This is a class project for HUM422 Christianity and America. The presentation details an analogy for the relationship between Christianity and America.

1. A Palette of Thoughts
Concerning Christianity in
American History
By T.Weaver

2. The American rendering
of Christianity can be
compared to an artist
painting a picture. Artist
employ various
methods, colors, styles,
mediums, and include
their own personal
perspective to portray
what they wish to their
audience. This parallels
with Christianity in
America. Historically
people have used God,
the Bible, and Christian
themes for divine
approval of their
particular movement,

3. Painters sometimes use a method called underpainting: “In art, an underpainting is an
initial layer of paint applied to a ground, which serves as a base for subsequent layers of
paint. Underpaintings are often monochromatic and help to define color values for later
painting. As subsequent layers of paint are applied and the image begins to take shape
through color and dimension the underpainting is eventually lost” (Underpainting article).
Artistic Technique: Underpainting

4. This concept can be applied to the
settlement of Jamestown. The early settlers
of Jamestown perhaps came with good
intentions; searching for religious freedom
and having a goal of Christianizing the
Native Americans. This underpainting is
most often the focus we have heard in
discussions of Christianity in America. With
a closer look however, we see the situation
takes on the bold and undesirable colors of
greed and self-interest. This is mostly clearly
seen in the mistreatment of the Native
Americans (America’s Christian Roots).
Underpainting Application

5. Painting Styles
Modernism Impressionism
SurrealismAbstract
Over the centuries there has been an ever evolving
spectrum of style in the world of painting. Modernism
represented no boundaries in reaction to traditional
methods, Impressionism gave much attention to color and
reflection, the Abstract style focused on colors and shapes
that represented emotions and feelings of the human
heart, while Surrealism contained elements of surprise and
juxtaposition (An Introduction).

6. In the history of Christianity in America we can
also observe differences of style, method, and
focus. Charles Finney is such an example. From
1792-1835 Finney used a specific style in his
revivalist preaching to bring about the results he
desired. In his drive to see conversions among
his audience he deliberately raised the
emotional temperature of the meetings by
having women pray publically and also
implementing the “anxious bench” to sit on for
those who were under the Spirit’s conviction. In
order to wear people down and make them
more susceptible to conversion he lengthened
his meetings to four hours and beyond. He
clearly used an emphasis on emotional fervor to
carry on his revivalist and social reform agenda
(Farley).
A Style Applied
Charles Finney (1792-1875)

7. • The Artist’s Brush Stroke is the configuration given to paint by contact with
the bristles of a brush; it is also the paint left on a surface by a single
application of a brush or palette knife —often used figuratively to describe
the quality especially of a narrative or description <a story told in
broad brushstrokes (Brushstroke article).
• Artists use different sizes of brushes along with different sizes of brush strokes
to convey messages of depth, importance, subtleness and boldness.
The Artist’s Brush Stroke

8. The New England Puritans used large brush strokes to boldly proclaim their beliefs. They
saw themselves as the Old Testament Israel and used the Bible as their political blueprint.
They exaggerated their role of colonists as having a special position before God. The City
upon a Hill became a model of morality rather than true Christianity.
Brush Stroke Application
Excerpts from John Winthrop’s Sermon:
• the Lord will be our God and delight to dwell among us
• as his own people he command a blessing upon us in all our
ways
• we shall find the God of Israel is among us
• he shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of
succeeding plantations :the lord make it like that of New
England
• we must consider the we shall be as a City Upon a Hill, they
eyes of all people are upon us
• if we shall deal falsely with our god in this work he will
withdraw his present help from us (Harbin 1).

9. Brush Stroke Application
The Civil Rights movement : The Civil Rights movement also had bold brush strokes:
• declaring the gospel has the power to redeem sinful individuals as well as sinful social
institutions (Harbin 155).
• the civil rights movement had a goal of getting rid of segregation in the South.
Although this was a political move it was very much advanced in overt ways through
religious means by mobilizing churches and through the leadership of ministers and
often through speeches that sounded like sermons and through songs and hymns like,
“We Shall Overcome.” It had the broad stroke feel of a religious crusade (Harbin 150).

