Civil War History - Secession and PoliticsWas it Slavery, or was it States Rights? Perhaps it was the election of Lincoln? What were the real reasons for Southern Secession and what were the political issues in this time of war? Find your answers here in the Secession and Politics Disussion.
One view that is not well known is the Theological view of the War. In short it is this:
Since the most important thing to God is the Church for which His Son died, and because the people in the Churches at the time where tearing it apart, God brought war as a judgment for this.
This post could open a can of worms if someone has a good sharp can opener. There are so many questions in this line both pro can con. The ownership of slaves and the making of war both have biblical roots. The war did cause some churches in the north to sever ties with churches in the south. Some of that is still evident as of today.
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I'll pitch in by zipping my lips. It's a bit too much political and societal interpersonalities without introducing faith, which can only result in "you are" and "you aren't."
Hey, Henry! Welcome to the best gol'danged CW board on the world wide web.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
One view that is not well known is the Theological view of the War. In short it is this:
Since the most important thing to God is the Church for which His Son died, and because the people in the Churches at the time where tearing it apart, God brought war as a judgment for this.
Comments?
This Theological view or cause always raises it ugly head after a trauma has befallen a society like a civil war, earthquakes, volcanoes and other such things.
Some body's God was always on somebody's side in any war. If you won you could say your side was more just. While I am reasonably certain had I been there at that time I would have been wearing Gray, I do not believe Slavery was the most just of causes.
Churches on both sides of the Mason-Dixon thought God was on their side. Southern churches used the Bible to defend slavery and northern churches used the Bible to defend abolition.
Churches were places that encouraged and roused whatever regional partisanship already existed locally.
An interesting take is Harry Stout's "Upon the Altar of the Nation: A Moral History of the Civil War." I can't say it's a good book on the war, but it's a good reference for the role of the church during the war.
Strangely, "patriotism to the cause" became something akin to a religious denomination. Many Americans felt their country was divinely chosen, and that they had "sacred cause" to fight for their country. Remember, this was the first real U.S. war where American "nationalism" played a role.
Quoting (loosely) Lincoln: "It's not so much whose side God is on, as who is on God's side." That's really loose, but it works for me.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Welcome to Civil War Talk, Mr. Jackson. Your first post is a good one.
Questions: How do you define churches? (What was being "torn apart?") Do you mean American Christians being torn apart by the controvery about slavery, or the actual organizations, like the Baptists and others, that divided into Southern and Northern branches?
Lincoln in the 2nd Inaugural Address offers a coherent vision: slavery was the offense displeasing to God, the war came to paid for the blood drawn by the lash, with blood drawn by the sword. Slavery was an American offense(since he refused to accept the South as a seperate nation), so both sides have to pay. He may have also been thinking of the complicity of many Northerners in maintaining slavery. His language is striking: Both prayed to God for victory, neither prayer was answered fully. God has His own purposes.
Robert E. Lee saw the war as trial by combat, and Confederate defeat was God's judgment. That's really oversimplistic, but I've got to start somewhere.
"Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever."
Thomas Jefferson Notes on the State of Virginia
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