Religion in Nineteenth Century America

by Grant Wacker

Written from the perspective of the various denominations that thrived in the 19th century, this comprehensive survey of the middle period in America's religious past actually starts a little earlier, in the 1780s. In the aftermath of the American Revolution, the citizens of the newly-minted republic had to cope with more than the havoc wreaked on churches and denominations by the war. They also tasted for the first time the effects of two novel ideas incorporated in the Constitution and the First the separation of church and state and the freedom to practice any religion.
Grant Wacker takes readers on a lively tour of the numerous religions and the major historical challenges--from the Civil War and westward expansion to immigration and the Industrial Revolution--that defined the century. The narrative focuses on the rapid growth of evangelical Protestants, in denominations such as Methodists, Presbyterians, and Baptists, and their competition for dominance with new immigrants' religions such as Catholicism and Judaism. The author discusses issues ranging from temperance to Sunday schools and introduces the personalities--sometimes colorful, sometimes saintly, and often both--of the men and women who shaped American religion in the 19th century, including Methodist bishop Francis Asbury, ex-slave Sojourner Truth, Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy, and evangelist Dwight L. Moody.

Religion in American Life explores the evolution, character, and dynamics of organized religion in America from 1500 to the present day. Written by distinguished religious historians, these books weave together the varying stories that compose the religious fabric of the United States, from Puritanism to alternative religious practices. Primary source material coupled with handsome illustrations and lucid text make these books essential in any exploration of America's diverse nature. Each book includes a chronology, suggestions for further reading, and index.

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Grant Wacker is a historian of religion in America. He is the Gilbert T. Rowe Professor Emeritus of Christian History at Duke Divinity School. He specializes in the history of Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, World Missions and American Protestant thought. He is the author or co-editor of seven books, including Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture (2001, Harvard University Press) and America’s Pastor: Billy Graham and the Shaping of a Nation (2014, Harvard University Press). From 1997 to 2004, Professor Wacker served as a senior editor of the quarterly journal, Church History: Studies in Christianity and Culture. He is past president of the Society for Pentecostal Studies and of the American Society of Church History, and a trustee of Fuller Theological Seminary. Wacker is a lay member of Orange United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Reviews

[Rae]

American religions. Basic overview. Very readable. Textbook format. Connections.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in Oxford's 17 volume series on religion in America. Wacker does a good job of breaking up the discussion of the American religious experience into broader movements and trends a rather than just walking readers through a chronological historical approach. Readers should be aware that this book reads a bit like a textbook, so you have to really want to know about religion in nineteenth century America if you are going to read this book. It seems like a really good source, however, for trying to understand religious ideas and behaviors in relation to each other. And it also helps readers understand where we have been as a country if you want to have some understanding of where we are now - although this is not something Wacker addresses in this book.