances== In 2005, Bass appeared on ''Religion & Ethics Newsweekly'' on PBS,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week845/interview1.html |title=Diana Butler Bass Extended Interview &#124; July 8, 2005 &#124; Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly |publisher=PBS |date= |access-date=2014-06-28 |archive-date=March 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321224533/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week845/interview1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> and was, along with Martin E. Marty, one of two scholars chosen to represent mainline Protestantism in ''The Life of Meaning: Reflections on Faith, Doubt, and Repairing the World'', a book edited by the show's host, Bob Abernethy.

In 2015, she was one of the keynote speakers at the Parliament of the World's Religions, held in Salt Lake City.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://parliamentofreligions.org/users/diana-butler-bass|title=Diana Butler Bass {{!}} parliamentofreligions.org|website=parliamentofreligions.org|access-date=2020-03-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://parliamentofreligions.org/parliament/salt-lake-2015-1|title=Salt Lake 2015 Parliament|last=|first=|date=|website=parliamentofreligions.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204145257/https://parliamentofreligions.org/parliament/salt-lake-2015-1 |archive-date=February 4, 2020 |access-date=2020-03-04}}</ref>

==Awards and recognition== {{BLP sources section|date = August 2022}} Two of her books, ''Strength for the Journey'' and ''Christianity for the Rest of Us'', have been named among the best books of their respective years by ''Publishers Weekly''.<ref>{{cite web |author=|date=November 6, 2006 |title=PW's Best Books of the Year |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6388182.html |website=publishersweekly.com |location= |publisher= |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131233348/http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6388182.html |archive-date=January 31, 2009 |access-date=September 13, 2007}}</ref> ''Christianity for the Rest of Us'' was named book of the year by the Academy of Parish Clergy.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.apclergy.org/BookoftheYearTopTenBookspublishedin2006.html |title=Apclergy - Book of the Year, Top Ten Books published in 2006 |access-date=2007-09-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825065344/http://www.apclergy.org/BookoftheYearTopTenBookspublishedin2006.html |archive-date=2007-08-25 }}</ref> ''Standing Against the Whirlwind'' was awarded the Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize by the American Society of Church History.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.waterstones.com/book/standing-against-the-whirlwind/diana-hochstedt-butler/9780195085426 |title= Standing Against the Whirlwind: Evangelical Episcopalians in Nineteenth-Century America. The Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize Essay for the American Society of Church History for 1993 - Religion in America |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website= Waterstones |publisher= |access-date= September 22, 2025 |quote=}}</ref> ''Grounded: Finding God in the World'' and ''Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks'' won the Wilbur Award as the best nonfiction book of the year from the Religion Communicators Council in 2017 and 2019, respectively.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ErXNsgEACAAJ |title= Grounded: Finding God in the World-A Spiritual Revolution |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= February 14, 2017|publisher= HarperCollins|isbn= 978-0-06-232856-4 |access-date= September 22, 2025 |quote=}}</ref>

