This was a big thing in Heavens To Betsy, one of the Betsy-Tacy books set around 1900. Betsy's older sister, who was gifted musically, was expected to choose her preferred branch of Protestantism when she came of age. I think Betsy's parents were Baptist, but they sang, danced, played cards and drank alcohol, so I'm not sure exactly how …
This was a big thing in Heavens To Betsy, one of the Betsy-Tacy books set around 1900. Betsy's older sister, who was gifted musically, was expected to choose her preferred branch of Protestantism when she came of age. I think Betsy's parents were Baptist, but they sang, danced, played cards and drank alcohol, so I'm not sure exactly how Baptist they were. Betsy's older sister chose a branch that incorporated music in its services as music was her gift from God.
Church shopping is not a new thing in Protestantism. Those stories were set around the start of the 20th century. In one book, Betsy's father buys a motor-car, and, in another, Betsy works on an essay about the recently annexed Phillipines. I got the impression that Protestantism in all its forms was seen as the background, and, so, nearly invisible. I don't remember any Catholic or Jewish characters in those books. The only religious oddball was a lone atheist who was proud, as a matter of civic pride, that his small town finally had its own church.
That form of Protestantism is a lot like Judaism. All Jews agree on the god count, but it diverges from there. I can understand the lure of a totalitarian, centralized religion, one that presents no choices but simply requires submission.Sometimes the menu is overwhelming, and the table d'hote beckons. Of course, accepting such a religion is yet another choice.
This was a big thing in Heavens To Betsy, one of the Betsy-Tacy books set around 1900. Betsy's older sister, who was gifted musically, was expected to choose her preferred branch of Protestantism when she came of age. I think Betsy's parents were Baptist, but they sang, danced, played cards and drank alcohol, so I'm not sure exactly how Baptist they were. Betsy's older sister chose a branch that incorporated music in its services as music was her gift from God.
Church shopping is not a new thing in Protestantism. Those stories were set around the start of the 20th century. In one book, Betsy's father buys a motor-car, and, in another, Betsy works on an essay about the recently annexed Phillipines. I got the impression that Protestantism in all its forms was seen as the background, and, so, nearly invisible. I don't remember any Catholic or Jewish characters in those books. The only religious oddball was a lone atheist who was proud, as a matter of civic pride, that his small town finally had its own church.
That form of Protestantism is a lot like Judaism. All Jews agree on the god count, but it diverges from there. I can understand the lure of a totalitarian, centralized religion, one that presents no choices but simply requires submission.Sometimes the menu is overwhelming, and the table d'hote beckons. Of course, accepting such a religion is yet another choice.