The Federal Bureau of Investigation has had a long and tortuous relationship with religion over almost the entirety of its existence. As early as 1917, the Bureau began to target religious communities and groups it believed were hotbeds of anti-American politics. This book recounts this history, focusing on key moments in the Bureau's history.
"Based on my government experience and knowledge, I find this book one of the best I have read in quite a while. Interesting, innovative, and insightful."—Loch K. Johnson, Regents Professor of International Affairs, University of Georgia
"A devastating portrait of the FBI as a regulatory agent in the history of religions. The authors prove that the FBI does not just surveil and capture criminals. It defines, classifies, and punishes those who organize collectively and speak prophetically in modern America."—Kathryn Lofton, Yale University
"The quality of this volume is impeccable."
