Title: A kingdom divided : evangelicals, loyalty, and sectionalism in the Civil War era /
Authors: Holm, April, 1981-
Year: 2017
Subjects: Protestantism United States History; Evangelicalism United States History; Evangelicalism; Protestantism; War Religious aspects; United States History Religious aspects Christianity; United States
Abstract: A Kingdom Divided uncovers how evangelical Christians in the border states influenced debates about slavery, morality, and politics from the 1830s to the 1890s. Using little-studied events and surprising incidents from the region, April E. Holm argues that evangelicals on the border powerfully shaped the regional structure of American religion in the Civil War era. In the decades before the Civil War, the three largest evangelical denominations diverged sharply over the sinfulness of slavery. This division generated tremendous local conflict in the border region, where individual churches had to define themselves as being either northern or southern. In response, many border evangelicals drew upon the "doctrine of spirituality," which dictated that churches should abstain from all political debate.^
Contents: Watchmen on the walls of Zion -- The great secession -- Combustible matter -- Moral and political thunderstorms -- Worshipping under the shadow of the flag -- Almost like founding an empire -- A fire in the front and a fire in the rear -- An appeal to the future -- Conclusion.