Made in America

1. Made in America Religious Experiments Look to the Past and the Future

2. Restorationism and the American Environment • New World context emphasized the possibility of rebirth, beginning again • Democratic political values of the new American government fostered belief that all people could understand the bible or proper religiosity for themselves • One result, “Restorationism,” was the commitment to return to the beliefs and practices of earliest Christianity

3. Restorationists: Disciples of Christ • Early leaders included Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell, thus often called Stone-Campbell Movement • Convinced all individuals possessed common sense necessary to understand the bible’s clear message • Common sense reading of clear bible message should make unity possible, built on New Testament model for church life • Thought this unity made denominations unnecessary, so called themselves “Christians” or “Disciples of Christ”

4. Restorationists:LDS • Joseph Smith, from Upstate New York, founded another group that sought to restore a primitive Christian ideal • Rather than a New Testament model, they sought to restore the ongoing revelation from God the New Testament church had enjoyed • Visions and the discovery of golden plates yield The Book of Mormon, the sacred text alongside the bible for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints • As prophet, Smith communicated visions including: • Appearance of Christ in North America to descendants of Israel living there • Restoration of ancient practice of polygamy, or plural marriage • Conviction that the faithful have capacity to become gods

5. Restorationists: LDS • Seeking place to establish a community based on divine law, Smith led the Latter-Day Saints West • Persecution threatened stability and led to assassination of Smith in Illinois • Brigham Young, who succeeded Smith as prophet, led the church into the wilderness of Utah

6. Adventism and the American Environment • If the American context encouraged some religious innovators to restore a mythic past, it caused others to look to the future, the end of the world • “Adventism” is the belief that the second coming of Christ was imminent, and with it the end of the world and the triumph of good over evil • Factors in American environment conducive to adventism: • Founding of American democracy as turning point in history • Rapid expansion of the nation in early national period • Economic depression • Slavery debate and coming of Civil War

7. Adventism: Millerites • William Miller, a New Englander, was a popular revival preacher who developed a large following for his adventist views • Correlated historical events with messages of Daniel and Revelation • Fixed 22 October 1844 as date for Christ’s second coming

8. Adventism: 7th-Day Adventists • After disappointment with Miller’s miscalculation, Ellen White, one of Miller’s followers, continued the movement • Identified factors causing delay of the advent, issues for reform: • Return to worship on 7th day, rather than Sunday • Adherence to dietary guidelines of the ancient Hebrews • Founded the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination

9. Adventism: Jehovah’s Witnesses • Lacking formal education, Charles Russell became a popular traveling speaker, writer, and teacher of the bible • Convinced that Christ had returned spiritually in 1874, beginning an invisible reign in 1914 • Increasing conflict between good and evil would yield 1,000 years of prosperity for the faithful, before a final testing by Satan • Those who persevered would enjoy earthly paradise for eternity • Under Russell’s successor, Joseph Rutherford, what was called the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society developed greater institutional structure, came to be called Jehovah’s Witnesses