Christianity and American Social Causes

Christianity was an enormous player among social causes of the nineteenth century (particularly the second quarter of the 19th century).  More than one historian has estimated the U.S. population in the mid 1800s to be comprised of about 85% evangelical Christians. In 1845, the two largest organizations in the United States were: 1. The Federal Government and 2. The Methodist Church. Church contributions to the social fabric at this time probably cannot be exaggerated.

"As Mark Noll puts it:

Comparisons are again illuminating. From its beginning to 1818, the United States government spent nearly 3.6 million dollars on internal improvements (roads, canals, and communications). In that same span of years the thirteen leading benevolent societies spent over 2.8 million to further their goals. No broad-based movement, not even the political parties, brought together so many people committed to so much social construction as did the national meetings of the benevolent societies.”

Head and Heart, Garry Wills, 2008, p. 294

Among some of the most important social contributions form church organizations were:

1. Temperance - the average American had shifted their alcohol consumption from beer and wine in the 18th century to whiskey and hard cider in the 19th. Water was still not drinkable in some places, and people drank from morning until night.

2. Women's Rights - beginning in upstate New York in the 1820s under the leadership of two principal evangelists - Beecher and Finney.

3. Abolition - Also starting in western New York, both women's rights and abolition would move to it's real birth place at the newly founded Oberlin College in northern Ohio. Finney would take up his preaching there, and the cause would be taken up by the Christian preacher and abolitionist, Theodore Weld.

4. Environmental movement - born from Henry David Thoreau and the influence of Romanticism and Transcendentalism

5. Early Childhood Education - transformations in this institution began by Elizabeth Peabody and Horace Mann, and was also directly connected to the Transcendentalist movement.

While all of these causes are seen in a culturally positive light now, all three evoked strong negative reactions at the time. Abolitionism in particular could provoke violent crowds together sometimes burning down churches or even killings if abolitionist preachers were in town.

Christianity has been at the forefront of a few controversial 20th century social causes including abortion and assisted death. Lesser known charitable organizations - Catholic and Protestant - have also provided positive contributions like shelters for the homeless, food drives, etc...