Christianity 1750-Present
by Some of the drastic changes to christianity from 1750 to the present. This shows that religion cannot escape from being affected and altered by many different beliefs and nations.
The Ecumenical Movement after World War II and the Vatican II (1962-1965) proved that the Catholic Church had become less reserved and that it’s doctrine was more loosely translated. Strengths and weaknesses were prevalent in the Church but where there were weaknesses the strengths confirmed the movement of religion. ‘The weakness is that the Churches appear statistically in decline; the strength is that voluntary religion is deeper than conforming religion’ (Smart 363). Christianity in Europe changed from being forced into it to deciding what was good for the individual. When people weren’t forced into it they started to seek out religion for themselves and take on their own view of the Bible.
North America was also hit with a tremendous change in Christianity. Christianity broke into many different sects with different denominations such as Mormons, Baptist, and Methodists. The Great Awakening and the Enlightenment led to a form of different beliefs and the breakdown of Christianity. Many different people took bits and pieces of Christianity and formed there own religion but all based on the belief in God.
The Methodists was started by John Wesley and was influenced by Moravians and Pietism. His goal was to revitalize the Church of England. Roman Catholics were allowed to tithe in North America by the passing of The Quebec Act of 1774. ‘Maryland had in principle been a colony for English Catholics, but a Puritan majority in the colony repealed the Act of Toleration in 1664, and Catholics were deprived of voting rights’ (370).
Unitarian Christianity thought that Christ was not God and was subordinate to Him. This movement was lead by William Ellery Channing in 1819. Transcendentalism that was featured by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau reverted back to Nature. Joseph Smith II who said that an angel came down and told him about gold plates, which became The Book of Mormon, started the Mormans. He was killed and one of his followers, Brigham Young moved the people from Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah. Many Mormans were persecuted because of their belief in polygamy and the new teachings.
Mass immigration lead to the start of many Catholic schools in North America and many different forms of Christianity. After the Civil War many former slaves became interested in their own “black religion”. Richard Allan started the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816. Africa was a genuine symbol for many African Americans who felt that in order to practice their “black religion” freely was in Africa. ‘Ministers found it natural to blend into secular organizations, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and in general to take part in politics’ (374).
Other forms of Christianity that started in the 19th century were the Seventh Day Adventists, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Christian Science. Seventh Day Adventists believed that the holy day is the seventh day of the week, which is a Saturday and was started by Ellen Gould White and her husband James. The Jehovah Witnesses believe in the name of Jehovah and that Satan has been ruling the world and that it is there duty to bring people to the love of Jehovah. Mary Baker Eddy started Christian Science, which believes in the blend of science and religion. She believed that she recovered from an accident because she was reading a book of Christ’s healings. She started the First Church of Christ Scientist in Boston, in 1892.
Another movement of Christianity is the fundamentalists and evangelicals. The fundamentalists believe in the infallibility of the Bible, The Virgin Birth of Christ and the Second Coming. Evangelicals believe in the authority of the Bible and the spiritual life. Dwight L. Moody started the premillenial movement during the middle of the 19th century. C.I Scofield translated the Bible and believed in closely reading it.
Equal Rights and women again challenged Christianity and the formation of it and still continue to do even today. Things began to change because of the variety of Americans and social classes. Classes and race affect religion as do cultural integration. As we have seen Christianity was greatly affected by different people and different religions. It is impossible to obtain one certain religion with out being influenced by other religions.
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