The American Renaissance

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The American Renaissance
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Deism

• Grew out of the Enlightenment the Great
  Awakening, but mainly as an attitude against
  predestination or Calvinism.
• Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin were both
  Deists, as were many people in the US. Some were
  still members of the established denominations.
• Deism believed that God planned the universe,
  built it, set it in motion then left it to its
  own fate.
• Was a way to incorporate God science, they did
  not believe in the literally truth of the Bible,
  the divinity of Jesus, etc.

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Unitarianism

• Believed in a oneness benevolence of God, the
  inherent goodness of mankind, believed in reason
  conscience after creeds confessions. Very
  Liberal.
• Man is not inherently evil, ALL are capable of
  good eligible for salvation.
• This movement was centered in Boston with the
  Congregational churches.
• The growth of liberal religions denominations
  and several took the name Unitarian.
• William Ellery Channing was the most inspiring
  Unitarian leader.

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Universalism

• Founded by John Murray in 1779 in Gloucester,
  Mass.
• Stressed the salvation of ALL men women, not
  just a predestined few.
• Appealed greatly to the working class, like
  Methodism, Salvation Army, etc.
• They taught that God was too merciful to condemn
  anyone to eternal damnation.
• The Unitarians Universalists are closely
  related today, many congregations are one and the
  same.

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• It had been stated that the Unitarians
  Universalists were in fundamental agreementthe
  Unversalists holding that God was too good to
  damn man the Unitarians insisting that man was
  too good to be damned.
• This appealed to many people in the New England
  areas. They both stayed rather small, but had a
  great deal of influence over the region.

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The 2nd Great Awakening

• Increased fear of secularism (science,
  mechanization invention) laid the foundation
  for a religious movement.
• Increased Camp Meeting activity, very popular in
  the rural areas, lased several days to weeks.
• Even through the Enlightenment, most folks were
  still very religious.
• A French visitor noted that no country in the
  world where the Christian religion retains a
  greater influence over the souls of men than in
  America.

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Baptists

• Very popular with the rural folks, based on the
  truth of the Bible mans innate depravity.
  Some congregations replaced Calvinist
  predestination with universal redemption.
• Very simple doctrine organization. Men women
  were equal, somewhat.
• The congregation had the highest authority in the
  church, no need for a church hierarchy.

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Methodists

• Salvation by Free-will.
• More structured church hierarchy than the
  Baptists.
• They created the Circuit Preacher, Francis Asbury
  was the Original Methodist Circuit Riding
  Preacher, but Peter Cartwright was the most
  successful circuit rider.
• But the 1840s, the Methodists were the largest
  Protestant denomination in the US.

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The Burned-Over District

• Originated in the western New York area.
• Revivals swept through the area like wild fire.
  The increased Evangelistic activity fervor had
  never been seen before.
• This the 2nd Great Awakening was the
  greatest work of God the greatest revival of
  religion that the world has ever seen.

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• Charles Grandison Finney
• the most successful evangelist of the
  Burned-over district. Preached to over 100,000
  converts.
• Said the only thing preventing conversion was the
  individual.
• Combined Faith Good Works for salvation.
• He became Theology Chair at Oberlin College. The
  1st college in America to admit women Blacks.

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• Thomas Alexander Campbell
• Western Penn. Gave rise to an independent
  movement called the Campbellites.
• They would become the Disciples of Christ
  (Christian Church)
• Joined with a group called the Christians led
  by Barton Stone in 1832.
• Still a rather large denomination today across
  America.

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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

• Founded led by Joseph Smith, Jr.
• Raised a Methodist in Palmyra, NY.
• The most important religious movement that
  developed out of the Burned-Over District.
• Very controversial, even today.
• One of the fastest growing Christian
  denominations in the world.

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• 1820- Joseph Smith, Jr. was 14 yrs. old. Stated
  that Jesus Christ the Holy Father appeared to
  him, saying that all of the other denominations
  religions were wrong. That they would show him
  the True Religion when he was ready.
• 1823 the angel Moroni (the last
  prophet/historian writer of the Book of Mormon)
  appeared to Smith took him to where the
  Plates were hidden.
• With Divine help from the Urimin Thurimin,
  given to him by Moroni, he was able to translate
  the Reformed Egyptian the plates were written
  in, this took him 4 yrs.

