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Church attendance and membership was very strong in America at the time of World War II and churches were very important community institutions. American churches were divided on American involvement, but it is fair to say that there was considerable opposition to American intervention, affected somewht by the ethnicity and national origins. This opposition evaporated when the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor. After Pearl Harbor and American entry into the War, American churches played an important role on the home front. One notable aspect of American churches is that their the denomination significantly affects the the etnic and national origins of the parishionrs. Thus many chiurches had congregants tied to varying degrees with both beligerant and occupied nations. American churches were involved in a wide range of activities. This varied widely from church to church. They sponsored groups like the Red Cross, Boy and Girl Scouts, blood donor groups, and many community programs which played roles in the war effort. Churches at the time were only one of a range of community institutions that sponsored Scout troops. After the War churches helped returning veterans adjust to civilian life. The War was also a major mile stone in Church history. This is largely due to the move to the suburbs that followed the War. The congregations of many city churches moved toi the suburbs. Thus the ethnic makeup of city churches chngeed. Also until World War II, most American churches were built on substantial lots that provided an area large enough to provide congregnts with burial facilities. This was true even in major cities. The churches built after the War were generally built without adjacent burial facilities.
Church attendance and membership was very strong in America at the time of World War II and churches were very important community institutions.
American churches were divided on American involvement, but it is fair to say that there was considerable opposition to American intervention, affected somewht by the ethnicity and national origins. One notable aspect of American churches is that their the denomination significantly affects the the ethnic and national origins of the parishionrs. Thus many churches had congregants tied to varying degrees with both beligerant and occupied nations. We are not sure at this time what role churches played in the Isolantionist sentiment before the War. Individual Protestant and Roman Catholic clergymen differed on the issue of Ameicn involvement in Europe. Perhaps because of the missinary movement, there was less objection to a strong policy against Japanese agression in China. While opinion varied, it is probably fair to say that church periodicals and religious assemblies generally were concerbed if not suspicious of the Roosevelt Administration's policies which many saw as drawing America toward intervention in Europe. [Doenecke, p. 209.] There of course was no central direction. Theological beliefs were tempered by ethnicity and national origins. The two largest elements of the Catholic Church were the Irish (strongly anti-British) and Italians (many favorable to Mussolini). The Lutheran Church was heavily composed of Americans of German ancestry. Among the German community there was some support for Hitler, but not much. There was, however, considerable sentiment supporting isolationsm. Black churches were also generally oposed to intervention. At the time, NAZI hatred toward Jewswere well known, but less well understood was thelevel of NAZI racial hatred aimed at Blacks and Slavs.
American opposition to intervention evaporated when the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor. And this the church-based oposition to entering the War within the American religious community. After Pearl Harbor and American entry into the War, American churches played an important role on the home front. American churches were involved in a wide range of activities. This varied widely from church to church. They sponsored groups like the Red Cross, Boy and Girl Scouts, blood donor groups, and many community programs which played roles in the war effort. Churches at the time were only one of a range of community institutions that sponsored Scout troops.
After the War churches helped returning veterans adjust to civilian life.
The War was also a major mile stone in Church history. This is largely due to the move to the suburbs that followed the War. The congregations of many city churches moved toi the suburbs. Thus the ethnic makeup of city churches chngeed. Also until World War II, most American churches were built on substantial lots that provided an area large enough to provide congregnts with burial facilities. This was true even in major cities. The churches built after the War were generally built without adjacent burial facilities.
Doenecke, Justus. "American Isolationism, 1939-1941" The Journal of Libertarian Studies (Summer-Fall, 1982), pp. 201-216.
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