This is a review of some things that Christians have in common, including a few denominations that don't fit into typical Catholic or Protestant patterns.  We'll conclude this program with a comprehensive review of key places for the Christian faith throughout the entire course.  You'll need Map 3, the Christian faith in America, at the end of your syllabus.  If you don't have the syllabus map, please stop now, and come back when you have it, so that you can follow along as we travel from place to place in our review. 

SEEKERS AND PHILOSOPHERS

     The Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, reflects a deep spirituality and a rejection of most institutional forms of Christianity represented by church organizations.  In England way back in the 1600's, George Fox came to the conclusion in his own religious quest that every person has the Inner Light -- something of the divine within them.  Because of that, we should not be judgmental about how that Light is manifested in other persons; the Holy Spirit can inspire them as well as it inspires us and the writers of the Bible.  We should work for freedom for all persons to live in accordance with their inspiration, whatever their race or creed may be. 

    The Friends or Quakers have included outstanding social reformers such as Margaret Fell and Susan B. Anthony, who have poured themselves into the abolition of slavery and the recognition of women as equal to men, since all are created in God's image.  In America, the Quaker colony of Pennsylvania came to be known as The Holy Experiment, showing that Europeans and Native Americans could learn to live together in peace.  The American Friends Service Committee represents peace concerns effectively today, by providing help for victims on both sides of wars and other conflicts.

    Unitarian Universalists, like Friends, are open to God's guidance of human beings in any of the great world religions, as well as philosophical and ethical teachings from throughout human history.  Instead of being called a church, the "denomination" is called the Unitarian Universalist Association.  It has no creed, and its members find help in the Bible, Qur'an, Upanishads, teachings of Buddha, and writings of such people as Plato and Martin Luther King.  A key Unitarian [non-Trinitarian] emphasis is that God is One, not Three in One.  Unitarian Universalists do not accept the Trinity; they see Jesus as Son of God and a great teacher from whom we can learn many life principles, but Jesus is not God.  A key Universalist emphasis is that God's love is universal -- for all people -- so eternal life with God is for everyone, not only for Christians. 

    In our area, the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Highlands near Abingdon is a very lively and welcoming congregation.  Some Unitarian Universalists are active in a local church, while others would prefer to classify themselves as humanists with no attachment to any institution.  UU congregations meet for fellowship, lectures, sharing of common concerns, and readings from the writings of great thinkers; most do not have worship services with prayers.  The emphasis is on the life of the mind; reason can show us the truth to be found in the lives and ideas of persons and in nature itself.  Unitarian Universalists are also like Friends in working against prejudice or oppression of persons for any reason; they argue that all people should be accepted as worthy of love.

 BASIC CHRISTIAN BELIEFS

    During the last week of the course, most of our time in this brief final unit has been spent drawing together some of the basic beliefs that Christians share, rather than those which separate Christians into different denominations.  Since our shared understandings were based on discussion rather than on lectures or textbook readings, I won't try to summarize those.  Our discussions included Christian beliefs about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

    I would like to give you a few concluding insights, based on Catherine Albanese's work -- which has meant a lot to me over the years.  Have you ever lived in a place where you were in a religious minority?  It's a fascinating experience -- and you soon learn how to adapt to the situation.  I spent a year in Germany, where I was a Methodist, but almost everybody else was Lutheran.  I learned to appreciate liturgy!  I spent a summer in Mexico, where I was a Protestant, but almost everybody else was Catholic.  I learned to appreciate the beautiful Catholic liturgies.  I spent a summer in Israel, where I was a Christian, but almost everybody else was Jewish.  I learned to enjoy worship services on Friday evening rather than Sunday morning. 

    Adaptation is probably the most common way in which American Christians deal with particular situations.  When I lived in French Catholic areas of Louisiana, for example, the public schools served one particular food on Fridays.  Why?  Because Catholics were not permitted to eat meat on Fridays, out of respect for the day of Christ's Crucifixion.  Can you guess what we had for our school lunch every Friday?  On Fridays we ate the food that was also an ancient symbol used by Christians:  fish.  We non-Catholics just adapted to having fish or seafood (these don't count as meat) on Fridays!  Mmmm, that brings back memories of Cajun seafood gumbo, with shrimp, crab, sometimes even crawfish . . . 

