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Articles 1 - 30 of 36
Full-Text Articles in History of Religion
Revival Song: The Significance Of Hymns In The First Great Awakening, Kaeley E. Whitacre
Revival Song: The Significance Of Hymns In The First Great Awakening, Kaeley E. Whitacre
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
This paper highlights the transition in church music during the First Great Awakening in Colonial America. It argues that hymns and new psalmody had a mutually beneficial relationship in the Awakening, as they aided one another in emphasizing personal salvation experiences. Prior to the Awakening, English-speaking churches in Colonial America sung almost exclusively literal translations of Psalms in a more formalized call-and-response format. While current scholarship on the First Great Awakening broadly analyzes the primary tensions and debates within New England churches regarding changes in music, it does not provide a comprehensive overview of the introduction of hymns in Colonial …
Christianity’S Champion In The Early United States: An Analyzation Of Benjamin Rush’S Theological Beliefs And Their Impact On The Ideals For Which He Advocated, Micah Velarde
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and champion of the fusion of evangelical Christianity in America’s founding. Though somewhat unknown to most, he helped profoundly shape the formation of the United States of America in a variety of ways. His life was greatly influenced by his Christian beliefs and upbringing, having grown up in a devoutly God-fearing family. During his adolescent and young adult years, particularly his time spent studying at Princeton, his biblical worldview was greatly shaped and began to take hold of his life’s work. He subscribed to several ideals and dreams of independence. Through …
Alexander Campbell: The Legacy And Limits Of The American Revolution, Joseph Francis Super
Alexander Campbell: The Legacy And Limits Of The American Revolution, Joseph Francis Super
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
On October 5, 1829, prominent Virginia leaders gathered in Richmond to debate amending the state constitution originally adopted in 1776. One of the delegates was clergyman Alexander Campbell from Brooke County (now West Virginia), a noted reformer and contrarian. His service at the convention reflected his realistic and decidedly non-triumphalist view of the American Revolution, one informed by the Christian theology undergirding his reform movement, the Disciples of Christ. Campbell believed tensions were an inescapable feature of natural human life. Life in Christ did not make them all disappear; rather, it made them clearer, although still not completely understood or …
A Terrible Tranquility: John Adams, Christian Stoicism, And The Architecture Of American Virtue, William E. Shook
A Terrible Tranquility: John Adams, Christian Stoicism, And The Architecture Of American Virtue, William E. Shook
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
This paper challenges the historiographical binary of a “secular” versus “Christian” American founding by examining the intellectual architecture of John Adams during his formative early years. It argues that Adams did not possess a static or fully articulated dogma but instead engaged in a dynamic, lifelong struggle to define virtue amid profound socio-political upheaval. To resolve the tension between the grandeur of Enlightenment liberalism, pagan classical ideals, and his own Christian faith, Adams forged a pressurized personal philosophy: a “Christian Stoicism.” Drawing on a close reading of his private Diary and Autobiography, this study demonstrates that his inherited Puritan …
The Education Of Methodists: Unexpected Outcomes, Taylor Schmalz
The Education Of Methodists: Unexpected Outcomes, Taylor Schmalz
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
From its founding, the heart of the Methodist church was education. John Wesley believed in the education of Christians, and the church sought out to give everyone a religious education. Two educational initiatives from leaders of the Methodist Church had long lasting ripple effects on American society as a whole. These unexpected outcomes had a large hand in helping social movements, the economy, and advancing medical initiatives. Looking at the Methodist Book of Concern and the Free African Society as case studies can show the Methodists as leaders in education and creating change in societal issues during the process. Methodist …
America's Founding Theology, Michael Payne
America's Founding Theology, Michael Payne
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
Building off of Mark David Hall's thesis that America had a Christian founding, this paper seeks to explore the theology of this Christian founding. While acknowledging that Enlightenment and English Common Law also influenced American founding thought, the paper seeks to look specifically at America's theological outlook. It concludes that American founding theology was overwhelmingly Reformed but with some key influences from the Baptist, Quaker, and even Catholic traditions. These influences can be found in the writings of the founders as well as in America's founding documents such as the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The point of the …
The Wall Of Separation Between Church God And State, James B. Morgan
The Wall Of Separation Between Church God And State, James B. Morgan
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
The metaphorical wall of separation between church and state is a staple in American discourse. It is often used not only to separate church involvement in government affairs, but also to separate the government from all standards of biblical morality and any attempts to impose such standards in the public sphere. As the phrase originated more than 200 years ago, many Americans may not understand the historiography of the phrase and how common interpretations have evolved over the course of American history. Where and how did the phrase originate and what is its true meaning? In what ways have interpretations …
Between Devotion And Doctrine: Religion, Law, And The Struggle For Compliance During The War Of Regulation, Cynthia D. Hatch
Between Devotion And Doctrine: Religion, Law, And The Struggle For Compliance During The War Of Regulation, Cynthia D. Hatch
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
The Sandy Creek Baptist Association played a vital role in North Carolina's religious and political landscape before the Revolutionary War, with many Regulators connected to it. The Regulator movement is most recognized for its resistance to the Royal Governor of North Carolina, William Tryon, and his oppressive actions against the colony's residents. Many Regulators shared a common bond through their affiliation with the Sandy Creek Baptist Association in present-day Liberty, North Carolina. Under the leadership of Reverend Shubal Stearns and Reverend Daniel Marshall, the Sandy Creek Baptist Association helped establish a network of Baptist churches throughout the state. As political …
Religious Liberty In The American Republic: How A Catholic Family Influenced Religious Freedom In The United States, Darien J. Garland
Religious Liberty In The American Republic: How A Catholic Family Influenced Religious Freedom In The United States, Darien J. Garland
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
The American Revolution was a call for both individual freedom and freedom from British Rule. Tyrannical rule, taxation without representation in Parliament, and British military control of the colonies were all central to the Revolution, as was the emphasis on individual rights. One such right sought by the American colonists was the right to practice a religion of their choosing – but there was much debate about how freedom of religion would apply in the colonies. Ironically, the same freedom of religion which was central to the Revolution was not equally applied to all religions – in the colonies, Catholicism …
Faith In Service: The Evolving Role Of Military Chaplains In Humanitarian Relief During Twentieth Century Conflicts, Hannah Dugan
Faith In Service: The Evolving Role Of Military Chaplains In Humanitarian Relief During Twentieth Century Conflicts, Hannah Dugan
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
Since America's founding the Chaplaincy has been an important part of the nation's military. The U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, one of the oldest branches of the military, has served as a spiritual foundation for American soldiers. Established July 29, 1775, at the request of General George Washington, Congress authorized chaplains for each regiment of the Army.During the Revolutionary War, 218 chaplains served, offering spiritual guidance, moral counsel, and religious services to the troops.Over time, the chaplaincy has evolved, expanding to represent other denominations and faiths. During the Mexican American War, Catholic chaplains were added to the Corps, followed by Jewish …
Patrick Henry: Translating Enlightenment And Religion Into Revolutionary Action, Sheila Deasy
Patrick Henry: Translating Enlightenment And Religion Into Revolutionary Action, Sheila Deasy
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
During the 18th Century, the Enlightenment illuminated ideas of self-government and natural rights through the works of men such as John Locke and Charles Montesquieu. Concurrently, the Great Awakening brought concepts of conversion and religious freedom. Dissent abounded in the colonies at the religious and political levels. Patrick Henry stood at the intersection of these ideologies, bringing clarity and motivation to the people. While Enlightenment philosophy and evangelical religion both shaped the Revolutionary Era, it was their combination, expressed by leaders like Patrick Henry, that galvanized the public. Henry’s speeches translated Locke’s natural rights and Protestant theology into a common …
In Touch With The Lord: U.S. Army Chaplains Of The Christian Faith In World War Ii, Timothy W. Brophy
In Touch With The Lord: U.S. Army Chaplains Of The Christian Faith In World War Ii, Timothy W. Brophy
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
This paper argues that the Christian chaplains of the U.S. Army during World War II greatly impacted the soldiers that they served by caring for their spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The paper begins with a reference to the “Four Chaplains” who gave their lives to save others in 1943 and a brief look at the history of the U.S. military chaplaincy. It also examines the leadership and training of U.S. Army chaplains during World War II under William R. Arnold, who was the Army Chief of Chaplains from 1937 to 1945. Then, the paper demonstrates that Christian Army …
George Washington And His Involvement In The Anglican Church, Brittany Biggerstaff
George Washington And His Involvement In The Anglican Church, Brittany Biggerstaff
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
George Washington’s involvement within the Anglican Church (with later ties to its counterpart, the Episcopal Church,) was influenced by his Christian upbringing and moral compass. Elements of Christianity can also be outlined in his leadership within and outside of the church. Throughout his life, Washington visited and attended several churches also outside of his denomination as well as churches within the Anglican/Episcopal denomination. The Post-Revolutionary War period was when the Anglican Church began to separate itself from the Church of England and later would become recognized as its American counterpart, the Protestant Episcopal Church. The Church’s progression is important to …
Book Review: Sister Sinner By Claire Hoffman, Shawn Smith
Book Review: Sister Sinner By Claire Hoffman, Shawn Smith
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
Claire Hoffman’s *Sister Sinner: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson* (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2025) offers a very balanced and engaging look at one of the most influential yet controversial figures in early twentieth-century American Christianity. Blending meticulous scholarship with narrative flair, Hoffman explores McPherson’s rise from obscure evangelist to international celebrity, her pioneering use of radio, and her complex role in shaping Pentecostalism and popular culture. Avoiding sensationalism, Hoffman examines McPherson’s triumphs, contradictions, and mysterious disappearance with nuance and respect, resulting in a balanced yet compelling and well contextualized biography.
