Gospel of Disunion Religion and Separatism in the Antebellum South [Hardcover]

This book examines the ways in which religion influenced the development of a distinctive Southern culture and politics before the Civil War.Gospel of Disunion examines the ways in which religion influenced the development of a distinctive Southern culture and politics before the Civil War.Gospel of Disunion examines the ways in which religion influenced the development of a distinctive Southern culture and politics before the Civil War.Gospel of Disunion examines the ways in which religion influenced the development of a distinctive Southern culture and politics before the Civil War, translating the secessionist movement into a struggle of the highest moral significance. It explores such topics as the religious pro-slavery argument and the slaveholding ethic for Christian masters, the denominational schisms of the 1830s and 1840s that divided Southern Protestants along sectional lines, and the distinctive religious rationale for secession. This book is the first major attempt to fully explore the relationship between religion and the origins of Southern nationalism in all these manifestations.Introduction. Religion and the search for Southern distinctiveness; Part I. Religion and Sectional Politics: 1. The abolitionist crisis of 1835: the issues defined; Part II. Religion and Slavery: 2. Slavery defended: the morality of slavery and the infidelity of abolitionism; 3. Slavery sanctified: the slaveholding ethic and the religious mission to the slaves; Part III. Religion and Separatism: 4. Harbingers of disunion: the denominational schisms, 5. The religious logic of secession; 6. Religion and the formation of a Southern nationalism and the coming of the Civil War. ...a significant contribution to the comprehension of factors that led to the Civil War... The strength of Snay's work lies in his tremendous research, including both northern and southern newpapers, periodicals, and many denominational records. West Virginia History Mitchell Snay's book exemplifies thelCb