At Ease in Zion

Social History of Southern Baptists, 1865-1900

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Christianity, Denominations, Baptists
Cover of the book At Ease in Zion by Rufus Spain, University of Alabama Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Rufus Spain ISBN: 9780817390822
Publisher: University of Alabama Press Publication: April 15, 2016
Imprint: University Alabama Press Language: English
Author: Rufus Spain
ISBN: 9780817390822
Publisher: University of Alabama Press
Publication: April 15, 2016
Imprint: University Alabama Press
Language: English

First published in 1967, Rufus Spain’s thorough investigation into Southern Baptist attitudes set the stage for research on religion in the American South. In At Ease in Zion, Spain questions the titular “ease” with society that Southern Baptists seemed to maintain following the Civil War. His analysis of denominational newspapers, as well as reports from the Southern Baptist Convention and state conventions, paint a compelling picture of the subjects’ complacency with their social existence, even as they criticized personal and recreational ethics.

While the South faced significant social, economic, and political changes after the Civil War, religion remained the primary moral influence. As the Southern Baptist denomination made up a significant majority of the population at that time, its leaders and attitudes had a clear and undeniable impact on social norms. Rufus Spain was one of the first writers to actively demonstrate the relationship between Southern religion and Southern society, and his work displays meticulous attention to the ways in which we are affected by complacency. He asserts that Southern Baptists viewed the American South as a version of God’s ideal society; any issues they wished to address were caused by individuals (such as those who did not conform to societal norms) or external attitudes (such as those in differing religions or regions).

At Ease in Zion is a critical part of the scholarly discussion on religion in society. Spain’s research offers a bold analysis of the American South and its citizens during one of the most tumultuous times in its history while providing a basis for arguments on “social Christianity” and its ever-shifting role in the world.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

First published in 1967, Rufus Spain’s thorough investigation into Southern Baptist attitudes set the stage for research on religion in the American South. In At Ease in Zion, Spain questions the titular “ease” with society that Southern Baptists seemed to maintain following the Civil War. His analysis of denominational newspapers, as well as reports from the Southern Baptist Convention and state conventions, paint a compelling picture of the subjects’ complacency with their social existence, even as they criticized personal and recreational ethics.

While the South faced significant social, economic, and political changes after the Civil War, religion remained the primary moral influence. As the Southern Baptist denomination made up a significant majority of the population at that time, its leaders and attitudes had a clear and undeniable impact on social norms. Rufus Spain was one of the first writers to actively demonstrate the relationship between Southern religion and Southern society, and his work displays meticulous attention to the ways in which we are affected by complacency. He asserts that Southern Baptists viewed the American South as a version of God’s ideal society; any issues they wished to address were caused by individuals (such as those who did not conform to societal norms) or external attitudes (such as those in differing religions or regions).

At Ease in Zion is a critical part of the scholarly discussion on religion in society. Spain’s research offers a bold analysis of the American South and its citizens during one of the most tumultuous times in its history while providing a basis for arguments on “social Christianity” and its ever-shifting role in the world.

More books from University of Alabama Press

Cover of the book Our Southern Zion by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book Plague Among the Magnolias by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book The Chattahoochee Chiefdoms by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book Voices in the Wilderness by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book The Historian behind the History by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book The Intellectual Crisis in American Public Administration by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book Contesting the Past, Reconstructing the Nation by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book Our Elders Teach Us by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book Silence and Song by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book Fields of Vision by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book From Civil War to Civil Rights, Alabama 1860–1960 by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book The Politics of Trust by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book Southern Women Playwrights by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book Method and Theory in American Archaeology by Rufus Spain
Cover of the book The Blues Muse by Rufus Spain
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy