|
Religion in the 1930s as the Depression took hold was marked by an increase in church membership and attebdance, but the economic struggles Americans faced resulted in lower donations. This was the case for most mainstream Protestant denominations. Methodist, Baptist, and Lutheran membership and attendance increased. Catholic church attendance also increased. There were real changes underway among Catholics. The massive immigration from Europe since the 1870s had brought huge numbers of Catholics into America and many retained an European orientation. Gradually Catholics were being assimilated. The prosperity of the Roaring Twenties was an important diver, but we sill see a stronger European orientation among Catholics and Protestants. The immigration restrictions enacted in the 1920s sharply reduced immigration, essentially freezing the ethnic balance. While his seems to have frozen the relative importance of the main-line churches, there was one important development. The Depression seems to have driven fundamentalism reflected in the growth pentecostal churches, much stronger than the increases in mainline churches. Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement that focuses on direct personal experience with God beginning wih baptism. One study showed that the number of Assemblies of God churches nearly quadrupled (1926-36). There were new denominations that appeared such as the Jehovah's Witnesses. The economic struggles associated wth the Depression caused many churches, Christian schools, and ministries to shot down or scale back operations. Donations and support for the clergy declined. Churches had to reduce charitable spending just when it was most needed. But churches organized soup kitchens, food and clothing donations, and other relief efforts. The Depression also created a range of spiritual uncertainties. Socialist thinking gained support, generating questions about historic Christian beliefs. Catholics seem to have been the most organized especially on issues like abortion. They applied their growing political power to resist secular trends encode Christian teachings into law. This was most observable in pressure on Hollywood to enforce morality codes.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main U.S. church attendance 20th century chronology page]
[Return to the Main U.S. church attendance page]
[Return to the Main U.S. religion page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossary]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
