From East to West Book

Everything you could ever imagine wanting to know about southern religion. And a little bit more. No one should research the south, or American Christianity as it used to be without first reading this book. It's unforgettable, but you'll want to page through it again and again.

This volume is different from all the other Foxfire books. This is American history. And it's an excellent history, especially now, when the goals of Christianity have changed so very much. So much as to be nearly unrecognizable. Frankly, it kind of saddened me the last time I took a skim through it, because it's virtually all gone now. Religion has become a vehicle for politics, and that applies to all denominations, because under the circumstances, it has to. Even inclusive houses of worship have to "state their positions" on climate change, evolution, oh just everything that really needn't be discussed in a church, and especially shouldn't be a litmus test for fellowshipping there. I personally would like to find a place where people get together to share their hopes, their sadnesses and their joys all in fellowship with others who will not push them about "who you should vote for that aligns with our values." That was never what it was supposed to be about! Those matters really don't belong, one way or the other.

In the south, people held "dinner on the grounds" to make sure everyone ate for the next week and no one asked any questions about who brought what! Back in the day, houses of worship, particularly down south, were places where other people cared about their neighbors, and a stranger was just someone you had not yet met. Yes, they tended to be segregated, but that was NOT always true! Black churches were especially welcoming toward interested whites. Nowadays, in a post-Dylan-Roof world, that's not the same. I would feel nervous walking into a black church, knowing every eye was suspicious that I'd come to do harm, perhaps great harm.

This just was not how it was pre-1980. I grew up down south from 12-21, and went to a variety of different churches with friends. (I am non-practicing Jewish, so everyone was wanting to save me! But it wasn't out of prejudice; it was out of love and sincerity, which is why I accepted every invitation.) Everyone was always welcome, no one was dangerous, and the warmth radiated for the rest of the day. Sure, they tried hard to help you reach salvation, but there was never a sense of reproach if that didn't happen. They just kept on trying.

Back in the 70s, we had televangelism already, but ask anyone who attended in person, to an arena as if it were a rock concert, and many will tell you it was amusing watching Ernest Angely going around "healing" people as his silly toupee slipped - on live television! We'd sit in the nosebleed section and have a good belly-laugh. Now, none of this is funny. Or generally and genuinely heartfelt, or welcoming. So, I do think it's good for students and researchers to find out how it really used to be so they can see how everything changed.