US HISTORY/RELIGION

US History/Religion

US History/Religion

America in the early 1800's was involved in a torrent of changes in relevance to religion. The people felt the need to improve their nation in every way possible and to shape it to their needs (Farrell, 2003). The paper discusses different aspects and eras of the religion which prevailed in US history:

The First Great Awakening

The First Great Awakening single-handedly revitalized religion in the colonies, and left many lasting effects. Its emphasis on emotive and sensitive spirituality undermined the older clergy whose authority had derived from their education and sophistication. This schism along with many others led to the creation of many new denominations and sects of Christianity. It also increased the competitiveness of American churches (Asali, 2004).

The Second Great Awakening

If we critically evaluate The Second Great Awakening we come to know that society today is destroying itself from the inside out, and it all began with the moral decadence and lack of faith that now regrettably plagues our great nation. If we are to restore America to glory, as God would have wished, we must first reform the Church. According to the Second Great Awakening the Bible is our last hope if we are to avert our decline into rampant degeneracy, and terminate the disease plaguing our society once and for all (White, 2004).

Unitarianism & Universalism

In examining personal religious quest of USA, various strands of radical and liberal ideals were manifested in religious writings. The humanity of Jesus, abolitionism, African-American spirituality, and ultimately Unitarianism and Universalism in a lifelong effort to open the hearts and minds of Americans to a direct experience of the presence of the living God (Stannard, 2003).

The Mormons

Many of the Mormons basic beliefs coincide with that of all other Christian religions. God is the Heavenly father who loves all and that Jesus ...