Awards

• Nominated for Philip S. Klein Book Prize 2024

Overview

American Quakerism changed dramatically in the antebellum era owing to both internal and external forces, including schism, industrialization, western migration, and reform activism. With the “Great Separation” of the 1820s and subsequent divisions during the 1840s and 1850s, new Quaker sects emerged. Some maintained the quietism of the previous era; others became more austere; still others were heavily influenced by American evangelicalism and integration into modern culture. Examining this increasing complexity and highlighting a vital religiosity driven by deeply held convictions, Janet Moore Lindman focuses on the Friends of the mid-Atlantic and the Delaware Valley to explore how Friends’ piety affected their actions—not only in the evolution of religious practice and belief but also in response to a changing social and political context. Her analysis demonstrates how these Friends’ practical approach to piety embodied spiritual ideals that reformulated their religion and aided their participation in a burgeoning American republic. Based on extensive archival research, this book sheds new light on both the evolution of Quaker spiritual practice and the history of antebellum reform movements. It will be of interest to scholars and students of early American history, religious studies, and Quaker studies as well as general readers interested in the history of the Society of Friends.

Full Product Details

9780271092652

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Reviews

“Lindman’s pairing of textured descriptions of pious practices with accessible accounts of how the Society of Friends changed over time makes her book an excellent introduction to the history of Quakerism in 19th-century America, a study I would recommend students new to the field to consult first.” —Jay David Miller Reading Religion

“Lindman’s pairing of textured descriptions of pious practices with accessible accounts of how the Society of Friends changed over time makes her book an excellent introduction to the history of Quakerism in 19th-century America, a study I would recommend students new to the field to consult first.” —Jay David Miller Reading Religion “[This] book provides an intimate look at Quaker life during the antebellum period, which should be considered essential reading for scholars of the Religious Society of Friends.” —Rob Perry Religious Studies Review

Author Information

Janet Moore Lindman is Professor of History at Rowan University. She is the author of Bodies of Belief: Baptist Community in Early America and coeditor of A Centre of Wonders: The Body in Early America.

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