On Fri, 21 Nov 1997, Thomas Izbicki wrote:
> Does the decline of affiliation in 18th century really equal
> deChristianization? Recent surveys of the "unchurched" often reveal
> religious beiefs despite lack of affiliation and active practice. Might
> this not have been the case in the 18th century, with much of the
> populace slipping away from affiliation without necessarily being
> dechristianized in a more general sense?
>
> tom izbicki
Good points; sloppy language on my part. (There was a certain element of
de-christianization, though, since there was strong trend toward
Unitarianism in intellectual circles in the colonies and the early
republic. That's what sparked the Second Great Awakening, e.g., at Yale.
Dennis Martin
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