The Religion-Supported State: Piety and Politics in Early National New England

During the 1776 to 1850 period, New England transformed the relationship between church and state, building a religion-supported state that coexisted with religious tolerance and pluralism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 292 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2022
Publisher: Lexington Books

Between 1776 and 1850, a significant transformation occurred in the relationship between church and state in New England. Rather than replacing their religious establishments with voluntary churches and organizations, the people, politicians, and clergy of this region engaged in a complex and multifaceted process. As they grappled with issues such as disestablishment, Sunday laws, and antislavery, they laid the groundwork for what the author refers to as a religion-supported state. This state encompassed a coexistence of religious tolerance and pluralism alongside religious anxiety and controversy. Public debates among evangelicals, Unitarians, Universalists, deists, and other religious groups shaped the contours of questions related to religious liberty, delving into the moral implications of religious truth and error. The author meticulously traces the shifting political alliances these groups constructed to safeguard the moral core of their diverse beliefs. The religion-supported state of New England continues to resonate in the United States in the twenty-first century, serving as a testament to the enduring influence of this historical period on the nation's religious and political landscape.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793655240