Christianity in US history

[vojvoda]

Im interested in history of religion in USA, especially influence of Christianity on american history. I read many books about bad sides of Christian influence but Im interesten in posetive ones. Do you know some literature about this subject?

 

[Starforsaken]

Contrary to what prevails in the current mainstream media, as far as the founding fathers are concerned, the country was created by mainly deists/pantheists. I'm not speaking of the first colonizers here, but the founding fathers, Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, etc. Most of them were influenced by men like Voltaire, Paine, Spinoza and so on. Jefferson is probably the most prominent deist (though at times his words are atheistic in nature).

 

[huldah153]

Contrary to what prevails in the current mainstream media, as far as the founding fathers are concerned, the country was created by mainly deists/pantheists. I'm not speaking of the first colonizers here, but the founding fathers, Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, etc. Most of them were influenced by men like Voltaire, Paine, Spinoza and so on. Jefferson is probably the most prominent deist (though at times his words are atheistic in nature).

"My views on Christianity...very different from that anti-Christian system imputed to me by those who know nothing of my opinions. To the corruptions of Christianity I am indeed opposed; but not the genuine precepts of Jesus himself. I am a Christian..." -Thomas Jefferson

 

[Starforsaken]

No he actually isn't. There is far more writing about him NOT being a Christian. Throughout most of history MOST people had to proclaim a certain religion, otherwise they would have been tortured, killed, imprisoned etc. He may have said he was a Christian but his words prove otherwise the more you read. He does not believe in a personal God, miracles or prayer; which was common amongst intellectuals of that time. As well he did not believe that Jesus was divine or a God.

 

[revanneosl]

No no no no no don't start doing "war of the quotes"!!!

Here - here's a good book. It's by Alf Mapp & it's called Faiths of our Fathers: What America's Founders Really Believed ISBN 0742531155. It's a good read, well-researched, and doesn't pander to either the far right or the far left.

It's only about the Founders though, for the rest of American History try A Documentary History of Religion in America to 1877 and A Documentary History of Religion in America since 1877. They're the classics in the field,

 

[bbbbbbb]

You might try to find histories of various denominations on-line. The U.S. has had a lengthy history of various religious denominations, most of which continue to the present, although not in the same forms as originally conceived. For example, the Civil War was a high watermark in American religion with staunch Christians on both sides of the issue of the federal union of states and of slavery.

 

[vojvoda]

I know about founding fathers but they didn't found USA alone. Many other Americans who lived and died for their country were Christians.

 

[bbbbbbb]

US history did not begin in 1776 and end in 1780 as some might have us believe. I am alway spuzzled at the limited focus on these four years and, specifically, of the Founding Fathers.

 

[vojvoda]

US history did not begin in 1776 and end in 1780 as some might have us believe. I am alway spuzzled at the limited focus on these four years and, specifically, of the Founding Fathers.

I am not from USA but I know something about history of this country. Not many things, just basic ones.

 

[bbbbbbb]

I was not addressing my comment to you specifically, but to those who focus on the Founding Fathers of the US as the summation of American religious history. To say the very least, the religious history of the United States is far more intricate than its political history. To start with, there were thirteen separate colonies set up with individual religious views. Maryland was Roman Catholic, Virginia was Anglican, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was Puritan, Rhode Island was Baptist, Pennsylvania was founded by a Quaker and open to all denominations, New York started as Dutch Reformed and became Anglican. That is just some of them.

 

[Zoness]

I was not addressing my comment to you specifically, but to those who focus on the Founding Fathers of the US as the summation of American religious history. To say the very least, the religious history of the United States is far more intricate than its political history. To start with, there were thirteen separate colonies set up with individual religious views. Maryland was Roman Catholic, Virginia was Anglican, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was Puritan, Rhode Island was Baptist, Pennsylvania was founded by a Quaker and open to all denominations, New York started as Dutch Reformed and became Anglican. That is just some of them.

I'm interested myself in the colonies' religious patterns as well do you have any books on the subject?

 

[archierieus]

One very interesting book I used to have (until my ex-wife threw away all my books!) dealt with the legal aspects of religion in the several colonies. Mass. Bay colony, for example, had very strict laws about church attendance. If one missed church three Sundays in a row, as I recall the penalty was the stocks. At some point, hanging was the punishment. The laws grew increasingly strict over a period of decades, then went the opposite direction. During that time, if a Quaker were so much as found within the Bay colony, the penalty was death by hanging.

At the time of the Articles of Confederation, God ('Almighty God') was acknowledged by name, in the Preamble. Over a decade years later, there was no mention of God in the Federal Constitution. There was, indeed, a shift in thinking over that ten year time-span. As someone else has already pointed out, the Framers of the Constitution were largely Deist--at least the guiding lights, such as Jefferson. A significant conribution to the thinking of the Framers was the Virginia Declaration of Right, (1786) authored by Madison and Jefferson. The acceptance by the Virginia legislature of that Declaration was itself the fruition of a long struggle. It did bear fruit in the work of the Framers. Of profound significance, I submit, is the rather extraordinary proposal by Mr. Franklin, during the sessions, to appeal to God for guidance and help as the delegates were doing their work. Ben Franklin, of all people! What is so informative is the response of the Convention. Mr. Franklin's motion was put on the table, and referred out. It died a quiet death. This was in stark contrast with the time of the Articles of Confederation. There had, indeed, been a quiet sea change.

Dave

 

[bbbbbbb]

I'm interested myself in the colonies' religious patterns as well do you have any books on the subject?

I'm sorry that I can't think of any in particular. Most of my information has been picked up along my life's journey and as a result of my profession of architectural preserevation.

By the way, did you know that the first synagogue in America (a Sephardic congregation, as I remember) was founded in Rhode Island? The synagogue has been restored and is a historic site. Rhode Island was a bastion of religious liberty.