Why the Old Brick Church Matters
In preparation for our Oct. 2nd event, Thompson Mayes, the Vice President and Senior Counsel for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, discusses why old places matter.
Race Was Religion: Understanding the Role of Religion in Early America and its Lasting Effects
This month Dr. Travis Harris discusses the often misunderstood and underreported relationship between religion and race, particularly its roots in English ethnocentrism.
The First Christians in Virginia
This month we discuss the undertold narrative of Catholic Christians in 16th century Chesapeake, Recusants at Jamestown, a mysterious member of the House of Burgesses and George Washington’s advocacy for religious freedom.
King Charles I and the Rise of Civil War!
King Charles I inherited from his father, James I (also referred to as James VI of Scotland), a divided kingdom when it came to matters of religion. England was also the ruler of Presbyterian Scotland and the largely Catholic Ireland. Closer to home, there were many dissenting groups; Brownists, Diggers, Levellers, and Enthusiasts just to name a few.
King Philip’s War and Bacon’s Rebellion: Colonial Paradigms and their Effects
The British colonization of North America, not unlike most other colonizations, centered around the prospect of wealth and interest in evangelization. It is no surprise then that many of the conflicts that occurred in the British colonies started out of the friction this caused between the Native Americans and the colonists.
The Church of the Empire!
When modern people think of church, we think of a voluntary gathering of like-minded people, who meet to worship God and endeavor to strengthen their spiritual lives. The Church of the 17th century, especially in Virginia, has to be seen in a different light. Within the Empire of Great Britain, the church was a vehicle of the state to promote its imperialistic goals.
Closer to the Heart: How Preaching Changed with the Great Awakening
For much of the history of Christianity, listening to the sermon given by the minister or preacher was the way to learn more about one’s place in their Christian faith and consequently how they fit in with the prevailing ideas at the time. The First Great Awakening represents a change in how people wanted to receive these ideas.
The Banner Weathervane: Featuring the Collection
One of the oldest weather instruments, the weathervane, also known as vane, wind vane, and weathercock, is a device that turns freely on an upright rod to show the direction of the wind…
All Possess Alike Liberty of Conscience: George Washington & Religious Liberty
One of the great innovations in rights from the American Revolution and founding was religious liberty as a natural right. Virginians James Madison and Thomas Jefferson have justifiably received a lion’s share of the credit for religious liberty. The typical story crediting Madison and Jefferson has much evidence to support the argument…
The Warraskoyack: A Brief History
We (especially those of us working in the Public History Field) often hear the phrase, “History is written by the victors.” This idiom rings particularly true when trying to do any in-depth research of the many Native Indigenous Tribes that dwelled here in North America, before and after colonial contact…
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