Visions of Zion by Larry J. Hood - Book Report/Review Example

Visions of Zion by Larry J. Hood ‘Visions of Zion’ is by the author Larry J. Hood (2005) and is an extremely interesting book that is an amalgamation of different themes such as religion, politics, reforms, women and morality, education, war and government. This book comprising of 298 pages was published by the University Press of America on March 22nd 2005. ‘Visions of Zion’ was written almost three decades ago following the Civil War, at the time when there was a resurgent patriotic wave in the country. Larry J. Hood its author writes about the new generation of Americans who were inclined towards a new religious revival which was a Christian awakening and an advancing modernization that they hoped would pave the way for great prosperity especially in the Counties of rural Nelson and Washington. This new generation of Americans looked forward to a new era of Liberty and Freedom. Religious sentiments were a major part in the lives of the people that comprised of two groups made up of the Northerners and Southerners. However, as noted by the author, neither of the two groups was able to define nor understand the meaning of the worldview as projected by the new leaders of America. Religion was part and parcel of their daily lives and it is this concept that had a major control over their thinking and actions. For example, the group following Protestantism laid emphasis on having improved public schools. This was rejected by the Northerners who did not prefer national amalgamation to be brought about through public education. The Southerners took up a crusade against Northern Protestant prohibition because they could not understand why the Northerners rejected the effort and viewed it as an attack on their way of life and religious concepts. In terms of life experiences, the Southerners believed in conversion brought about by the Church. Most individuals seeked to identify themselves both morally and spiritually with a specific community of believers and all of them hoped for a better future. Christians looked forward to the promise of Heaven and thereby redemption from their sins. The Catholics and Protestants look forward to building God’s kingdom in the Promised Land and believed that doing service to others was fulfilling God’s command. Before the Civil War, the Nelson and Washington Counties identified themselves with their nation’s destiny, but after the war these counties vied with each other for prominence among the political leaders of the state as well as the nation. All sense of unity as Americans were destroyed as the counties engaged in war and the hatred between them lasted for many decades. The aftermath of the wars resulted in disruption in political, social and economic areas of the state as well as the nation. Both the counties lost their prominence and so did the Churches. Parties were realigned and the whites had to accept the presence of the blacks because they were no longer held in bondage and the capital that was invested in slavery was lost. In general, the value of property declined. The local community of Mt. Zion, both men and women rebelled against a sinful and chaotic world and therefore drew together in fellowship, sermons and prayer across the countryside with an aim to bring about a new and different church in that county. The Church of God, a Pentecostal institution was founded with great zeal and vigor. Though there was a very staunch patriarchal sub-culture, yet women were given the freedom to vote as well as to preach. They believed that preaching by women initiated the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. Many of the people denounced their evil ways and turned to God. Some of them even gave up the growing of tobacco which was the only high yielding cash crop of that place. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, religion was given top priority in their lives and as a result of this there were scores of Protestant hymns filled with images of Zion and which are quite popular even today. There were also hymns pertaining to the political battle and nationalism which gained more favor than traditionalism because the Catholics of the North and South had major religious differences. During the 19th century, dislocation brought about by the ravages of war, rural poverty, the National Capital’s loss of power and the slow and sure unsettling of the race, kept the Southerners apart from the rest of their Evangelical- Protestant Yankee counterparts. However, academicians, businessmen, bureaucrats, intellectuals and other professionals followed their own brand of progressivism. Therefore, from the religious point of view, neither were the Protestants nor the Catholics were really dominant. In the book Visions of Zion the author Larry J. Wood speaks about Rural Progressivism which stands for the embracing of Christian millennialism. People during that time were more inclined to pursue the path of liberty rather than reacting to the corrupt political system which was entrenched in the urban areas. Hood speaks about the members of the Nelson and Washington Counties who he thinks were the first people who attempted to preserve the traditional values and tried to live such a life that would serve as a model to the rest of the world. Members of these Counties took to modernism as they thought that it would lead to reduction in isolation and reinvigorate society. Due to the great speed of change the optimism in Nelson and Washington Counties gave way to the undermining of individuals and disruption in family roles. Nearly three decades after the Civil War in America came to an end, there was a climate of optimism enveloping the people of Washington and Nelson Counties. They felt a patriotic fervor which when combined with Christian awakening and modernization made them experience a new freedom. People from these two Counties took upon themselves the role of God’s people who were treading His chosen path. However, it is rather ironical to note that even though the fear of power exists, yet, the radical church Christians and Protestant millennialists both reached a new world view by asserting and emphasizing that all individuals have the right to religious freedom and also the right to political liberty. However, there is an underlying battle that rages on the differing world views and not much of it is mentioned in American history. There always was a religious chasm in the way each group led their lives and carried out their Church practices. After nearly two decades following the Civil War, new allegiances were established and the Whites adjusted to the abolition of slavery. The new generation held no personal grievances or memories of the war and peace and contentment began to flourish. Gradually tobacco and railroads made their entry into the Counties. Tobacco raked in a lot of money while trains brought in merchandise which could be traded. The Counties had overcome the period of Depression and prosperity returned once again. A new technological revolution occurred with the invention of the telephone and automobiles and once again a sense of identity was ushered in among all Americans. References Larry J. Hood (2005) Visions of Zion. University Press of America, pgs. 298 Read More