America’S Best Idea: The Separation Of Church And State, A Review, Michael A. Smith
America’S Best Idea: The Separation Of Church And State, A Review, Michael A. Smith
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
This article critically assesses Randall Balmer’s America’s Best Idea, a historical and legal examination of the Jeffersonian principle of church-state separation. Drawing on Jefferson’s 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists and Roger Williams’ earlier theological insights, Balmer frames the metaphorical “wall” as both a constitutional safeguard and cultural cornerstone. The review analyzes the book’s treatment of evolving Supreme Court jurisprudence, particularly the shift from strict separationism to accommodationism in recent decisions. It contextualizes this legal transformation within the broader rise of Christian Nationalism, examining the ideological and institutional pressures reshaping civic discourse. While affirming Balmer’s historical rigor and rhetorical …
The Architects Of Consensus: Propaganda, Patriotism, And The Owi’S Battle For The American Mind, Ryan G. Fix
The Architects Of Consensus: Propaganda, Patriotism, And The Owi’S Battle For The American Mind, Ryan G. Fix
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
During World War II, the Office of War Information (OWI) became the United States' most sophisticated domestic propaganda agency, charged with forging national unity in the face of global conflict. This paper explores how the OWI fused federal authority with private-sector cooperation to influence public sentiment through film, advertising, journalism, and rumor control. Rather than resorting to direct censorship, the agency relied on voluntary collaboration, emotional appeal, and strategic framing to shape a coherent narrative that blurred the line between democratic persuasion and ideological management. Drawing on an extensive range of primary sources, including internal memos, field reports, and public …
The Boxer Rebellion And Missionaries: A Study Of Historical Context And Ideological Perspectives, Danielle Russano-Simpkins
The Boxer Rebellion And Missionaries: A Study Of Historical Context And Ideological Perspectives, Danielle Russano-Simpkins
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
This paper examines the complex interplay between missionary activity, imperial ambitions, and indigenous resistance in China during the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901). Analyzing primary sources and revisionist accounts, it is argued that the rebellion exposed the contradictions between missionaries' spiritual goals and their complicity in imperial structures. The study highlights how missionary theology, imperial relationships, and local resistance converged to create one of modern history's most significant anti-foreign uprisings, shaping subsequent Sino-Western relations and Chinese nationalism.
The Tomb Of Andraemon And Colophonian Burial Culture, Emily Brophy
The Tomb Of Andraemon And Colophonian Burial Culture, Emily Brophy
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
The ancient city of Colophon is surrounded by extensive necropoleis from the Mycenaean, Geometric, and Classical periods of Greek history. Long before the necropoleis’ modern rediscovery, Pausanias described his encounter with the tomb of Andraemon in the 2nd century CE. Searching for Andraemon’s tomb using specific details from Pausanias’s Descriptions of Greece, as well as geographic and archaeological evidence, firmly places the tomb within a complex burial culture surrounding the site of ancient Colophon in modern-day Izmir, Turkey.