    Some of the denominations that we've studied this semester are called peace churches.  Pacifists urge their members not to fight at all, regardless of whether or not a war is regarded as "just."  The peace churches include Quakers (Friends), Mennonites, Amish, Church of the Brethren, and others.  At Commencement several years ago, E&H alumna Rev. Judy Reimer received the prestigious DeFriece Award for her work in the Church of the Brethren.  Now a pastor near Roanoke, she has been active in Brethren Volunteer Service, and for some years she was National Moderator -- the spiritual leader of this denomination which emphasizes working for peace and for service to others.

    Another issue which has been dealt with by Christians in different ways is the problem of poverty.  If we take Jesus' teachings seriously, how can we help the poor?  Many Christians feel that we should earn enough money to meet our basic needs.  Then we'll be able to share with others and help them.  But other Christians say that we should identify with the poor by living with them in their communities and sharing their lower standard of living. 

    One issue which has brought about real change through the work of Christian leaders in America is racism.  Many sincere Southern Christians once argued that God intended the races to be separate, and they supported their beliefs with biblical passages.  Yet other Christians found in the Bible the message of freedom and equality for all people, regardless of their race.  Pastors in the South in the twentieth century often found themselves caught in the middle -- torn between their deep convictions and their desire to minister to the white members of their congregations without alienating them. 

    A great hero in the battle against racism was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a powerful Baptist preacher.  Another Baptist minister, Clarence Jordan, had a doctorate in Greek.  Jordan founded an interracial farm near the town of Americus, Georgia and called it Koinonia, from the Greek word meaning "fellowship."  African Americans and whites living there went through some rough times, but Habitat for Humanity thrives today as a monument to their courage.  Jordan translated parts of the New Testament into Southern idiom; he called his translations the Cotton Patch Version.  You may have seen the Broadway play based on Jordan's work and named "The Cotton Patch Gospel"; it has been produced at Barter Theatre.  Jordan's work is a powerful testimonial against racism.

    How can Christians best relate to their culture?  Christians can't always choose between adaptation and trying to bring about change.  The situations in which we find ourselves suggest that sometimes we should adapt to our culture, but at other times we should refuse to accept the standards of the culture.  Most of us have elements of both adaptation and nonconformity in our own lives and thought.  Diversity is a basic characteristic of Christianity!  But that doesn't excuse us from analyzing our religious commitments in a carefully thought-out way.  Best wishes to you as you look closely at your own religious understandings!

COMPREHENSIVE MAP REVIEW: 
THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN AMERICA

     For our last trip, we'll leave Europe and go to America.  Please turn to Map 3 in your syllabus.  We'll attach wings to our amphibious RV and rename it Garuda, the name of the great eagle who was the vehicle of the Hindu deity Vishnu.  We fly on the wings of our "eagle" all the way across the ocean, following in the wake of the ship on which John and Charles Wesley came as missionaries to Georgia three centuries ago.  But we don't get seasick and afraid of shipwreck the way they did!  We arrive in Savannah and find that Sophy Hopkey's lawsuit against John is still pending; maybe it will be featured in a "Cold Case" episode.  We also look at some of the artifacts left behind by the Wesleys:  a ticket of admission to the Lord's Supper based on faithful involvement in a Bible study group, a saddlebag of Great Christian Books for members of a Methodist society, and a diary in which John described how much he admired the Moravians because of their deep spirituality.

    From Savannah we go up the coast to Jamestown, Virginia.  There we find ourselves in the first permanent Anglican colony in America (since the colonists of Roanoke Island on the Outer Banks disappeared, leaving behind only the mysterious word "Croatan" on a tree).  Episcopalians today can trace their heritage back to Anglicans such as Pocahontas, her husband John Rolfe, colony president John Smith, and others in Jamestown.  Pocahontas even went from Jamestown to England as a living example of what Christian missions could mean for Native Americans.

