Liberals & Evangelicals

19th c. America Early On Later > civil war Post Revolutionary era – disestablishment & denominationalism (sectarian orientation) Revivals – evangelical religion dominates the nation; politically, socially, culturally dominant form of religiosity Conversion; perfectionism/sanctification; Christianize society; millennial notions; bible and inerrancy Later > civil war Urbanization, industrialization, science, tech, media Influx of books, ideas about eastern religions; sufism Immigration and emancipation (slaves, women) Ideas: Darwin, Freud, Enlightenment; biblical criticism Leads to split among evangelicals Liberals – adapt, change, accommodate new cultural notions – Henry Fosdick; ACLU Fundamentalists – stick with traditional views – “Give me that Old Time Religion” Applied the term to themselves 1910-1915 – 12 booklets – The Fundamentals Dwight L. Moody: Three Rs: Ruined by the Fall, Redeemed by the Blood, and Regenerated by the Spirit

Fundamentalism George Marsden: “a fundamentalist is an evangelical who is angry about something.” About what? Historic – era of late 1870s – 1920s Concerns & Contexts Social changes; intellectual changes; labor movement and socialism WWI – a nation betrayed; Germany as seat of trouble Waves of non-Protestant immigrants – threat Professionalization and elitism in education, business, etc. Jazz, blacks, women, Catholics, evolution, fin de siecle, bohemia, sexual liberation, Greenwich Village

Scopes ‘Monkey’ Trial 1923-1925 1925 – Tennessee joins 4 southern states (Oklahoma, Florida, N. Carolina and Texas) try to stop the teaching of evolution in school 1925 – Tennessee joins Butler act – unlawful "to teach any theory that denies the story of divine creation as taught by the Bible and to teach instead that man was descended from a lower order of animals."   Tennessee, summer of 1925 – great show trial media spectacle William Jennings Bryan (a democrat, an evangelical) Clarence Darrow (an agnostic, liberal) America begins to split – film ‘Inherit the Wind’ (1960)

Trial Opening Opening statements - a titanic struggle between good and evil or truth and ignorance. Bryan claimed that "if evolution wins, Christianity goes." Darrow argued, "Scopes isn't on trial; civilization is on trial." The prosecution, Darrow contended, was "opening the doors for a reign of bigotry equal to anything in the Middle Ages." To the gasps of spectators, Darrow said Bryan was responsible for the "foolish, mischievous and wicked act." Darrow said that the anti-evolution law made the Bible "the yardstick to measure every man's intellect, to measure every man's intelligence, to measure every man's learning.”  

The prosecution opened its case by asking the court to take judicial notice of the Book of Genesis, as it appeared in the King James Bible. The court agreed. Judicial notice is a rule in the law of evidence that allows a fact to be introduced into evidence if the truth of that fact is so notorious or well known, or so authoritatively attested, that it cannot reasonably be doubted. ...

Marsden “This was at the height of the age of media generated national crazes, as well as controversies over changing mores, jazz, new dances, styles of dress for women, and sexually aggressive Hollywood moveis. Proponents of the new, more leneit culture were already deeply antagonistic toward defenders of the old-style Victorian mores, and so made the most of a drama in which science could be pitted against religion, city agasint rural, and North against South.”

Developments High water mark – 1925 scopes monkey trial 1950s – debate moderates 1960s – clash 1970s – emergence of ‘religious right’ Christian coalition; televangelism; media outlets Reagan; Bush “American theocracy”?

The Fundamentals 1910-1915 – 12 booklets – The Fundamentals Necessity of conversion experience Inerrancy of the Bible in matters of science and history Virgin Birth, authenticity of miracles and resurrection Millennialism Real Presence of Satan Rapture; Hell Creation Science Higher Criticism

liberal evangelical scripture Christ sin salvation culture