Comments on: Religion And The Civil War http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/ Where History, Heritage, and Education Intersect Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:35:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3814 Kevin Levin Fri, 07 Sep 2007 21:06:18 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3814 <p>Hi Mark, -- Glad to hear that the list is helpful. This post generated quite a discussion, but most of it as you can see is quite absurd. They are first-rate studies that deserve to be read.</p> <p>Good luck.</p> Hi Mark, — Glad to hear that the list is helpful. This post generated quite a discussion, but most of it as you can see is quite absurd. They are first-rate studies that deserve to be read.

Good luck.

]]> By: Mark Graves http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3813 Mark Graves Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:23:24 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3813 <p>Kevin,<br /> Thanks for this list. I'll be doing my paper for Dr. Sheehan-Dean on the role religion has played in preserving Civil War memory. Great sourses here.<br /> Mark Graves</p> Kevin,
Thanks for this list. I’ll be doing my paper for Dr. Sheehan-Dean on the role religion has played in preserving Civil War memory. Great sourses here.
Mark Graves

]]> By: Edward Blum http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3812 Edward Blum Tue, 26 Dec 2006 04:10:56 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3812 <p>The general consensus from Du Bois biographers is that he was either irreligious or antireligious. Susan Jacoby claims him for the freethinker camp in her book on Freethinkers, while Shamoon Zamir refers to Du Bois as "irreligious". You'll be able to read all about this in my Du Bois book.</p> The general consensus from Du Bois biographers is that he was either irreligious or antireligious. Susan Jacoby claims him for the freethinker camp in her book on Freethinkers, while Shamoon Zamir refers to Du Bois as “irreligious”. You’ll be able to read all about this in my Du Bois book.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3811 Kevin Levin Sun, 17 Dec 2006 14:01:08 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3811 <p>I look forward to the book's publication. Unfortunately, I am not far enough into Lewis's biography to appreciate your point re: Du Bois's religious convictions. Is this a tendency in the literature on Du Bois or just an oversight by Lewis? </p> I look forward to the book’s publication. Unfortunately, I am not far enough into Lewis’s biography to appreciate your point re: Du Bois’s religious convictions. Is this a tendency in the literature on Du Bois or just an oversight by Lewis?

]]> By: Edward Blum http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3810 Edward Blum Sun, 17 Dec 2006 04:02:51 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3810 <p>Hopefully you will find my book on Du Bois a great corrective (if not challenge) to the overly secularist approach to Du Bois taken by David Levering Lewis. I find it a shame that Du Bois - who had so much to teach about faith, belief, and Christ, has been neglected as a religious force in American history. I think you'll like my book.</p> Hopefully you will find my book on Du Bois a great corrective (if not challenge) to the overly secularist approach to Du Bois taken by David Levering Lewis. I find it a shame that Du Bois – who had so much to teach about faith, belief, and Christ, has been neglected as a religious force in American history. I think you’ll like my book.

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3809 Kevin Levin Sat, 16 Dec 2006 15:00:03 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3809 <p>Professor Blum, - Thanks for taking the time to make that point. Although I have never met him from what I know Steve Woodworth would probably agree with you. As I understand Aubrecht's point you are given that label because you are associated with universities and university presses, which he has concluded are godless. Adn how does he know that? Because they publish work by some of the brightest secularists, including Richard Dawkins. My guess is that he's never read _The Selfish Gene_ or _The Extended Phenotype_ either. It was a silly point that does not really deserve a response. </p> <p>Congratulations on your forthcoming study of Du Bois. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I am plugging my way through David. L. Lewis's 2-volume study. </p> Professor Blum, – Thanks for taking the time to make that point. Although I have never met him from what I know Steve Woodworth would probably agree with you. As I understand Aubrecht’s point you are given that label because you are associated with universities and university presses, which he has concluded are godless. Adn how does he know that? Because they publish work by some of the brightest secularists, including Richard Dawkins. My guess is that he’s never read _The Selfish Gene_ or _The Extended Phenotype_ either. It was a silly point that does not really deserve a response.

Congratulations on your forthcoming study of Du Bois. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I am plugging my way through David. L. Lewis’s 2-volume study.

]]> By: Edward Blum http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3808 Edward Blum Sat, 16 Dec 2006 14:21:38 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3808 <p>I appreciate the reference to my book, but why are we referenced (by M. Aubrecht) as non-Christian? In fact, I just finished a religious biography of W. E. B. Du Bois (to be published in a few months by the University of Pennsylvania). I am a person of faith and a historian- I consider both perspectives (their commonalities and differences) to be very important. So - please read the books before making such comments.</p> I appreciate the reference to my book, but why are we referenced (by M. Aubrecht) as non-Christian? In fact, I just finished a religious biography of W. E. B. Du Bois (to be published in a few months by the University of Pennsylvania). I am a person of faith and a historian- I consider both perspectives (their commonalities and differences) to be very important. So – please read the books before making such comments.

