Christianity and the Civil War:   

A Brief Historic Background

The Civil War--or the War Between the States--was not an exclusively political or philosophical struggle. It was not purely economic or ideological. Historically, it is much more than a compendium of battles, leaders, and modern inventions. Lost in the maze of history books is the important fact that religious faith played a key role in 19th century America and particularly in the War.

The southern states knew much of the importance of faith due in part to their agrarian culture, together with the close family and community relationships they grew to cherish. As such, the Confederacy was much more cohesive in its spiritual underpinnings. For the northern states this was a later realization (after about 1863) as the war continued to wear on and the greater industrial resources failed to conclude the conflict. Due in part to its "faster" way of life (industrialization, urbanization, etc.), its smaller family units, the numbers of recent immigrants, and societal reliance upon man's ingenuity (inventions and technology) -- for the northern states dependence upon God was subordinated to the power of the "superior" war machine.

By the middle of the War, both north and south recognized the importance of spiritual revival. Revivals were sizable in the Confederate army. Through the United States Christian Commission, thousands of Civil War soldiers sought a relationship with God through Jesus Christ while also having their physical needs met . Overall, hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides recognized the importance of everyday faith in God through Jesus Christ.

Even the key element of the Conflict, slavery (while couched within the "states rights" issue) was at its core a religious issue. It was a deeply held faith in God which enabled many of the 3-to-4 million slaves to bear the misery of human bondage and pain.

The War is long past and the emancipation proclamation is history, but otherwise not much has changed in the human heart. With technology today advancing at exponential rates, the role of religion in everyday life at the edge of the 21st century has diminished even more in today's "enlightened" society. Yet still in the heart of every man and woman is that longing to understand if this is "all there is".

"How many soldiers were converted during the Civil War? The best estimates of conversions in the Union forces place the figure between 100,000 and 200,000 men---about 5-10 percent of all individuals engaged in the conflict. In the smaller Confederate armies, at least 100,000 were converted." Historian Gardiner H. Shattuck, Jr.

Civil War reenactors especially understand the importance of the past as it links us to the present. In the same way, each of us should recognize that the choices we make individually will have impact on the future. Particularly if there is a life beyond this life as described in the Bible and as taught by Jesus Christ. We at the Christian Reenactor's Network believe that there is.

If you are a Civil War reenactor, it is indeed incumbent on you to recognize that Victorian America had religious faith woven throughout society. To disregard this fact is to compromise one's authentic impression. But more importantly, we must all understand the timelessness of that same message. It is still God's truth and entirely relevant to your life today. Through Christ alone (not through "church, "religion", or by following the "Golden Rule") can we discover the meaning of life, find peace, and be assured of an eternity in God's presence after this life is over.

If you are unsure about your eternal destination, it is our desire to share this good news with you whether you are a teenager, adult, grade-school dropout or Ph.D. The message of Jesus Christ is all-important, extending to you the opportunity to establish a vital link to your Creator. "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast "(Ephesians 2:8-9). The ground is level at the foot of the cross.

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