In the tradition of "Plain and Simple" and "The Cloister Walk", this book offers a rare, intimate account of one woman's journey into the world of the Shakers--a radical Christian sect whose belief in a Mother-Father God, equal rights for all, and direct interaction with the spirits of the dead shocked other established religious communities Print ads. NPR sponsorships .
Skees went to the Shakers to look for God, who lately had been absent from her harried life. She was drawn to the Shaker notion of stillness, which the Shakers would say leaves room in one's heart for the Spirit God. Sabbathday Lake, Maine, is the last Shaker haven on earth. Provides a fascinating look into the lives of the Shakers, a mysterious & little-understood religion. We gain a grasp of the history of this unique American sect, & we meet the individual brothers & sisters of the Sabbathday community, noting how each approaches dedication to the concepts of purity, consistency, & simplicity. Offers a way to deepen our very notion of religion. Illus.
"... an excellent collection of writings covering the period 1774-1854... mostly in print for the first time.... Humez provides excellent and clear introductions, emphasizing the ambiguous role of women."Â -- Library Journal "This very fine book is a valuable contribution to Shaker studies, religious studies, and women's studies." -- Journal of American History "The editor provides insightful commentary, but the power is in the straightforward and powerful words of the women who founded and participated in this most religious American group."Â -- The Bloomsbury Review "Humez's work is a model of revisionist scholarship, critically objective and editorially balanced, and provides a solid introduction to the early history of the Shakers." -- Utopian Studies "Israel, you have begun to bear for other souls, and you must never give out, till the last soul is gathered in. When you get home, tell your father and stepmother that your mother is risen from the dead." -- from the book A fascinating introduction to the world of the early Shakers, this anthology documents the contributions to Shaker religion made by women during its first seventy years. It gives a more accurate vision of Shakerism and highlights the ways in which gender can play an important role in the creation of a new religious institution.
Among America's more interesting new religious movements, the Shakers and the Mormons came to be thought of as separate and distinct from mainstream Protestantism. Using archives and historical materials from the 19th century, Stephen C. Taysom shows how these groups actively maintained boundaries and created their own thriving, but insular communities. Taysom discovers a core of innovation deployed by both the Shakers and the Mormons through which they embraced their status as outsiders. Their marginalization was critical to their initial success. As he skillfully negotiates the differences between Shakers and Mormons, Taysom illuminates the characteristics which set these groups apart and helped them to become true religious dissenters.
In this pioneering study, historian Scott T. Swank reveals the links between the daily life of the Shakers and their art and architecture. 250 illustrations, 150 in color.
Herman Philipse puts forward a powerful new critique of belief in God. He examines the strategies that have been used for the philosophical defence of religious belief, and by careful reasoning casts doubt on the legitimacy of relying on faith instead of evidence, and on probabilistic arguments for the existence of God.
The team that introduced Shaker life, work, and design to America and the world, in such successful books as Shaker and Shaker Design, here presents the ultimate visual work on the unique melding of form and function that created the Shaker look. 200 color illustrations.