]]> By: M.Aubrecht http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3807 M.Aubrecht Fri, 15 Dec 2006 20:10:56 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3807 <p>Sorry Kevin, I left the web-browser open in the background waiting for replies... which BTW: makes me one of your most "loyal" readers... doesn't it? :)</p> Sorry Kevin, I left the web-browser open in the background waiting for replies… which BTW: makes me one of your most “loyal” readers… doesn’t it? :)

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3806 Kevin Levin Fri, 15 Dec 2006 20:02:44 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3806 <p>Cash, -- Just a quick note to say that I have no problem if you want to address a point that has been made by someone else. That is part of the purpose of the comments option.</p> <p>On a different note as of 2pm someone has been logged onto this site for 240 minutes and counting. Hmm...I wonder who that could be?</p> Cash, — Just a quick note to say that I have no problem if you want to address a point that has been made by someone else. That is part of the purpose of the comments option.

On a different note as of 2pm someone has been logged onto this site for 240 minutes and counting. Hmm…I wonder who that could be?

]]> By: M.Aubrecht http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3805 M.Aubrecht Fri, 15 Dec 2006 19:52:40 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3805 <p>Thank you Cash. And I also want to add that I would not of commented on this subject in any way if I didn't feel so defensive after yesterday (That is MY problem - not yours, or anyone else's). I was not posting on any of these books specifically (as I stated above that I had not read them)... I was just trying to "give it back" from the "other side". It was an exercise in futility and I wasted a lot of bandwidth on Kevin's blog.</p> <p>I'm off doing "my own thing" and these critical posts on religion that show up from time to time bother me as they usually include me or a friend in someway. I am not trying to rewrite history or indoctrinate anyone. Christians find joy in these books, and I find joy in writing them. I get a lot of support and praise from people (a lot smarter than I am) who understand what a Christian writer's purpose is in writing religious-historical material. To celebrate and educate in an uplifting and inspirational manner. None of these men were perfect. They (like us) have faults. But I think that there is a reason that we still remember them today and (IMO) faith has a lot to do with that.</p> <p>My one book on Stonewall simply states: "This is a story about faith. A story filled with the kinds of heartache and hardships that would leave many of us questioning our own beliefs. It is a love story that is filled with sorrow, testimony, hope and despair. It is a story that reaffirms the power of prayer and that all things in Him are possible. Ultimately, it is the story of a man who suffered greatly, but chose to embrace the Will of his Savior as the foundation for a legendary life." I think that explains my belief on this entire subject.</p> <p>That's my only goal in all of this and I am afraid that I have been caught up in some kind of online feud (by my own doing) that serves no purpose. I apologize for jumping in "half-cocked" on this one. I am sure that these books are very good. I like to think that mine are too - if you want to see how faith can carry you through the most desperate of times. Maybe they do belong in the "self-help section" as Kevin notes. I don't have a problem with that either. Thanks again.</p> Thank you Cash. And I also want to add that I would not of commented on this subject in any way if I didn’t feel so defensive after yesterday (That is MY problem – not yours, or anyone else’s). I was not posting on any of these books specifically (as I stated above that I had not read them)… I was just trying to “give it back” from the “other side”. It was an exercise in futility and I wasted a lot of bandwidth on Kevin’s blog.

I’m off doing “my own thing” and these critical posts on religion that show up from time to time bother me as they usually include me or a friend in someway. I am not trying to rewrite history or indoctrinate anyone. Christians find joy in these books, and I find joy in writing them. I get a lot of support and praise from people (a lot smarter than I am) who understand what a Christian writer’s purpose is in writing religious-historical material. To celebrate and educate in an uplifting and inspirational manner. None of these men were perfect. They (like us) have faults. But I think that there is a reason that we still remember them today and (IMO) faith has a lot to do with that.

My one book on Stonewall simply states: “This is a story about faith. A story filled with the kinds of heartache and hardships that would leave many of us questioning our own beliefs. It is a love story that is filled with sorrow, testimony, hope and despair. It is a story that reaffirms the power of prayer and that all things in Him are possible. Ultimately, it is the story of a man who suffered greatly, but chose to embrace the Will of his Savior as the foundation for a legendary life.” I think that explains my belief on this entire subject.

