Revivalism, Social Conscience, and Community in the Burned-Over District: The Trial of Rhoda Bement
"This book demonstrates how well a case study in local history can explore and illuminate regional and national issues. . . . It is a small classic as it explores the struggle to establish community stability and personal trust as the foundation for American society when it was dominated by churches, moral agencies, and the voluntary tradition."—Church History"This is a concise, well-written book that pulls the reader into the drama of Rhonda Bement's trial as well as into the larger issues at stake. This book is not only an important interpretive work but a model of how such interpretation should be done."—Choice"This book is a major contribution to our understanding of nineteenth-century America religion in social and political life. . . . It is an important one for feminist, religious, social, and political historians, and for theologians. After reading it, the categories no longer seem so convincingly separate. Local history can cast light on cosmic questions."—The Heythrop Journal"This is a small jewel of a book. It is brief, elegant, dramatic, and best of all, full of paradoxes and ambiguities. Teachers and students should thrive on it."—Norma Basch, Rutgers University, Newark