Book Review: Under the scope of Heaven
Under the scope of heaven was written by Patricia U Bonomi in the late 19th century. In the book, she presents a series of her studies focusing on religious history in the colonial period and the evolution over time. In her opinion, the colonial religious era was characterized by the rising of vitality and the mixing of religion and politics. She explores the changes over the years and highlights them in the book, showing the changes in religion and its impact on political and vice versa.
In this book, religion had been corrupted during the early colonial period. In England, there were wrangles between the Puritans and other dissidents. The growth of religion was hindered by the movement of people that caused the population to disperse. During this era, the Anglican church was supported by society (Bonomi, 2005). The clergy on the other hand included the orthodox to allow worship and compositions during sermons. In Germany, the ministers were not well trained and the Christian community there was compromised. However, despite the insufficiency for leaders and spokespeople for the different religions, the adults still attended the church regularly and made decisions in life based on their religious beliefs (Bonomi, 2005). However, some parts of the USA, like Virginia, made religion a private practice and did not affect their personal life.
Bonomi argues that there was no religious stagnation before colonization. However, she fails to demonstrate how the universe had expanded before this period, thus making her argument null. This is shown by how the Anglican church in Virginia grew after the colonialists reduced its vitality (Bonomi, 2005). Similarly, churches in German gain popularity after the colonialist came to the country. The lower classes in society also declined the pre-Christianity beliefs parallel to elite nationalism. These developments reflected the changes in specific regions and class commercialization, pluralism, and secularization. Bonomi also focused on the disagreements between the clergy and its effects on the awakening of the laity. She states that revival transformed the participation of others in the organized rallies that opposed the authority (Bonomi, 2005). However, her discussion about this focuses on the ethnoreligious conflicts that happened in Pennsylvania without connecting it to the awakening brought by the colonialists.
According to this book, the religious and political background of the United States of America was shaped by the revolution, their systems were inherited from England. This includes the commonwealth’s fear of conspiracies against the liberty of the country as well as the opposition of intolerant religious establishments was confusing for the religious and the political concerns that united rationalists and evangelicals in opposition to England (Bonomi, 2005). It can however be concluded that the colonial religious development failed to integrate the Americans completely into their religious systems.
The introduction of religion in the United States led to the awakening of the American due to the conflicts between the rationalists and pietists as well as ethnic conflicts due to the increasing immigrants in the state. The awakenings between 1735 and 1745 and was marked by the breaking down of barriers that separated the civil authority from the public (Bonomi, 2005). These changes were fostered by the conflict between the Presbyterians. Reverend Orr of this church was accused of infidelity and the conflict caused the church to split and a new Presbyterian church was formed (Bonomi, 2005). It went against the set authorities by ordaining the clergy trained from a different school- William Tennant’s private school in Neshaminy. The churched went on conflicting and the church that broke away moved to a new area because it was against and always condemned the actions of the new sides. The old sides church had older men and clergy that were rooted in the tradition and practices of the traditional church (Bonomi, 2005). In contrast, the new church comprised of younger people trained during the colonial period and was more lenient to the ways of life than the traditionalists.
The churches got into political awakening when they started fighting for the rights of the minority. This was introduced in the new sides and new light churches that were formed after the introduction of colonialism (Bonomi, 2005). The division of the churches by the influence of colonialists on the younger clergy served as a radical model for the colonialists to introduce revolution. The separation changed the religious debated into more political like forums. The minority in this case was the new side churches that were more influenced by the colonialists. They needed to be liberated from the control of the traditional churches (Bonomi, 2005). The churches in Connecticut and Massachusetts cast their arguments in the rhetorical fields of natural rights and philosophy. The preachers however focused more on the individuals dealing with personal responsibilities and focusing on living right than pointing fingers at each other. According to the evangelical Christians were meant to focus on their personal lives and their conscience.
While the Christians focused on individualism and non-conformation, others focused on rationalism and revolution. The preachers who were against revolution were reigned in curt. Bonomi focuses on reverend Henry Sachaverell, who preached against revolution under the topic ‘passive obedience’ who was charged (Bonomi, 2005). After he was sentenced for such a crime, the churches learned to separate its teachings from the political events. Therefore, in this case, religion played a critical role in the revolution of the United States. Dung this era, the churches were lined to the colonialists’ minds of priestcraft, episcopacy, and tyranny. The patriotic clergy fueled revolution by enchanting its success and benefits to their congregation during church services (Bonomi, 2005). The religious doctrine contributed to political moderation as the colonialists hesitated during the periods of civil war. The clergymen preached on the respect for authority that was needed for the British colonials. The clergymen propelled revolution by resolving doubts and exalting the souls that were respectful to the ‘authority’ in this case the colonialists.
Through the phases of religious growth and the conflicts between religion and Christianity. American formed its own religious culture that had aspects of political leadership and religious leadership (Bonomi, 2005). The Americans became less concerned with the doctrine of the church, instead, they focus on the teaching and religious experience. Religion has and still is a progressive force in America since it fosters revolution and still plays a role in the political influences to date. However, the churches in American and general religion focuses on individualism and personal growth than communism. Thus, is a progression of the teachings during the onset of the revolution. However, more Americans no loner link themselves to any religion as an identity. According to Bonomi (2005), the statics of religious Americans had dropped from 60% in the 18th century, to 5 to 20 percent in the 19th century when the book was published. She concludes that the Americans worked hard to rescue religion from political influence during the 18th century only to sabotage it in the 19th century.
Under the scope of heaven generally reflects on the introduction and revolution of religion in the United States and how the clergy used religion to propel political ideologies to its congregation. During the colonial period, religion was used as a tool to get more followers and compliance. There was a greater following in churches during the colonial periods, as compared to now. However, the events and analysis of this book show how the colonialists used religion to impose their ideas on their colonies. It also highlights the political and religious conflicts that are faced to date in an attempt for the parties to be tyrannical.
References
Bonomi, P. (2005). Under the cope of Heaven. New York: ACLS History E-Book Project.