Benjamin T. Gurrentz - Timeline Contributor
Biographies
| Name | Introduction |
|---|---|
| Allen, Horace Newton | Horace Allen (1858-1932) was the first resident Protestant missionary in Korea. His medical and diplomatic contributions helped soothe anti-Christian policies in the region. |
| Allen, Richard | Richard Allen (1760-1831) was an influential black minister who established the first black denomination in the United States. |
| Asbury, Francis | Francis Asbury (1745-1816) was the preeminent leader of American Methodism after the Revolutionary War. |
| Bradstreet, Anne | Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) was one of early America's first noteworthy poets. |
| Brownson, Orestes | Orestes Brownson (1803-1876) was a public intellectual who defended Catholicism and its compatibility with American society. |
| Buck, Pearl S. | Pearl Buck (1892-1973) was an award-winning novelist, whose liberal views on theology and Presbyterian missions drew criticism from conservative Presbyterians. |
| Cartwright, Peter | Peter Cartwright (1785-1872) was a Methodist circuit ride and frontier preacher. |
| Chavez, Cesar | Cesar Chavez (1927-1993) was a prominent labor leader who fought on behalf of American farm workers. |
| Coke, Thomas | Thomas Coke (1747-1814), along with Francis Asbury, served as the first bishop for the American Methodists. |
| Coughlin, Charles | Charles Coughlin (1891-1979) was a Catholic "radio priest," who was controversial for his anti-Semitic, pro-Nazi views leading up to World War II. |
| Crosby, Frances "Fanny" | Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) wrote thousands of famous hymns, including "Blessed Assurance," "Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross," and "To God Be the Glory." |
| Daly, Mary | Mary Daly (1928-2010) was a radical feminist theologian at Boston College who viewed traditional (male) depictions of the Christian God as oppressive toward women. |
| Eddy, Mary Baker | Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910) founded the Christian Science movement. |
| Edwards, Jonathan | Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) is the most influential theologian in American religious history and helped start the First Great Awakening. |
| Emerson, Ralph Waldo | Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) promoted Transcendentalist thought, which emphasized experiencing God through lived experience and intuition. |
| Farrakhan, Louis | Louis Farrakhan (1933-present) helped revitalize the controversial Nation of Islam in the late 1970s. |
| Finney, Charles | Charles Finney (1792-1875) was a prominent evangelical and revivalist during the Second Great Awakening. |
| Gibbons, James | James Gibbons (1834-1921) was an American cardinal archbishop who guided the Catholic Church through historic changes and mediated relations between American Catholics and the Vatican. |
| Gloucester, John | John Gloucester (1776-1822) founded the first African-American Presbyterian Church and was one of the earliest black Presbyterian ministers. |
| Harkness, Georgia | Georgia Harkness (1891-1974) was one of the first influential female theologians in the United States. |
| Healy, James Augustine | James Augustine Healy (1830-1900) was the first Catholic American priest and bishop of African descent. |
| Heschel, Abraham Joshua | Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972) was an important Jewish theologian and social activist in the 20th century. |
| Higgins, George G. | George Higgins (1916-2002) was a Catholic priest and activist during the labor movement. He also helped improve relations between Catholics and Jews. |
| Hosier, Harry | Harry Hosier (1750-1806) was a renowned public speaker and one of the first licensed black preachers in Methodism. |
| Hubbard, L. Ron | L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986) founded Scientology, a controversial new religious movement. |
| Jackson, Jesse | Jesse Jackson (1941-present) is a Baptist minister, civil rights advocate, and politician, whose career continues to earn both praise and criticism. |
| Jakes, Thomas Dexter "T.D." | Thomas Dexter "T.D." Jakes (1957-present) is a popular televised pastor known for his large church services, bestselling books, and cable ministry programs. |
| Jones, Robert "Bob" | "Bob" Jones, Sr. (1883-1926) was a renowned evangelist and educator. He founded Bob Jones University, which promoted a conservative Christian education. |
