self and the sacred, The
Book Description
Between 1740 and 1850, a profound spiritual awakening swept across America, giving birth to a remarkable literary tradition that has remained largely unexplored until now. During this transformative century, evangelical Protestant believers began documenting their personal journeys to salvation through conversion narratives and spiritual autobiographies, creating intimate accounts designed to inspire others toward faith.
Rodger M. Payne delves into this forgotten treasure trove of religious writing, uncovering the deeply personal stories that shaped American spiritual consciousness. These firsthand testimonies offer far more than historical curiosity. They reveal how individuals understood themselves in relation to the divine, and how personal identity became intertwined with Christian belief during a pivotal era in American religious development.
Through careful examination of these vernacular texts, Payne illuminates the complex relationship between individual selfhood and sacred experience. Readers discover how ordinary believers articulated their spiritual transformations, what they considered essential to share about their inner lives, and how their personal narratives contributed to broader religious orthodoxy.
For anyone interested in the intersection of spirituality and personal identity, this scholarly exploration provides valuable insights into how faith communities have historically understood the journey from doubt to belief. The book offers a unique window into authentic spiritual experience as recorded by those who lived it.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~3 hours)
📄 Length: 123 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Autobiography
- ✓ Explore Religious literature, history and criticism
- ✓ Explore Bekering
- ✓ Explore Biography
- ✓ Explore Christian converts
- ✓ Explore Zelfbeeld
- ✓ Explore Biography as a literary form
- ✓ Explore Self
