Catholics, Slaveholders, and the Dilemma of American Evangelicalism, 1835-1860

W. Jason Wallace

Description

Although slaveholding southerners and Catholics in general had little in common, both groups found themselves relentlessly attacked in the northern evangelical press during the decades leading up to the Civil War. In Catholics, Slaveholders, and the Dilemma of American Evangelicalism, 1835-1860, W. Jason Wallace skillfully examines sermons, books, newspaper articles, and private correspondence of members of three antebellum groups—northern evangelicals, southern evangelicals, and Catholics—and argues that the divisions among them stemmed, at least in part, from disagreements over the role that religious convictions played in a free society.

Focusing on journals such as The Downfall of Babylon, Zion's Herald, The New York Evangelist, and The New York Observer, Wallace argues that northern evangelicals constructed a national narrative after their own image and, in the course of vigorous promotion of that narrative, attacked what they believed was the immoral authoritarianism of both the Catholic and the slaveholder. He then examines the response of both southerners and Catholics to northern evangelical attacks. As Wallace shows, leading Catholic intellectuals interpreted and defended the contributions made by the Catholic Church to American principles such as religious liberty and the separation of church and state. Proslavery southern evangelicals, while sharing with evangelicals in the North the belief that the United States was founded on Protestant values, rejected the attempts by northern evangelicals to associate Christianity with social egalitarianism and argued that northern evangelicals compromised both the Bible and Protestantism to fit their ideal of a good society. The American evangelical dilemma arose from conflicting opinions over what it meant to be an American and a Christian.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• 19th Century
• HISTORY
• Histoire
• The Progressive Christian
• The New York Observer
• Catholic
• Christianity
• United States
• Civil War

Informations

• Publié par: University of Notre Dame Press
• Date de parution: 15 octobre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 3
• EAN13: 9780268096670
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Catholics, Slaveholders, and the Dilemma of American Evangelicalism, 1835 –1860

Catholics, Slaveholders,

and the Dilemma

of American Evangelicalism,

1835 –1860

W. J A S O N W A L L A C E

University of Notre Dame Press Notre Dame, Indiana

Copyright © 2010 by University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 www.undpress.nd.edu All Rights Reserved

Manufactured in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wallace, William Jason. Catholics, slaveholders, and the dilemma of American evangelicalism, 1835 –1860 / W. Jason Wallace. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-268-04421-3 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-268-04421-X (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. United States — Church history —19th century. 2. Evangelicalism — United States — History —19th century. 3. Catholic Church — United States — History —19th century. 4. Slavery — United States — History —19th century. 5. Christianity and politics — United States — History —19th century. I. Title. BR525.W34 2010 282'.7509034 — dc22

2010024340

∞The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.

For Meg

Epilogue: Evangelicals, the Bible, and Politics

147

89

The Hierarchy Responds to Political Protestantism

New England Sets a Pattern

Taking Aim at Europe and the Middle Ages

Northern Evangelicals Define the Other

T W O .

Notes Index

39

71

T H R E E .

F I V E .

7

O N E .

Acknowledgments

ix

Contents

153 189

F O U R . Southern Evangelical Dilemmas

113

Introduction 1

Acknowledgments

This book germinated over a period of years through the encouragement of a number of important people in my life. I am grateful for the guidance I received at the University of Virginia from my former professors Gerald Fogarty, Augustine Thompson, Heather Ann Warren, and Bill Wilson. Their criticisms and counsel improved my thinking , my writing , and my desire for excellence in scholarship. I also owe a special debt of gratitude to Darryl Hart, formerly of Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadel- phia. Darryl is a gifted scholar whose insights into history and theology profoundly influenced my understanding of church history. I can only hope my own work will stand the test of time as I know his work will. Special thanks also to my colleagues in the history department at Sam- ford University for their friendships and encouragements while I slowly put the manuscript together. Likewise, thanks to the wonderful staffat the University of Notre Dame Press for their invaluable advice. Finally, I thank my wife, Meg. She, more than anyone I know, understands the di- lemma of American evangelicalism; and she, more than anyone else, has my utmost gratitude for her support through the years.

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