| Judson, Adoniram | Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) was one of the first American missionaries to travel to Burma, inspiring other Protestants to engage in overseas missionary work. |
| Keller, Timothy | Timothy Keller (1950-present) is an evangelical pastor, theologian, and best-selling author. His intellectual preaching style attracts educated young professionals to his New York City megachurch. |
| King, Martin Luther | Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) was an African-American Baptist minister and civil rights leader who combined Gandhi’s nonviolent philosophy and Christian love to fight racism. |
| Lee, Jarena | Jarena Lee (1783-1855) was one of the first black female preachers in America. |
| Machen, John Gresham | John Gresham Machen (1881-1937) was a Presbyterian clergyman and New Testament scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is famous for denouncing more liberal interpretations of the Bible. |
| Maurin, Peter | Peter Maurin’s (1877-1949) vision of a transformed society led to the co-founding of the Catholic Worker Movement with Dorothy Day. |
| McIntire, Carl | Carl McIntire (1906-2002) was a militant fundamentalist, who helped found the Bible Presbyterian Church, International Council of Christian Churches, and radio show "Twentieth-Century Reformation Hour." |
| Merton, Thomas | Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was a Catholic monk and prolific writer, who denounced social inequality and opened up interfaith dialogue. |
| Michaux, Lightfoot Solomon | Known as the "Happy Am I Evangelist," Lightfoot Solomon Michaux (1884-1968) was a popular radio evangelist with a radio program reaching 25 million people nationwide. |
| Miller, William | William Miller (1782-1849) predicted that the return of Christ would occur in 1843, garnering both religious fervor and criticism. |
| Moody, Dwight L. | Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) was a 19th century Protestant revivalist, whose popularity led to the Moody Bible Institute and the growth of fundamentalism. |
| Mouw, Richard | Richard Mouw (1940-present) is a Presbyterian evangelical theologian/philosopher, and former president of Fuller Theological Seminary, who is well known for his interfaith dialogue. |
| Niebuhr, Reinhold | Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) was an influential theologian who advocated social justice and critiqued aspects of theological liberalism. He also is credited with the Serenity Prayer. |
| O'Connor, Flannery | The American writer Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964) depicted fictional Southern characters confronting grace in depressing circumstances. |
| Ockenga, Harold John | Harold John Ockenga (1905-1985) led the new evangelical movement by helping co-found Fuller Seminary, the National Association of Evangelicals, and Christianity Today. |
| Parkhurst, Charles Henry | Charles Parkhurst (1842-1933) was a Presbyterian minister and social reformer who exposed the moral and political corruption of New York City. |
| Payne, Daniel Alexander | Daniel Alexander Payne (1811-1893) was an African Methodist Episcopal Church bishop and the first black college president in the United States. |
| Penn, William | William Penn (1644-1718) was a Quaker activist, religious tolerance advocate and founder of the Pennsylvania colony. |
| Perkins, John | Christian and social justice advocate John Perkins (1930-present) helped provide education, job skills, and health care access to the poor through his ministries. |
| Pilmore, Joseph | Joseph Pilmore (1739-1825) was an English Methodist preacher and missionary, who helped spread Methodism in early America. |
| Ryan, John A. | John A. Ryan (1869-1945) was a Catholic priest and moral theologian who fought for economic justice. He helped inspire and support Roosevelt’s New Deal Programs. |
| Schaeffer, Francis | Francis Schaeffer (1912-1984) was a famous evangelical apologist who denounced the spread of relativism in modern society. |
| Schlafly, Phyllis | Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016) was a conservative Catholic activist who strengthened the pro-life and religious right movements. |
| Serra, Junipero | Junipero Serra (1713-1784) was a Spanish Franciscan priest who strengthened Spanish control of California and helped bring Catholic faith to the New World. |
| Sharpton, Alfred "Al" | Alfred “Al” Sharpton (1954-present) is a Baptist minister, civil rights leader, media figure, and politician, who draws public attention to racial issues in America. |
