"I object to the names deism and infidelity": Theodore Parker and the boundaries of Christianity in nineteenth-century America

Abstract

This article examines the debates surrounding Theodore Parker's controversial theology as a case study for three purposes. First, it seeks to engage how Christianity's boundaries were challenged within the "spiritual hothouse" of the early republic. Second, it explores how personal and religious identities were constructed during nineteenth century America. And third, it argues that while the late-antebellum period has been characterized as an era of individualism and innovation, validation and legitimacy � especially in the religious market � still hinged on the ability to tether oneself to traditional categories, especially the important, if ambiguous, title of "Christian." Together, the paper explores the tensions of identity construction in the tumultuous atmosphere of nineteenth century Christianity.