Answered By Fire: The Growth of the American Church Before the Civil War

While Christianity has distinctions across time and cultures, why did the Church in the United States come to look and operate so differently from its mother country of England, as well as from the many European nations that made up its primary sources of free immigrants? Why did so many in the Early Republic insist on the separation of Church and State? Why did so many reject the idea of the United States as a Christian Nation? Why are there more denominations in the United States than in any other nation? And why were (and are) American Christians more involved in reform movements and political activities than in these other countries? The answers can be found in the Second Great Awakening and the growth of the Church in America before the Civil War.

This lecture series is presented by Dr. Jason Mead, a history professor at Johnson University, and will include three lectures:

July 13 – The Uniqueness and Importance of the Separation of Church and State

• What role did Christianity play in the founding of the British Colonies in North America? How did the First Great Awakening transform the church? What role did religion play in the Revolution? And how did the separation of Church and State become installed in Constitutional law?

July 20 – Revivals and Competition: The Growth of Churches in America

• How did the Second Great Awakening begin, and how did it progress? How was the United States transformed by it? In what ways did religious volunteerism and pluralism create American exceptionalism?

July 27 – Bringing Heaven to Earth: The Activism of Churches in America

• Why did American Christians embrace reform movements? How did the creation of a “Benevolent Empire” transform America? And in what ways were some of the most important reform movements successful (or unsuccessful)?

These lectures will take place during the Sunday School hour, starting at 9:45 am in the Parish Hall. ALL Sunday School classes are welcome and invited to attend!