| Sheen, Fulton | Fulton Sheen (1895-1979) was a popular Catholic leader, who appeared on popular radio programs ("Catholic Hour") and television programs ("Life is Worth Living"). |
| Shuttlesworth, Fred | Fred Shuttlesworth (1922-2011) was known as the "most abused and arrested minister in the nation" during the civil rights era. |
| Smith, Joseph | Joseph Smith (1805-1844) was the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a controversial and influential new religious movement in America. |
| Stanton, Elizabeth Cady | Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902) was a women’s rights advocate who pioneered feminist theology through her controversial biblical commentary known as the The Woman’s Bible. |
| Sunday, William "Billy" | Billy Sunday (1862-1935) was a prominent evangelist who led revivals, appealed for a prohibition of alcohol, and strengthened conservative Protestantism. |
| Tennent, Gilbert | Gilbert Tennent (1703-1764) was an Irish-born "New Side" Presbyterian minister and revivalist. His criticism of more conservative Presbyterians led to a schism in 1741. |
| Tennent, William | William Tennent (1673-1746) was a Presbyterian minister famously known for establishing the first Presbyterian seminary in America. |
| Tillich, Paul Johannes | Paul Tillich (1886-1965) was a German American theologian and public intellectual who connected Christian faith to modern culture. |
| Tubman, Harriet | Harriet Tubman (1820-1913), known as the "Moses of her people," helped more than 300 slaves find freedom through the Underground Railroad. |
| Warren, Rick | Rick Warren (1954-present) is a popular evangelical pastor known for his California megachurch and his bestselling book entitled The Purpose Driven Life (2002) |
| Webb, Alexander Russell | Alexander Russell Webb (1846-1916) was one of the first prominent European-American converts to Islam. |
| Webb, Thomas | Thomas Webb (1724-1796) was a former British officer who helped spread Methodism in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. |
| Wesley, Charles | Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was an important leader of the Methodist movement, the younger brother of John Wesley, and an influential hymn writer. |
| Wesley, John | John Wesley (1703-1791) founded the Methodist movement. |
| Wheatley, Phillis | Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784) became the first published African-American female poet. Most of her poetry contained religious themes. |
| White, Ellen Gould | Ellen Gould White (1827-1915) was the co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She promoted Saturday as the Christian Sabbath and advocated biblically-based health initiatives. |
| White, James Springer | James White (1821-1881) was the co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church along with his wife, Ellen Gould White. |
| Willard, Frances | Frances Willard (1839-1898) was a social activist who promoted temperance, women’s suffrage, labor reform and home-centered family life. |
| Witherspoon, John | John Witherspoon (1723-1794) was a Presbyterian minister, president of the College of New Jersey, and the only clergy signatory of the Declaration of Independence. |
| Woosley, Louisa | Louisa Woosley (1862-1952) was the first female ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church. |
| X, Malcolm | Malcolm X (1925-1965) was an active minister and spokesman for the Nation of Islam from the mid-1950s until 1964. |
| Young, Brigham | Brigham Young (1801-1877) succeeded Joseph Smith as Mormon president. He led a Mormon exodus to Utah and helped expand the church to 150,000 members. |
Events
| Event | Introduction | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 Revelation on Priesthood | In 1978, the Church of Latter-day Saints opened the priesthood to male members of African descent for the first time. | |
| 9/11 | On September 11, 2001 ("9/11"), al-Qaeda terrorists crashed two planes into the Twin Towers and one into the Pentagon. More than 3,000 people died. | Historical Content |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | In 1816, the African Methodist Episcopal Church formed after years of unequal treatment with white Methodists. It is the oldest existing African-American denomination in the U.S. | |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | The African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) Church formed in 1821 as a response to racial discrimination and segregation. | |
| Albert Cleage and The Black Madonna | In 1967, Albert Cleage revealed to his congregation a painting called "The Black Madonna," a provocative start to the Black Christian Nationalist Movement. | |
