"The secular character of New Zealand has become an accepted fact of our time, but Christian organizations and discourses have played a crucial role in framing our religious and secular life and identity. Sacred Histories in Secular New Zealand sheds light on previously unexamined pockets of New Zealand's history, from missionaries and Māori martyrs to charismatic preachers and puritan novelists, from sectarian conflict and competition to increased cooperation and ecumenism. Christianity has been interwoven with New Zealand culture since it first arrived. The persistence of religious tolerance, spiritual belief and celebration of Christian festivals and ideals, despite the modern decline in church attendance, show that Christianity plays a more enduring role in New Zealanders' lives than the country's secular reputation would indicate"--Publisher information.