This fall, I am enrolled in a course titled “History of the Old South” taught by Dr. George Oberle at George Mason University. The time period is 1775 to 1860, that is, from the American Revolution to just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. As part of the course, I am required to select a topic to explore. The end product will not be a formal paper, though a bibliography will be involved.

I have always wondered about the people in my native Virginia who owned slaves. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? I am interested in anything that sheds light on this, but in order to narrow my inquiry, I am going to focus on the role of the church during this period. What, if anything, did the church have to say about the practice of slavery?

Professor Oberle has suggested that I begin by looking at “The Great Revival: Beginnings of the Bible Belt” by John B. Boles.

FYI These are the 4 assigned readingS for the course.