| Auburn Affirmation | In 1924, the Auburn Affirmation denounced the Five Point Deliverance as a necessary means for ordination in the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. | |
| Augustus Tolton Becomes Ordained Catholic Priest | On April 24, 1886, Augustus Tolton became the first fully and recognizably African-American Catholic priest. | |
| Bay Psalm Book printed | The Bay Psalm Book was the first book printed in English in North America. | |
| Birmingham Church Bombing | On September 15, 1963, a bomb detonated inside 16th Street Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama. Four young African-American girls were killed, sparking national outrage. | |
| Bishops' Program for Social Reconstruction | The "Bishops’ Program for Social Reconstruction" (1919) was a Catholic initiative supporting guaranteed wages, health insurance, and worker protections. | |
| Bureau of Immigration | In 1920, the National Catholic Welfare Council gave aid and guidance to new Catholic immigrants through its Bureau of Immigration. | |
| Cane Ridge Camp Meeting | Barton Stone organized the Cane Ridge camp meeting (1801), the largest and most famous religious revival of the Second Great Awakening. | |
| Catholic Worker Movement | In 1933, Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin founded the Catholic Worker Movement, a group of Catholic communities promoting social justice and hospitality toward the poor. | |
| Christian Methodist Episcopal Church | In 1870, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church formed after southern black Methodists desired to form their own denomination following the Civil War. | |
| Christianity and Liberalism Published | John Gresham Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism (1923) challenged the cultural shift toward modernist interpretations of the Bible within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) | |
| Church of God (Cleveland, TN) | The Church of God (Cleveland, TN) was founded in 1886 and is the oldest Pentecostal denomination in the United States. | |
| Church of God in Christ | The Church of God in Christ was formed in 1897 in Mississippi. It is the oldest and largest black Pentecostal body in the United States. | |
| Church of the United Brethren in Christ | In 1800, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ formed as a result of evangelizing German immigrants. It is the first uniquely American denomination. | |
| Congregational Methodist Church | In 1852, the Congregational Methodist Church broke off from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South over church governance disputes. | |
| Cumberland Presbyterian Church of America Founded | In 1874, former slaves in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church founded an independent denomination, later named the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of America. | |
| Death of Francis Asbury | Francis Asbury’s 1816 death marked the end of an influential 55-year ministry, but American Methodists continued to flourish following his death. | |
| Death of Joseph Smith | An angry mob broke into Joseph Smith's jail cell and killed him on June 27, 1844. Smith became a martyr at the age of 38. | |
| Dennis Bennett's Charismatic Outpouring | In 1960, Dennis Bennett's public announcement of his baptism by the Holy Spirit led to the Second Wave of Charismatic Christianity in America. | |
| Diocese of Baltimore | On November 6, 1789, the first diocese in the United States was established in Baltimore, Maryland. | |
| Duke University Founded | A group of Methodists and Quakers founded a subscription school in 1838 that would eventually become Duke University. | |
| Emory University Founded | In 1836, the Methodist Episcopal Church founded Emory College in Georgia. | |
| Evangelical Methodist Church | In 1946, the Evangelical Methodist Church formed in response to fears of liberalism within the Methodist Church. | |
| Fanny Crosby Writes "Blessed Assurance" | Fanny Crosby’s "Blessed Assurance" (1873) became one of the most popular Christian hymns. | |
| Female Ordination Controversy in Methodist Episcopal Church | In 1880, Anna Howard Shaw and Anna Oliver both were denied ordination rights by the Methodist Episcopal Church, stirring tensions regarding female ordination. | |
| First African Presbyterian Church Organized | In May 1807, John Gloucester organized the first African American Presbyterian Church. | |
| First Camp Meeting, Rehobeth, NC | In 1794, Daniel Asbury and the Methodists held the first recognized camp meeting in the United States. | |
