Broken churches, broken nation
Book Description
In this illuminating exploration of faith and fracture, historian C.C. Goen reveals how America's religious communities became both mirror and catalyst for the nation's deepest moral crisis. Drawing from meticulous research, Goen demonstrates that when major Protestant denominations—Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist—split along regional lines over slavery, they didn't merely reflect existing tensions but actively accelerated the country's march toward civil war.
This compelling analysis shows how evangelical Christianity, once a powerful unifying force across the young nation, transformed into a source of division when confronted with the transcendent moral question of human bondage. Church leaders found themselves trapped between competing loyalties: institutional growth, sectional interests, and the uncomfortable silence surrounding racial prejudice. Their inability to navigate these conflicting purposes ultimately contributed to the breakdown of Christian community itself.
Rather than seeking simple causes for America's greatest internal conflict, Goen offers something more profound: an examination of how spiritual institutions can either heal or deepen societal wounds. His work reveals the sobering reality that even faith communities, when caught in webs of self-interest and moral compromise, can fail in their highest calling to transcend division.
For readers interested in understanding how spiritual leadership responds to moral crises, this study provides essential insights into the complex relationship between religious conviction and social responsibility.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~6 hours)
📄 Length: 198 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore War
- ✓ Explore Geschichte (1837-1861)
- ✓ Explore United States Civil War, 1861-1865
- ✓ Explore Church history, 19th century
- ✓ Explore Causes
- ✓ Explore Sects
- ✓ Explore Church history
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
