The Changing Class Structure of Unitarian Parishes in Massachusetts, 1780-1880
Thomas Jefferson predicted that Unitarianism would become the religion of the majority of Americans. Not only was his prediction wrong, but the denomination has remained small and geographically concentrated in New England. The author examines one reason for this failure, the increasingly narrowing...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sage Publications
1970
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| In: |
Review of religious research
Year: 1970, Volume: 12, Issue: 1, Pages: 26-34 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Thomas Jefferson predicted that Unitarianism would become the religion of the majority of Americans. Not only was his prediction wrong, but the denomination has remained small and geographically concentrated in New England. The author examines one reason for this failure, the increasingly narrowing range of classes to which the denomination appealed in rapidly growing urban-industrial areas. From primary historical sources, quantitative indices of economic and occupational class are derived for members of the denomination and compared for the beginning and end of the period under study. Before the separation of church and state, Unitarianism appealed to a broader crosssection of the population. After separation, the parish adjusted slowly to its status as a voluntary association and in terms of class indices appealed only to a very elite group. |
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| ISSN: | 2211-4866 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Review of religious research
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/3510931 |