| First LDS Temple (Kirtland) | Joseph Smith founded the first Latter-day Saints temple in Kirtland, Ohio, on March 27, 1836. | |
| First Methodist Missionary Societies Organized | In 1819, American Methodists organized their first missionary societies in New York and Philadelphia. | |
| First Methodist Societies Established | From 1763 to 1766, the first Methodist societies in America were established in Maryland, Virginia, and New York. | |
| First Wesleyan Missionaries Arrive in America | Though Methodists were already in America, John Wesley sent Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmore to America in 1769 in order to further spread Methodism. | |
| Francis Asbury Arrives in America | Methodist missionary Francis Asbury travels from England to America in 1771 and becomes the leader of American Methodism. | |
| Free Methodist Church | Benjamin Titus Roberts and John Wesley Redfield founded the Free Methodist Church in 1860 after failing to reform the Methodist Episcopal Church. | |
| Freedmen's Aid Society | In the 1860s, the Freedmen's Aid Society formed with the goal of increasing educational opportunities for blacks in the American South. | |
| Georgetown Founded | In 1789, Georgetown University became the first Catholic institution of higher learning in the United States. | |
| Half-Way Covenant | The Half-Way Covenant adjusted the requirements for full membership in the New England Congregational churches | |
| Hindu Temple Established in San Francisco | On Jan. 7, 1906, Indian-born Swami Trigunatita helped build one of the first Hindu temples of the western world in San Francisco. | |
| Indian Manual Training School Founded in Oregon | In 1835, Methodist missionaries established a mission and manual labor school for American Indians, which was largely unsuccessful. | |
| James O'Kelly's Congregational Revolt | In 1792, James O'Kelly, concerned with the power of bishops, led the first schism in the American Methodist Church. | |
| John and Charles Wesley Visit America | In 1736, John and Charles Wesley arrived in Savannah, Georgia. Although disappointing, the mission impacted the early stages of Methodism. | |
| John Chivington Leads Sand Creek Massacre | In 1864, former Methodist Episcopal Church pastor John Chivington led a massacre against Colorado Native Americans, now known as the Sand Creek Massacre. | |
| John R. Mott Awarded Nobel Peace Prize | In 1946, John R. Mott was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for promoting religious peace through his ecumenical efforts. | |
| Junipero Serra Establishes First Missions in California | Junipero Serra established Mission San Diego on July 16, 1769. This helped extend Spanish control in California and brought Christianity to Native Americans. | |
| Marjorie Matthews Elected Bishop | Marjorie Matthews was elected bishop in the United Methodist church in 1980. She was the first female elected bishop of any mainline Christian church. | |
| Massachusetts Bay Colony | In 1630, a group of Puritans, led by John Winthrop, established the Massachusetts Bay Colony after fleeing religious persecution in England. | |
| Merger of UPCUSA and PCUS | In 1983, the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the Presbyterian Church in the United States merged to form the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) | |
| Methodist Episcopal Church | In 1784, the Methodist Episcopal Church became the first official Methodist denomination in the United States. | |
| Methodist Episcopal Church, South | In 1845, the contentious issue of American slavery divided the Methodist Episcopal Church into Northern and Southern denominations. | |
| Methodists Approve Full Ordination of Women | In 1956, the Methodist Church finally permitted the full ordination of women after years of resistance. | |
| Nation of Islam Founded | On July 4, 1930, W.D. Fard founded the Nation of Islam, one of the most radical and militant religious movements of the 20th century. | |
| National Catholic War Council | The National Catholic War Council in 1917 allowed the Catholic hierarchy to display its patriotism and to unite on a national level. | |
| Northern and Southern Factions of the Methodist Episcopal Church Reunite | The Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South reunited in 1939, nearly a century after the issue of slavery divided them. | |
| Orthodox Presbyterian Church Founded | In 1936, discontented conservative Presbyterians left the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America to form the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. | |