Newspapers and magazines that have covered her work include ''USA Today'',<ref>{{cite news |last=Grossman |first=Cathy Lynn |date=November 1, 2006 |title=Some Protestant Churches Feeling 'Mainline' Again |url=https://www.usatokoday.com/news/religion/2006-10-31-protestant-cover_x.htm |work=USA Today |location= |publisher= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021175807/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2006-10-31-protestant-cover_x.htm |archive-date=October 21, 2013 |access-date=June 28, 2014}}</ref> ''U.S. News & World Report'',<ref>{{cite news |last=Kulman |first=Linda |date=June 7, 2005 |title=Religion in America: Pumping life into mainline Protestantism |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/050607/7religion.htm |work=U.S. News & World Report |location= |publisher= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002105248/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/050607/7religion.htm |archive-date=October 2, 2007 |access-date=}}</ref> ''Newsweek'',<ref>{{cite news |last=Underwood |first=Anne |date=October 18, 2006 |title=Author: There's Hope for U.S. Protestant Churches |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15320763/site/newsweek/ |work=Newsweek |location= |publisher=MSNBC |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070908005551/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15320763/site/newsweek/ |archive-date=September 8, 2007 |access-date=May 21, 2023}}</ref> ''The Washington Post'',<ref>{{cite news |last=Broadway |first=Bill |date=May 1, 2005 |title=Old-Time Religion For Mainline Churches |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/30/AR2005043000959.html |newspaper=Washington Post |location= |publisher= |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121195549/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/30/AR2005043000959.html |archive-date=January 21, 2016 |access-date=June 28, 2014}}</ref> the ''Los Angeles Times'',<ref>{{cite news |author=|date=September 20, 2003 |title=New Life Seen in Protestant Churches |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-sep-20-me-relchurches20-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |agency=Religion News Service |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250309213101/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-sep-20-me-relchurches20-story.html |archive-date=March 9, 2025 |access-date=June 28, 2014}}</ref> and the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rodgers |first=Ann |date=2007-06-11 |title=She studies what makes churches thrive |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07163/793363-85.stm |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124075001/http://www.post-gazette.com/frontpage/2007/06/11/She-studies-what-makes-churches-thrive/stories/200706110152 |archive-date=2015-11-24 |access-date=2014-06-28}}</ref>

== List of written works == * ''A Beautiful Year'', St Martin’s Essential, 2025; {{ISBN|978-1-250-40988-1}} * ''Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence''. HarperCollins. 2021; {{ISBN|978-0-06-265952-1}} *{{cite book | title=Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks | publisher=HarperCollins | year=2018 | isbn=978-0-06-265951-4}} * {{cite book | title=Grounded: Finding God in the World-A Spiritual Revolution | publisher=HarperCollins | year=2015 | isbn=978-0-06-232857-1}} <ref name=W1>{{cite web |url= https://www.waterstones.com/books/search/term/diana+bass |title= Diana Bass |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website= Waterstones |publisher= |access-date= September 22, 2025 |quote=}}</ref> * {{cite book | title=Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening | publisher=HarperCollins | year=2012 | isbn=978-0-06-209828-3}} <ref name=W1 /> * {{cite book | title=A People's History of Christianity: The Other Side of the Story | publisher=HarperCollins | year=2009 | isbn=978-0-06-144870-6 | url=https://archive.org/details/peopleshistoryof00dian | url-access=registration }} * {{cite book | title=Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church Is Transforming the Faith | publisher=HarperCollins | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-06-174128-9}} <ref name=W1 /> *''From Nomads to Pilgrims: Stories from Practicing Congregations.'' Alban Institute. 2006. With Joseph Stewart-Sicking * ''Episcopalians in America'', Columbia University Press, 2006. {{ISBN|978-0-231-13200-8}} *''The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church.'' Alban Institute. 2004. *''Broken We Kneel: Reflections on Faith and Citizenship.'' Jossey-Bass. 2004. {{ISBN|978-0-7879-7284-4}} *''Strength for the Journey: A Pilgrimage of Faith in Community''. Jossey-Bass. 2002. {{ISBN|978-0-7879-5578-6}} *(as Diana Hochstedt Butler) ''Standing Against the Whirlwind: Evangelical Episcopalians in Nineteenth-Century America.'' Oxford University Press. 1995. {{ISBN|9780195085426}}

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links == * {{Official website}} * [https://dianabutlerbass.substack.com The Cottage] on Substack

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bass, Diana Butler}} Category:1959 births Category:20th-century American historians Category:20th-century American women writers Category:21st-century American Episcopalians Category:21st-century American historians Category:21st-century American women writers Category:Academics from Arizona Category:Academics from Maryland Category:American feminist writers Category:American women historians Category:Anglican scholars Category:Converts to Anglicanism from Methodism Category:Duke University alumni Category:Episcopalians from Maryland Category:Former evangelicals Category:Former Methodists Category:Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary alumni Category:Historians from Maryland Category:Independent scholars Category:Living people Category:Proponents of Christian feminism Category:Rhodes College faculty Category:Westmont College alumni Category:Westmont College faculty Category:Writers from Baltimore Category:Writers from Scottsdale, Arizona Category:American historians of Christianity