This looks like a great new book.
Examining a wide range of published and unpublished documents--including sermons, official statements from various churches, denominational papers and periodicals, and letters, diaries, and newspaper articles--Rable illuminates the broad role of religion during the Civil War, giving attention to often-neglected groups such as Mormons, Catholics, blacks, and people from the Trans-Mississippi region. The book underscores religion's presence in the everyday lives of Americans north and south struggling to understand the meaning of the conflict, from the tragedy of individual death to victory and defeat in battle and even the ultimate outcome of the war.
Here is a google copy, I imagine to the chagrin of George Rable.
The book that comes to mind when reading about this is Faust's Republic of Suffering. But I found it so grim that I couldn't read much of it:
ReplyDeletehhttp://www.amazon.com/This-Republic-Suffering-Death-American/dp/B002BWQ5QS/
I will most likely peruse the google edition. Have so many unread books sitting on my shelves.
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