That’s my only goal in all of this and I am afraid that I have been caught up in some kind of online feud (by my own doing) that serves no purpose. I apologize for jumping in “half-cocked” on this one. I am sure that these books are very good. I like to think that mine are too – if you want to see how faith can carry you through the most desperate of times. Maybe they do belong in the “self-help section” as Kevin notes. I don’t have a problem with that either. Thanks again.

]]> By: Cash http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3804 Cash Fri, 15 Dec 2006 19:37:00 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3804 <p>Michael,</p> <p>Thank you for your kind reply. I don't want to "hijack" Kevin's forum, but I think these comments are applicable and may be useful.</p> <p>University press books should be considered serious because they are peer-reviewed. Other experts in the field check the book over before it is published to make sure the author proceeded in a scholarly fashion and was able to get his or her facts straight.</p> <p>No process is perfect, of course, and you will be able to find some university press books that have since been discredited, but they are very much the exception rather than the rule.</p> <p>I learned Civil War History from Professor Robertson many years ago, and my daughter is a student of his now, so I share your high esteem of his knowledge and his scholarship, but he would disagree with you about universities and university presses.</p> <p>I'll leave it up to those who are more knowledgeable than I to discuss forewords and endorsements.</p> <p>Regards,<br /> Cash</p> Michael,

Thank you for your kind reply. I don’t want to “hijack” Kevin’s forum, but I think these comments are applicable and may be useful.

University press books should be considered serious because they are peer-reviewed. Other experts in the field check the book over before it is published to make sure the author proceeded in a scholarly fashion and was able to get his or her facts straight.

No process is perfect, of course, and you will be able to find some university press books that have since been discredited, but they are very much the exception rather than the rule.

I learned Civil War History from Professor Robertson many years ago, and my daughter is a student of his now, so I share your high esteem of his knowledge and his scholarship, but he would disagree with you about universities and university presses.

I’ll leave it up to those who are more knowledgeable than I to discuss forewords and endorsements.

Regards,
Cash

]]> By: M.Aubrecht http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3803 M.Aubrecht Fri, 15 Dec 2006 19:19:48 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/2006/12/15/religion-and-the-civil-war/#comment-3803 <p>Cash, I know that I said that I was done here, but I did want to give you the courtesy of a reply. It was not my intent to dismiss those works that were cited above. All I was trying to present (and apparently did not do a very good job) was that (IMO) University's (and their published materials) are just as susceptible to the same type of scrutiny as the types of works that Kevin has criticized in the past. I took his post to be saying that these books were to be considered "serious" in his opinion BECAUSE they were from University Presses. Apparently, I was wrong in this assumption and should not have replied with that angle. </p> <p>However, the University's that they come from do not impress me because they allow this type of anti-Christian behavior, and if this is what the idea of a "marketplace of ideas" propagates, then I have no use for that either. Once again, we must be looking at the world through very different eyes and I would not have replied in the first place if not "quoted" in yesterday's post. Apparently, I am a "shameful" "wacky" "neo-Confederate" who "wants to pray to Devotionals from Stonewall Jackson". I have no absolutely problem with that assessment if that's what I "am". </p> <p>I will add though that one of the religious books most frequently criticized here (by Richard Williams) has the Foreword and endorsement written by Professor James I. Robertson, Jr., who I think knows a lot more about the subject of Civil War history than any of us. In other words, I think that he trumps all of our opinions and I'll proudly go with his "take" on the subject over yours - or even mine. Thanks again for the chat.</p> Cash, I know that I said that I was done here, but I did want to give you the courtesy of a reply. It was not my intent to dismiss those works that were cited above. All I was trying to present (and apparently did not do a very good job) was that (IMO) University’s (and their published materials) are just as susceptible to the same type of scrutiny as the types of works that Kevin has criticized in the past. I took his post to be saying that these books were to be considered “serious” in his opinion BECAUSE they were from University Presses. Apparently, I was wrong in this assumption and should not have replied with that angle.

However, the University’s that they come from do not impress me because they allow this type of anti-Christian behavior, and if this is what the idea of a “marketplace of ideas” propagates, then I have no use for that either. Once again, we must be looking at the world through very different eyes and I would not have replied in the first place if not “quoted” in yesterday’s post. Apparently, I am a “shameful” “wacky” “neo-Confederate” who “wants to pray to Devotionals from Stonewall Jackson”. I have no absolutely problem with that assessment if that’s what I “am”.

I will add though that one of the religious books most frequently criticized here (by Richard Williams) has the Foreword and endorsement written by Professor James I. Robertson, Jr., who I think knows a lot more about the subject of Civil War history than any of us. In other words, I think that he trumps all of our opinions and I’ll proudly go with his “take” on the subject over yours – or even mine. Thanks again for the chat.

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