Join us for the first talk in our “Religion of Revolution: lecture series with historian, Dr. Katherine Carté.
The Revolutionary War transformed religious life in America, not just for New England, but everywhere. Remembering New England’s important role in this national tale shows just how revolutionary—and how conservative—the era was.
For most of the eighteenth century, British Protestantism was driven neither by the primacy of denominations nor by fundamental discord among them. Instead, it thrived as part of a complex transatlantic system that bound religious institutions to imperial politics. As Katherine Carté argues, British imperial Protestantism proved remarkably effective in advancing both the interests of empire and the cause of religion until the war for American independence disrupted it.
That Revolution forced a reassessment of the role of religion in public life on both sides of the Atlantic. Religious communities struggled to reorganize within and across new national borders. Religious leaders recalibrated their relationships to government. If these shifts were more pronounced in the United States than in Britain, the loss of a shared system nonetheless mattered to both nations.
This event is free and open to all, but registration is required via this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2317339273566/WN_jCgfKGibTjWXhWquu9y9cw
After registering, you will receive an email with information about attending the webinar.
Email any questions to programs@14beacon.org.
The Congregational Library & Archives newest digital exhibition, “Religion of Revolution: Congregational Voices on Liberty,” is free to visit anytime at https://congregationallibrary.quartexcollections.com/online-exhibits/revolution.
SPEAKER BIO
Dr. Katherine Carté is a professor of history at Southern Methodist University. She is the author, most recently, of Religion and the American Revolution: An Imperial History, published by the University of North Carolina Press for the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture in 2021, which won the Albert W. Outler Prize from the American Society of Church History. She is currently studying the role of religion, trust, and partisanship in revolutionary-era Savannah, Georgia.