10. For some artists,
painting is a
relaxing, therapeutic
hobby of choice.
Painting for Recreation

11. 1. A god exists who created and ordered true
world and watches over human life on
earth.
2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair
to each other, as taught in the Bible and by
most world religions.
3. The central goal of life is to be happy and
feel good about oneself.
4. God does not need to be particularly
involved in one’s life except when God is
needed to resolve a problem.
5. Good people go to heaven when they die
(Mohler).
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, the new American Religion consists of beliefs
such as…
Recreational Christianity

12. Artists use many
combinations of paint
colors to find one that
best suits the subject
matter and the
thought they wish to
express.
A Palette of Colors

13. The founding fathers used a palette of references to God and the Bible to
frame their speeches and writings.
“Biblical expressions and figures of speech were ubiquitous in the founders
rhetoric. The language of the English Bible so permeated the vernacular that
some speakers and writers may not always have been conscious of the fact that a
popular phrase or allusion had Biblical origins” (Harbin 154) .
Colors of Christian Rhetoric

14. Artists past and present used art to influence their viewers
The Influence of Art

15. Men of the past used God and themes in Christianity
as leverage for their particular cause.
• As a result of a direct revelation from God, John Brown
planned and carried out the raid at Harpers Ferry to
obtain weapons to lead an insurrection among slaves.
• In light of his failed attempt, the public was divided;
some , considered his execution the death of a
murderer, and some a martyr.
• “Ralph Waldo Emerson predicted that Brown would
make the gallows as glorious as the cross” (John
Brown’s Raid).
Christianity as Political Influence

16. Christianity as Political Influence
The rise of the new Right headed by men such as
Jerry Falwell relied heavily on God and
Christianity to elevate their position and to sway
the public toward supporting their cause.
“Get ‘em saved—get ‘em registered.”
“If God lifts his hand from America, its all
over, and if America loses her freedom, the
free world is gone. America should bless the
world” (Christian Perspectives).
Quotes by Jerry Falwell

17. Christianity as Political Influence
• In the original 19th century context,
the advocates of Manifest Destiny
took great liberty to intermingle
the work of Christ and his Church
with the role of the United States.
• “We proclaim to the millions of
other lands that ‘the gates of
hell’—the power of aristocracy and
monarchy shall not prevail against
it.”—John O’Sullivan (democratic
journalist from NYC in 1845).
(Harbin 108).
Manifest Destiny

18. In painting or drawing,
perspective is a way of
portraying three
dimensions on a flat,
two-dimensional
surface by suggesting
depth or distance
(Perspective).
Artistic Technique: Perspective

19. • The “peculiar institution” of
slavery was not only expedient but
also ordained by God and upheld
in Holy Scripture.”
• “You suffered horribly…but if the
slave ships had not arrived and
brought you to the new world, you
wouldn’t have found Jesus.
• “God instituted slavery due to
African’s pagan idolatry.”
• In addition to perceived religious
support, the Southern states held
to the need for slavery for
economic stability (Harbin 116).
Application: Southern Perspective
The slavery issue is a good example of this artistic concept. We have 3 very different
perspectives on the slavery issue all claiming God to be on their side.

20. “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” is a powerful envisage of
the North’s belief concerning the Civil War. They were on a
mission of God to fight in this holy war.
Application : Northern Perspective

21. The slaves held to a doctrine of deliverance
referencing scriptures related to Moses leading the
children of Israel out from under Egyptian bondage.
Application: Slaves’ Perspective
We can clearly see their dearly held
beliefs through the soulful spirituals
written and sung during
this period.

22. We are wise to ponder the past artistic liberty used on the
canvas of American Christianity in order to think deeply
and paint appropriately the picture of true Christianity in
our present day.

23. Works Cited
"America's Christian Roots." YouTube. Calvin College, n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2015.
"Brushstroke." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
Farley, William P. "Charles Finney: The Controversial Evangelist." The Enrichment Journal. Assemblies of God, 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.
Harbin, Justin, Prof., comp. Christianity & America Course Reader. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print. Copyright 2015
“Christian Perspectives” Class notes. Professor Justin Harbin. Fall 2015.
"An Introduction to Different Types of Art Painting Styles." OrangeCarton Blog. Orange Carton.com, 28 May 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
"John Brown's Raid." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
Mohler, R. Albert, Jr. "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism--the New American Religion." Christian Post. The Christian Post, 18 Apr. 2005. Web. 28
Oct. 2015.
Noll, Mark, and George Marsden. "America's Christian Roots." YouTube. Calvin College, 7 Apr. 2012. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.
"Perspective." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
"Underpainting." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.