    From the historic city of Jamestown, Garuda takes us to another historic city:  Philadelphia.  We know that it was named for a city in the biblical book of Revelation, and its name in Greek means the kind of love that brothers and sisters have for each other.  It was founded in the 1600's by William Penn in his colony of Penn's Forest (Pennsylvania) to show how such love is open and accepting, like what Paul described in his love poem, 1 Corinthians 13.  Quakers such as William Penn have shown that tolerant approach of Christian love over the years, and Philadelphia has welcomed many people who have been rejected or persecuted by others.  We remember that in the early 1700’s, Francis Makemie brought together Presbyterian ministers from all over the East Coast, and here in Philadelphia they organized the Presbyterian Church as the very first independent American denomination. 

    Not far from Philadelphia is New York City.  It's time to take stock of what we're doing, so we head for Wall Street.  No, we're not really going to Wall Street to learn about such Christian principles as Fidelity; we want to see nearby the first Methodist church in America.  (In case you're thinking about Georgia, remember that the Wesleys set up societies, but they didn't really establish any churches in Georgia.)  This church in New York City was founded by Irish Methodist Barbara Heck, who also organized some of the earliest Methodist churches in Canada.

    Now that we've seen the first Methodist church in America, let's go from New York up to Providence, Rhode Island, to see the first Baptist church in America.  This beautiful wooden church with a steeple even taller than Emory's Chapel was established by Roger Williams in the 1600's.  Like William Penn's colony of Pennsylvania, Roger Williams' colony of Rhode Island was intended to be a place where people could live together with freedom of religion and openness to diversity.  We can get glimpses in Philadelphia and Providence of some characteristics that we value highly in America today!  The first Baptist college in America, Brown University, is an excellent university that is also in Providence.

    We'll go from Providence to Boston, which is a very significant city in the history of American religion.  This is where Mary Baker Eddy founded the Church of Christ, Scientist.  Garuda is able to fly us over the Christian Science Mother Church, so we can see that it is in the shape of a Cross and Crown.  Boston is also where the Unitarian Universalist Association had its origins in the 1800's, when William Ellery Channing, pastor and founder of Unitarianism, began working closely with Hosea Ballou, pastor of a Universalist church in the city.  Harvard University in nearby Cambridge has been a major liberal intellectual center throughout American history; Harvard and Yale have produced some of our nation's greatest religious and political leaders.  Boston University is the place where two Baptist philosophers earned their Ph.D. degrees:  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Dr. Ed Damer!

    Now let's fly in Garuda to the little Emory-sized town of Palmyra, in western New York state.  There we wander around the area where the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith, Jr., grew up.  We go to Cumorah, the hill where according to LDS tradition Joseph dug up and translated a book with golden pages, as instructed by the angel Moroni.  We try to imagine what this young man was like as he worked so hard to produce the Book of Mormon.  Here in Palmyra was the starting point of the entire Mormon religion!

    We know from the name of Joseph Smith's church that it has an emphasis on the "latter days" before the end of the world.  In class we've called that an eschatological emphasis, because the Greek word eschaton means "end."  Another eschatological emphasis is found in the Jehovah's Witnesses, whose work began in Pittsburgh, with Bible studies led by Charles Taze Russell.  He and other members of his Bible study groups tried to identify in the Bible the progressive unfolding of a divine plan, leading to the end of history -- which they believed would come very soon.  In Pittsburgh we find Jehovah's Witnesses sharing their beliefs in the magazine-like publication known today as The Watchtower.   

    The emphasis on the end of history was also a part of the Adventist movement, which began in New England and New York with the work of William Miller.  It led to the founding of the Seventh-day Adventist Church by Ellen White.  Since Christ's Second Advent (his return to this world of space and time) was expected to be very soon, early Adventists wanted to live fully in accord with God's will.  That included worshiping on the true Sabbath (Saturday, the seventh day, as in Judaism) and living by the highest standards for body, mind, and soul.  Those themes are important in the Seventh-day Adventist center set up by Ellen White in Battle Creek, Michigan.  There we visit the health institute, the Kellogg's Corn Flakes factory, and some of my distant relatives. 

