1886-1967
Writer

Religious Writer.

Becoming a Writer.

Reaching Out to Men.

Barton's Jesus.

Success.

If the sale of books is a measure of success, then Barton's work achieved success. The Man Nobody Knows sold more than 750,000 copies in two years. How successful Barton and his work were in revitalizing faith, bringing people into Christianity, or changing behavior is unknown, although his critics might point to the apparent decline in religious sentiment during the decade. Nonetheless, Barton believed that Jesus was too important to be kept in the churches. While he was not able to follow his father's path into the ministry, he understood how to sell and tried to do that with Jesus.

Sources:

James A. Neuchaterlem, "Bruce Barton and the Business Ethos of the 1920's," South Atlantic Quarterly, 76 (Summer 1977);

Leo P Ribuffo, "Jesus Christ as Business Statesman: Bruce Barton and the Selling of Corporate Capitalism...