An Ever-Changing Errand Into The Wilderness: The Relationship Between American Civil Religion And Exceptionalism, Blake S. Hart
An Ever-Changing Errand Into The Wilderness: The Relationship Between American Civil Religion And Exceptionalism, Blake S. Hart
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
This article explores the profound religious underpinnings of American exceptionalism, positing that the nation’s identity and political culture are deeply infused with a uniquely American civil religion. This civil religion is characterized by an eschatological hope that traces back to the very origins of the United States, serving as the cornerstone for its ideology and principles. American civil religion is not static but dynamic, constantly shaped by each era's major social, political, and cultural trends. It democratizes the millennial and apocalyptic visions traditionally belonging to the sacred realm, reinterpreting these religious narratives within the secular context of national destiny and …
Review Of Lu Ann Homza's Religious Authority In The Spanish Renaissance, Alice L. Alvarado
Review Of Lu Ann Homza's Religious Authority In The Spanish Renaissance, Alice L. Alvarado
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
Lu Ann Homza’s intricate study of the major players involved in religious authority comes to life in her thought-provoking work Religious Authority in the Spanish Renaissance. Homza delicately weaved social, political, and religious analysis throughout the various layers of her chapters to give the reader a sense of the powers-that-be behind the secretive Spanish Inquisition and the overall hierarchical structure of the Catholic church. Homza does not shy away from confronting the previously upheld authority of Marcel Bataillon, and simultaneously challenges the reader to refuse to apply modern constructs or context to the unique time and place known as …
Charity Begins At Home: A Case Study Of Rural Western Pennsylvania During The Great Depression, Jacob A. Battle, Colin J. Wood, Christian E. Mumpower
Charity Begins At Home: A Case Study Of Rural Western Pennsylvania During The Great Depression, Jacob A. Battle, Colin J. Wood, Christian E. Mumpower
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
Rural Pennsylvania is often neglected when discussing the world-shaping events of the Great Depression. This study addresses a significant gap in historical research by exploring how a small-town in Pennsylvania, New Bethlehem, survived and even thrived during the Great Depression. New Bethlehem, situated in the fertile Redbank Valley, built its settlement on local resources and rural communalism. During the Depression, the townsfolk banded together through wealthy philanthropy, backyard gardens, and homegrown charity to withstand the crippling implications of the event. By examining church records, newspaper archives, and conducting oral interviews, this article reveals the resilience and resourcefulness of rural Pennsylvanian …
To The Shores Of Tripoli: America’S First Crusade To Cement Her Sovereignty, I. B. Landry
To The Shores Of Tripoli: America’S First Crusade To Cement Her Sovereignty, I. B. Landry
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
The First Barbary War, also known as the Tripolitan War, is the conflict that set the tone for American sovereignty. The results of this research show that the Tripolitan War was about more than simply America’s right to exercise trade freely in the Mediterranean and North Africa. This was, in a sense, the litmus test for the new nation that would prove to be challenging to its Christian values. It can be concluded that Thomas Jefferson sanctioned the Augustinian campaign to not only benefit America, but all parties wishing to operate in the Mediterranean freely.
After Tours: The Battle Of The River Berre, Paul Aitchison
After Tours: The Battle Of The River Berre, Paul Aitchison
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
The Battle of the River Berre, occurring in the years after the Battle of Tours, has not seen the same amount of scholarship as that defining battle of the century in Europe. The Umayyad Caliphate in Iberian continue to conduct military operations on the east side of the Pyrenees, controlling Narbonne and most of the province of Septimania, south of Aquitaine and west of Lombardy in the years after. The expansion of the Caliphate had continued almost unabated since 632 CE, controlling Arabia, Persia, the Near East, the Levant, Egypt, North Africa, and finally, the Iberian Peninsula. This astonishing expansion …
Liberty To The Captive: The Two Definitions Of Equality In The Abolitionist Movement, Justin Searls
Liberty To The Captive: The Two Definitions Of Equality In The Abolitionist Movement, Justin Searls
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
The matter of the debate on equality’s definition between black Christian ministers and white Christian ministers is an understudied topic of discourse that merits attention in the historical profession. In recent years, there has been discussion surrounding the general racial divide within abolitionism. However, the religious perspective on this matter has received little to no attention. How did black ministers and white ministers address the question of emancipation and enfranchisement for African Americans in the abolitionist movement from the 1830s through the Civil War and beyond? There is a significant disparity in the discussion of equal rights for African Americans …
Book Review: Christopher F. Rufo. America's Cultural Revolution: How The Radical Left Conquered Everything. New York: Broadside Books, 2023., Alexander Robbin Marks-Katz
Book Review: Christopher F. Rufo. America's Cultural Revolution: How The Radical Left Conquered Everything. New York: Broadside Books, 2023., Alexander Robbin Marks-Katz
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
Neo-Marxism. Critical Race Theory (CRT). Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). All of these ideas are conventional wisdom today, yet until the presidential election of 2016, they were well outside the public sphere. Christopher Rufo explains in America's Cultural Revolution the mechanisms through which American culture reached its present state. While there are many reviews of his book, this one is unique because it considers his scholarship from a religious history perspective.