    Living by the highest standards, often called holiness, is also characteristic of several denominations that use the name Church of God.  That term is much more general than "Baptist" or "Lutheran," so it's not surprising that more than one denomination has chosen this name.  Not too far south of Battle Creek, in Indiana, is one leading Church of God headquarters:  Anderson, the world headquarters of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), sometimes called the First Church of God.  Its founder, Daniel S. Warner, wanted his church to be very open and inclusive, not denominational at all!  The Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) emphasizes holiness, but without such Pentecostal experiences as speaking in tongues.

    Heading on down South, just this side of Chattanooga, we come to Cleveland, Tennessee, not far from our sister college, Tennessee Wesleyan College.  In Cleveland we encounter a Christian group that, like Wesleyans, emphasizes the spiritual life, especially in the experience of sanctification.  That group is called the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), because its world headquarters are in Cleveland.  It is said to be the oldest Pentecostal church in the country, founded in 1886 and taking on the name "Church of God" in 1907.  We run into a number of E&H alumni from Cleveland and Chattanooga.

    Since we've come this far south, let's go on to Alabama and visit Birmingham, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., led the battle for civil rights for all people, especially African Americans.  He was the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, formed by black ministers in the 1950's.  Dr. King visited India and adopted Mahatma Gandhi's passive resistance techniques:  non-violent demonstrations to bring about social change.  As a Baptist minister, he also served with his father, who was the long-term pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.  In 1963 Dr. King led protests in Birmingham against segregated department store facilities.  Police turned fire hoses and attack dogs on the marchers, and Dr. King and others were arrested.  We've read sections of his powerful letter from a Birmingham jail, which inspired many civil rights leaders to work toward bringing about the end of racial discrimination.   

    Now Garuda flies us up to the east bank of the Mississippi River, where we find the intriguing town of Nauvoo, Illinois.  In the 1800's Joseph Smith brought a number of his followers in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Nauvoo, and they transformed it into a Mormon town -- much the way that John Calvin made Geneva a model Protestant city.  Nauvoo became a thriving religious and cultural center rivaling Chicago!  It had its own Temple at the center of town. 

    But after Joseph Smith was assassinated a few miles from Nauvoo, Mormons packed up and moved hundreds of miles west, to an area where they established Salt Lake City as the new LDS center.  Brigham Young led this migration, and as we follow his trail through rugged desert and mountainous territory, we can't help but admire the determination of those Mormon pioneers.  Today Salt Lake City is famous not only for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but also for the magnificent Temple where the most important ceremonies are performed.

    With the "Hallelujah Chorus" ringing in our ears, we go even further west, to Los Angeles.  When we hear singing, we wonder if the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has come with us.  But it is a revival, commemorating the famous Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles during the 1800's, when the gifts of the Holy Spirit were poured out on many people who began speaking in tongues.  One of those was Charles Mason, the founder of the Church of God in Christ -- an African American Pentecostal church with over five million members.  Revival services, with singing, preaching, and spiritual gifts, are very much part of the Christian faith in America.  This is the same Los Angeles which we studied in the very first unit of this course.  Remember that in the 1700's, Franciscan priests in the Order of Friars Minor named the city for the Virgin Mary:  "Our Lady the Queen of the Angels."   That was abbreviated to Los Angeles, "The Angels," so it is often called today the City of Angels.

   We've now reviewed the Christian faith in America coast-to-coast, so it's time for Garuda to fly us home.  Before we know it, we’re back in Emory!  This concludes our review of some of the sites that are important for the Christian faith in America.  I hope that this survey has been helpful for you!

If you would like, you can send me e-mail: fkellogg@ehc.edu

To look at one of my other syllabi or to review a unit in a different course, go to my Home Page.

To review a different unit in the Christian Faith course, go directly to one of the following:

    Unit 1:  Historical Foundations

    Unit 2:  Churches of the Protestant Reformation

    Unit 3:  Churches with Distinctive Emphases

If you prefer, you may return to the Emory & Henry College Home Page.

Last updated:  April 28, 2008