This book tells an extraordinary story of the people of early New England and their spiritual lives. It is about ordinary people--farmers; housewives; artisans; merchants; sailors; aspiring scholars--struggling to make sense of their time and place on earth. David Hall describes a world of religious consensus and resistance: a variety of conflicting beliefs and believers ranging from the committed core to outright dissenters. He reveals for the first time the many-layered complexity of colonial religious life; and the importance within it of traditions derived from those of the Old World. We see a religion of the laity that was to merge with the tide of democratic nationalism in the nineteenth century; and that remains with us today as the essence of Protestant America.
#440676 in Books 2013-11-18Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x 5.25 x 1.00l; .92 #File Name: 0674725948360 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Really good read and a peek of historyBy A. WarnerReally good read and a peek of history. It does justice by collaborating both personal and political accounts. The formation exposes those behind the scenes or on the precipice of change. It develops just as its characters and shows the determination of a woman who against the odds forges ahead to change the outcome of her family.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Lovely book with great human interestBy PennyBeautifully told; deeply researched; and good for either a historian or just an interested reader. I've given some as gifts. Nathans is a master story teller.8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. To Free a Family: The Journey of Mary WalkerBy Louise C. MaynorTo Free a Family is one of the most compelling stories I have read. Strong research! Reads like a detective story. Syd Nathans is to be congratulated for the strength of his writing.