| Papal Condemnation of Slave Trade | In 1839, Pope Gregory XVI condemned the slave trade in the papal bull entitled In supremo apostolatus, but American Catholics were tentative about ending slavery. | |
| Pat Robertson Founds Christian Broadcasting Network | In 1961, Pat Robertson founded the Christian Broadcast Network, which became a multi-million dollar outlet for Christian television. | |
| PCUSA Allows Same-Sex Marriage | On June 19, 2014, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) passed an amendment to allow pastor to perform same-sex marriages. | |
| PCUSA Approves Gay/Lesbian Ordination | On July 8, 2010, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved the ordination of "openly"/partnered gay and lesbian members. Many conservative members left the denomination thereafter. | |
| Pilgrim Holiness Church | The Pilgrim Holiness Church (1897) was originally a Methodist prayer league that grew into a denomination by the early 20th century. | |
| Presbyterian Church in America | In 1973, conservative Presbyterians dissatisfied with the liberal tendencies of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. left to form the Presbyterian Church in America. | |
| Presbyterian Church in the U.S. | The Civil War divided northern and southern Presbyterians, leading those in the South to secede and form the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. in 1861. | |
| President McKinley Addresses Methodist Ministers on Philippines | On November 21, 1899, President William McKinley told Methodist leaders that he had been divinely inspired to annex the Philippines. | |
| Princeton University Founded | New Light Presbyterians founded Princeton University in 1746 as one of the first national colleges in America. | |
| Publication of "Economic Justice for All" | The United States Catholic bishops wrote the pastoral letter entitled "Economic Justice for All" (1986) to promote the economic well-being for all citizens. | |
| Publication of "The Challenge of Peace" | In 1983, the Catholic bishops of the United States published the "Challenge of Peace," which denounced the arms race during the Cold War. | |
| Publication of Appeal to the Christian Women of the South | In 1836, Angelina Grimke published Appeal to the Christian Women of the South, which urged other southern Christian women to denounce slavery. | |
| Publication of Autobiography of Peter Cartwright | Peter Cartwright’s Autobiography (1856) recounts the famous Methodist circuit rider’s life, from his conversion to his encounters with famous American figures. | |
| Publication of Religious Experience and Journal of Mrs. Jarena Lee | Jarena Lee’s 1836 autobiography is one of the first extended life accounts of a black woman in America. | |
| Salem Witch Trials | During the Salem Witch Trials (1692-1693), citizens accused one another of witchcraft, leading to mass hysteria and the imprisonment/death of approximately 170 community members. | |
| Scopes Trial | The Scopes Trial (1925) highlighted the tension between literal interpretations of creation accounts in the Bible and evolutionary theory in the 20th century. | |
| Sojourner Truth's Methodist Conversion | In 1843, Sojourner Truth converted to Methodism and found her calling as an important social activist for blacks as well as women. | |
| Sojourners Magazine | Sojourners magazine, founded in 1971, promoted a greater prominence of liberal Christian views on social issues within the evangelical community. | |
| Southern Christian Leadership Conference | Founded in 1957, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) believed that racial equality was a Christian imperative and utilized non-violent protests to combat racism. | |
| The Christian Advocate First Published | In 1826, the Methodist Episcopal Church commissioned the Christian Advocate, a weekly newspaper that became one of the most popular periodicals in the country. | |
| The Methodist Social Creed Adopted | In 1908, the Methodist Episcopal Church developed an official creed to address social problems of poverty and child labor exploitation. | |
| The Plan of Union of 1801 | In 1801, the Plan of Union united the Presbyterians and the Congregationalists in efforts to evangelize the Midwest. | |
| The Wesleyan Methodist Church Connection | In 1843, abolitionists split from the Methodist Episcopal Church over slavery and church governance. | |
