Religious Influence in the Western Reserve
This is a test page for a new website. The organization is expected to be operating by mid 2010.
Briefly - the impact of religion is always of enormous importance. Religion and tradition are so pervasive that while one is living in a particular age, it is difficult to notice the impact until one has the later benefit of hindsight.
Of particular importance to the history and culture of the Western Reserve is the birth and early history of the Mormon church (now divided into two main groups, The Church of Latter Day Saints and the Community of Christ.) The cities of Kirtland (Lake County) and Hiram (Portage County) both played heavily in the early development of the Mormon religion. We will have much more to say about this in coming months.
Playing an important, if more commonplace role in the history of the area is the original puritan-based Congregational Church - the earliest organized religion in the area. Many of the 150+ year old church buildings are still standing and providing a place for regular worship.
Other influence in the early history and culture of the area comes from other Protestant religions - Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian and Baptist. While we may not think of these mainline Protestant religions at odds with each other today, in the first half of the 1800s, one's religion dictated much about his (and his family's) sphere of influence, social standing and activities, and the future prospects of his children.
Later in the 1800s, Roman Catholic and other faiths are represented in the Western Reserve, but by then, the area had reconciled and resolved many of the most spectacular clashes over religion. This is not to say that religious prejudice did not exist! Indeed, the "Know Nothing" political party of the mid 1800s, (quite active in parts of the Western Reserve) viewed Roman Catholics and Immigrants with distain in their attempt to retain power and control amoung themselves - a white Protestant group with deep roots in the United States.
Other topics to be explored at a future date:
- Shakers
- Universalist Church
- Finnish Congregational and Lutheran
