Unity in Christ and Country

In 1741 schism produced by the Great Awakening rent the American Presbyterian Church, dividing it into Old Light and New Light branches. When the two organizations reunited in 1758, they began a long-term quest for unity, not only among themselves but also with other Protestant churches in the colonies. Political developments in the era of the American Revolution provided potential aid to this search for unity, but they would also raise unforeseen difficulties. This is the story William Harrison Taylor chronicles, tracing Presbyterian developments from 1758 through 1801. Taylor asserts that Presbyterians, one of the largest and most influential denominations in America during the revolutionary era, deserve reconsideration. In contrast to smaller or more marginal religious groups, Presbyterian outlooks not only influenced more people but also more actively shaped the development of the nation and nationalism. Taylor thus offers a denominational history centered on the organization, from its national General Assembly through its regional synods to its local presbyteries. Presbyterian ministerial leaders, their correspondence, and their published work also shed light on the phenomena he traces

Economic history · National Unity · Nationalism · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Protestantism · Schism · Sociology · American Constitutional Law and Politics · History · Law · Mormonism, Religion, and History · Religion, Gender, and Enlightenment

• The Manifest Distinction Established by Our Holy Religion

  Open Access•Brent S Sirota, Brent Sirota•Religion and American Culture A…•2022

  Add to list