Title: Perfectionist Politics
First published: 1999
Description: Perfectionist Politics is the story of an important but overlooked antebellum reform movement: ecclesiastical abolitionism. Douglas M. Strong examines radical evangelical Protestants who seceded from pro-slavery denominations and reorganized themselves into independent antislavery congregations.

Mirroring political abolitionist activity - particularly in the "burned-over district" of New York State - the ecclesiastical abolitionists formed a network of abolition churches that became the primary focus of Liberty Party electioneering strategy. Ecclesiastical abolitionists justified this clear connection between church and state through their experience of evangelical perfectionism. A vote for the Liberty Party became a mark of one's holiness.
Subjects: Politics and government, Evangelicalism, Religious aspects of Perfection, Liberty Party (N.Y.), Slavery and the church, Religious aspects, Abolitionists, Church history, Perfection, Protestant churches, Antislavery movements, History, United states, politics and government, United states, history, Antislavery movements, united states, United states, church history
Places: New York (State), United States
Time periods: 1775-1865, 19th century
LC classification: E449 .S917 1999