Catholic Revivalism: The American Experience, 1830–1900

by Jay P. Dolan

Jay P. Dolan's Catholic The American Experience, 1830–1900 details the history of the Catholic Church in America by showing that revivalism, traditionally viewed as a Protestant phenomenon, was also a central feature of Catholic life and activity in the 19th century. To cope with the widespread social disorganization caused by large numbers of Catholic immigrants, the Church sponsored parish missions during which famous preachers gave a series of emotional sermons aimed at calling sinners back to their God and their Church. Dolan documents the extent of Catholic revivalism, its European roots, and its success in reaching the working class.

Genres: Religion, Catholic

270 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1978

Reviews

[Jennifer]

Towards the end the thesis started to break down as the author only seemed to consider individual attitudes as a marker of a person's place in society without even mentioning outside factors of oppression.