Lester Ruth, research professor of Christian worship at Duke Divinity School, has co-authored a book about the worship life of Conservative Baptists in northwest Argentina in the mid-twentieth century.

The book, Leaning on the Word: Worship with Argentine Baptists in the Mid-Twentieth Century, was published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. in November as part of its series titled "The Church at Worship: Case Studies from Christian History." The series documents case studies of worshiping communities from across the world and throughout Christian history that can inform and enrich worship practices today.

Ruth co-wrote the book with Eric L. Mathis, associate professor of music and worship and also the director of The Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.

In this latest volume in the Church at Worship series, Ruth and Mathis draw from a rich selection of primary sources to create a composite of the worship life of Conservative Baptists in northwest Argentina from 1948 to 1964.

Combining historical, theological, and practical perspectives, this book offers an educational resource for Christian ministers engaged in or preparing for cross-cultural ministry, introduces readers to a worshiping community that may be unfamiliar to them, and represents a significant contribution to liturgical history.