California's Spiritual Frontiers - by Sandra Sizer Frankiel (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

California's Spiritual Frontiers: Religious Alternatives in Anglo-Protestantism, 1850-1910 offers a profound exploration of how Anglo-Protestantism evolved and adapted in California during a period of rapid cultural and societal transformation. In a region where evangelical Protestantism initially sought to dominate, the book reveals how traditional religious norms were challenged by liberal ideologies and metaphysical movements, including Christian Science, New Thought, and Theosophy. These alternative spiritual frameworks reshaped the religious landscape, emphasizing individual spirituality, mysticism, and openness to non-traditional beliefs. The book vividly illustrates how California's unique social dynamics and cultural diversity fostered a distinctive blend of spiritual experimentation and adaptation.

Focusing on key regions such as the mining districts, San Francisco Bay Area, and early Los Angeles, California's Spiritual Frontiers examines the interplay between traditional denominations, emerging liberal thought, and new metaphysical religions. It details the challenges faced by Protestant leaders to maintain their influence amidst a largely unchurched population and the growing popularity of alternative spiritual paths. This meticulously researched work not only provides a window into California's unique religious evolution but also contributes significantly to the broader study of American religious history, highlighting the intersection of regional, cultural, and spiritual identities.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1988.