Appalachian Religion Introducing Appalachian Studies A few notes

Appalachian Religion Introducing Appalachian Studies

A few notes. . . ●Appalachian Mountain Religion: A History by Deborah Vansau Mc. Cauley - excellent resource ●“Religion in Appalachia is as diverse as the landscape it encompasses” (179). ●Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Zen Buddhist, Wiccan, etc. ●By order of decreasing percentages: Baptist (21%), Catholic (13%), Methodist (9%) ●Appalachian religion is “a product of history, geography, and spirituality” (179).

Sect vs. Church ●Informal/experiential worship ●congregational/democratic ●“called” clergy ●Laity active and participatory ●Rejectionist stance to culture ●Pessimistic/premillenial ●Believer baptism ●Formalistic/structured ●Hierarchical ●Professional clergy ●Laity have minimal role ●Accomodationist stance to culture ●Optimistic/post-millennial ●Infant baptism

Rationalized vs. Traditional ●Rationalized religion: “apart. . . above. . . outside” of ordinary life; individualistic ●Traditional religion: “the sacred is found everywhere”; collective religion

Some Characteristics ●Footwashing ●Communion or “sacrament” ●Immersion baptism in “living water” ●Glossolalia or “speaking in tongues” ●Individualistic, personal relationship with God ●Bi-vocational, non-seminary-trained ministers ●Holy Spirit led services – letting the spirit take over

Some Characteristics (continued) ●Rhythmic preaching style ●Independent congregations - “Each church holds the key to its own door” (180). ○Many aren't formal organizations ○Loose organization locally/regionally ●Fatalism ●Based on oral tradition ●Serpent and fire handling, poison drinking

Footwashing and River Baptism ●German Baptists, often called “Dunkards, ” help to create these traditions in Appalachia ●Often separated into male/female footwashings ●River baptisms are still practiced in many congregations

Serpent Handling ●Practiced by few congregations within the region ●George Hensley is credited with creating this tradition in the early 1900 s in Tennessee ●Literal interpretation of the Bible ■Mark 16: 17 -18: "And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues: they shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. ” ●If bitten, often will notdo not seek medical attention ●Controversial practice, but often overlooked

John Calvin ●French Protestant theologian during protestant Reformation of 1500 s ●Belief in total sovereignty of God – humans act according to God's will ●Belief in theocracy – society should be governed by God ●Leads to Puritanism in the US ●Jonathan Edwards and Great Awakening bring Calvinism to Appalachia ○“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” - Popular sermon from 1741 highlighting the return to Calvinism

Principles of Calvinism ●Total sovereignty of God ●TULIP ○Total depravity (original sin) ○Unconditional election ○Limited atonement ○Irresistable grace ○Perseverance of saints

Great Awakening ●Jonathan Edwards ●Revivals, revivals, and more revivals ○Purpose: revive the faithful ●Return to strict Calvinism ●Appeal to human emotions and feelings ●Experiential side of worship ●Eventually filtered to Appalachia

Great Revival ●Jacob Arminius ○God's grace available to all people – choice of acceptance ○Not fatalistic ●Charles Finney ○Fierce preacher – pointed out sin in public, direct eye contact ○Began the “altar call” idea ○Again, revivals, revivals

Old-Time Baptists ●Primitive Baptist Universalists ●Regular or Old Regular Baptists ●Regular Predestinarian ●Regular Primitive ●United Baptists ●Separate Baptists in Christ ●Free Will Baptists ●Howard Dorgan ●These exist only in Appalachia

John Wesley ●Developed Methodists (Methodism) and some Holiness ●Belief in predestination, but since God has ultimate forethought, He knew who would believe in Him ●Sanctification - “Christian perfection” ○Not necessary for salvation, but desired

Holiness Movements ●Experiential, often ecstatic worship services ●Glossolalia, interpretation, physical abandon, healing, trance, prophecy ●Physical and spiritual experience necessary ●Began in East TN and western NC ●Snake handling comes from desire for greatest experience possible, but serpent handling is only a small part of the Holiness Movement ●Church of God (Cleveland, TN) - example

Primitive Baptist Universalists ●Often called “No-Hellers, ” but this is a misnomer ●Beliefs: ○ Adamic sin – sinfulness is a characteristic of humanity ○ Satan is “natural man” warring with “spiritual man” - no existence beyond temporal world ○ Original sin leads to punishment of this world and, ultimately, death ■ Physical death and death as separation from God ○ Christ's atonement required to compensate

Primitive Baptist Universalists (continued) ●All of humankind punished by Adamic sin, so all humankind will receive atonement ●Elect which serves as a witness for Christ and earthly preserver of His righteousness ●Elect can sin, but possibly feel it more profoundly ●Death brings an end to all sin and judgment ●All go to a totally egalitarian heaven ●No hell after resurrection since hell is only part of temporal world