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• 1830 Smith published the Book Of Mormon, which
  tells the story of the Nephite people, part of
  the Lost Tribes of Israel, who built an ark
  sailed to the land given to them by God, i.e.,
  North South America. And would later become
  the Native Americans.
• Jesus Christ appeared to these people between His
  Crucifixion Resurrection, to re-establish his
  church.
• Smith was very charismatic was able to get
  thousands of converts rather quickly from all
  over the countryside.

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• Many saw this view as blasphemous the Mormons
  were ridiculed attacked everywhere they went.
• They set out to build a Kingdom of Christ in
  America. Moving from NY to Ohio to Missouri to
  Ill., building towns as they stopped. They
  became very prosperous the locals would run
  them out of town.
• June 27, 1844 Joseph Smith, Jr. his brother
  Hyram were attacked, shot killed by an
  anti-Mormon mob, while in jail.
• Brigham Young became the new Pres. led the
  Mormons to the New Zion (Salt Lake City, Utah).
  It became very successful. They called the new
  land Deseret Land of the Honey Bee

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Religious/Utopian Communities

• The ideal of the City on the Hill was trying to
  be achieved.
• Between 1800-1900 over 100 different communities
  were established. Only a few are still around
  today.
• They would range from religious piety to
  intellectual superiority to industrial utopias to
  free-sex.
• It just varied on what your idea of Heaven was.

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The United Society of Believers in Christs 2nd
Appearing

• Most commonly called the Shakers due to the
  ritualistic dance that developed from the
  twitching shaking they would do when having
  their visions from God.
• Founded led by Ann Lee Stanley (Mother Ann)
  around 1774. One of the few movements started
  led by a woman. Grew out of The Quakers, Society
  of Friends.

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• They practiced celibacy, set up orphanages,
  hospitals schools to get young followers into
  the church, all property is communal, equality of
  labor the people were free to come go as they
  pleased.
• Spread throughout New England, Ohio, Kentucky.
• Made their money by making selling furniture,
  clothing, seeds herbs.
• Their furniture are prized collectables today.
  There are only 2 communities left in the US.

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The Oneida Community

• Founded by John Humphrey Noyes, he attended
  Dartmouth Yale Divinity Schools but was kicked
  out of the ministry due to his Perfectionist
  ideals. That with True Conversion comes
  Perfection the total release from Sin.
• Established a Perfectionist Commune that
  practiced Complex Marriage all men were married
  to all the women, free love for all with NO
  sexual restraints. He was arrested!

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• 1848 Noyes forms the Oneida Community in NY.
  Primarily farming logging for profit, until the
  inventor of the new steel animal trap joined.
  This would become the biggest money maker for a
  time, along with sewing silk, canning fruits
  making silver spoons.
• The spoons became so popular, that they began
  making forks knives.
• 1879 Noyes fled to Canada to escape Adultery
  charges, the rest of the commune abandoned the
  Perfectionist idea became a Joint-Stock Co.
• 1881 the Oneida Community, Ltd. A very
  successful flatware co. today.

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New Harmony Community

• Founded by Robert Owen
• A secular, not a religious based commune.
• Wanted to establish a factory town, but still
  keep the morals virtues of a small town.
• 1825-the town of Harmony, Indiana was bought,
  renamed New Harmony over 900 colonists moved in
  to start the commune. Based on intellectual
  superiority.
• Only lasted 3 years, poor management.

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Brook Farms

• Founded by George Ripley, a Unitarian Minister
  Transcendentalist in 1841 in West Roxbury, Mass.
• The most celebrated of all the Utopian
  communities. Supported by Ralph Waldo Emerson
  other prominent literary figures of New England.
• Established an early Think Tank, high
  intelligence plain living.
• Made their money off of tuition paid by students
  in their schools. Closed in 1846 when their main
  building burned.