Daniel G. Hummel's The Rise And Fall Of Dispensationalism: How The Evangelical Battle Over The End Times Shaped A Nation: A Review, Michael A. Smith
Daniel G. Hummel's The Rise And Fall Of Dispensationalism: How The Evangelical Battle Over The End Times Shaped A Nation: A Review, Michael A. Smith
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
This review examines Daniel G. Hummel's The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism, a comprehensive intellectual and cultural history tracing the origin and evolution of dispensationalist theology within Anglo-American Evangelicalism. Despite its dismissal as fringe eschatology, Hummel argues that Dispensationalism significantly shaped the Evangelical imagination and broader American culture. The review summarizes the book's key themes and highlights strengths such as scope and balance while suggesting areas for further consideration regarding transatlantic origins and minor factual errors. It concludes that Hummel provides an insightful, measured analysis of this resilient and controversial belief system but dismisses the theological movement as dead …
Reverend Gideon Blackburn, Alice Jacobson
Reverend Gideon Blackburn, Alice Jacobson
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
Gideon Blackburn (1772-1838) was a Presbyterian minister, missionary to the Cherokees, church planter, college president, and anti-slavery leader. His career in the ministry was not static, owing to his drive to evangelize as well as his pioneer restlessness to move further west into the frontier. Born in Virginia, Blackburn and his family moved into the area of east Tennessee while he was still a youth and where he converted at age 15. Following his theological education, in 1792 Blackburn moved to the Maryville, TN, area and served as an itinerant chaplain to Tennessee militia while pastoring two churches and planting …
The Historical Significance Of St. David’S Church In Colonial America, Maximus E. Marlowe
The Historical Significance Of St. David’S Church In Colonial America, Maximus E. Marlowe
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
Located approximately twenty miles west of Philadelphia St. David’s Episcopal Church in Wayne/Radnor, Pennsylvania is one of the oldest churches in southeastern Pennsylvania. This paper started out as an extra-credit assignment for a Colonial American History course offered last fall. However, through Dr. Sam Smith’s passion for colonial church history, I became passionate about sharing the history of St. David’s as it is located only two miles from my home. This paper discusses the foundations of this important church highlighting the history and growth of Episcopal churches throughout the colonial period in Pennsylvania. This paper also discusses how St. David’s …
Review Of George Marsden, A Short Life Of Jonathan Edwards, Matthew C. Mccracken
Review Of George Marsden, A Short Life Of Jonathan Edwards, Matthew C. Mccracken
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
Historian George M. Marsden's piece on the life of American preacher and theologian Jonathan Edwards offers a biographical account as rich in insight as it is convenient in succinctness. The biography explores religion in colonial America up to the eve of revolution, as well as social and political developments surrounding the First Great Awakening, all through the lens of the Edwards' experience and prolific influence.
Italian Jews: A Surprising And Understudied Influence In The Enlightenment, Lura Martinez
Italian Jews: A Surprising And Understudied Influence In The Enlightenment, Lura Martinez
Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History
The experience of Italian Jews during the Enlightenment is deserving of much more attention. Not only did Italian Jews such as Moshe Ḥayyim Luzzatto, a man born in a ghetto, later embrace a form of secularism, but his works and others written by his peers made an impact on the Italian Enlightenment and seemingly contributed to the practice of toleration that appeared in sporadic installments throughout Europe. While the Jewish experience in Europe hails from a long tradition of persecution, with sporadic and incomplete periods of toleration at various points in its history, it is clear that through a promotion …