| Thomas Coke's Anti-Slavery Resolution, "Christmas Conference" | The Christmas Conference of 1784 allowed American Methodists to establish their new denominational identity in the United States and to reaffirm their opposition to slavery. | |
| Tim LaHaye publishes Left Behind | Starting in 1995, the Left Behind series of novels about the Rapture would become the best-selling works of American Christian fiction. | |
| Trial of Albert Barnes | The trial of Presbyterian minister Albert Barnes regarding his unorthodox theology in 1835 increased tensions between Old School and New School Presbyterians. | |
| UMC General Conference Denies Sexuality Amendment | In 2008 and 2012, the United Methodist Church denied changes in the Book of Discipline, which would have permitted a more liberal stance on homosexuality. | |
| Union Church of Africans | In 1813, the Union Church of Africans became the first independently organized black church in the United States. | |
| United Methodist Church | In 1968, Methodist Episcopal Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged to form the United Methodist Church, the largest Methodist denomination in the United States. | |
| University of Notre Dame Founded | French Priest Edward Sorin founded the University of Notre Dame in 1842. It became the most renowned Catholic university in the world. | |
| Utah | In 1847, Brigham Young led the Mormons into Utah after facing persecution at home. The land was considered a Mormon "Zion." | |
| Vanderbilt University Founded | In 1873, Vanderbilt University was founded in Nashville, Tennessee with the initial goal of training local Methodist ministers. | |
| Wesley's A Collection of Hymns, for Use of the People Called Methodists | This 1780 hymnbook, written by John Wesley, became the definitive hymnbook for Methodists. | |
| Wesleyan Church | In 1968, the Wesleyan Methodist Church and the Pilgrim Holiness Church merged to form the Wesleyan Church. | |
| Wesleyan College | In 1836, Wesleyan College was founded in Macon, GA. It is the oldest college for women in the world. | |
| William Seymour and Azusa Street Revival | The Azusa Street Revival (1906-1915) was a defining event for early Pentecostalism and functioned as the catalyst to the growth of American Pentecostalism. | |
| William Tennent's "Log College" | In 1727, William Tennent's "Log College" became the first seminary in North America. | |
| Xavier University of Louisiana Founded | Xavier University of Louisiana (est. 1915) is the only historically black Catholic institution of higher learning in America. |
Movements
| Movement | Introduction |
|---|---|
| Anti-Cult Movement | In the 1960s and 1970s, the rise in new religious groups brought accusations of "brainwashing" from opposing groups, who became known as the anti-cult movement. |
| Black Muslim Movement | In the early 20th century, the Black Muslim movement arose as a unique African American religious movement that promoted black nationalism and fought white supremacy. |
| Catholic Worker Movement | In 1933, Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin founded the Catholic Worker Movement, a group of Catholic communities promoting social justice and hospitality toward the poor. |
| Christian Modernism | Emerging in the late 19th century, Christian modernism sought to accommodate Christian faith to changes in modern society. |
| Neo-Paganism | In the mid-1940s, Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valient helped revive pre-Christian nature religion (i.e., Neo-paganism) in the United States. |
| New Age Religion | Forming in the 1960s, the New Age Movement emphasizes personal fulfillment, spiritual unity, and experimental healing methods. |
| Reconstructionist Judaism | Founded in the mid-1930s by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, Reconstructionist Judaism became the first uniquely American Jewish movement. |
| Sanctuary Movement | The Sanctuary Movement of the 1980s helped to provide sanctuaries and safe havens for Central American refugees. |
| Secular Movement | Gaining prominence in the mid-20th century, the modern secular movement pushed for a society without religion. |
| Spiritualism | In the mid-19th century, spiritualism arose in America, as individuals became captivated with mediums contacting spirits of the dead. |
| Transcendentalism | In 1836, transcendentalism took shape, as New England intellectuals pushed for the union between humans and nature through personal experience. |
| Zionism | Beginning in the late 19th century, Zionism gained attention as a political movement seeking the re-establishment of a Jewish homeland. |
