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To: livius
What we saw in Vatican II and probably in the Restorationists of the 20th and present centuries was perhaps actually the outcome of a nonreligous intellectual movement that began in the middle to late 19th century, in other words, nearly 150 years ago.

Funny that you should mention that timeframe. One of the odd discoveries that I made in my readings of history regards an area in upstate New York sometimes called the Burned Over District.

The "burned over district" is a geographical reference to the Hudson River Valley in upstate New York. Unitarianism, Mormonism, Restorationism, Seventh-Day Adventism, and a host of other anti-creedal "proto Christianity" movements (including Charles Finney's revivals) all sprang up or focused their efforts in this one geographic area, within a span of but a few decades. IIRC, Finney referred to it as "burned over" because it's inhabitants were resistant to his revivals, as if the area had been scorched clean of all flammable wood. It fascinates me because there's a shared geography and chronology, as well as the common rejection of the historic creeds, that's held by all of these groups.

This part of western New York became famous after the Erie Canal for its history of revivalism, radicalism, communitarian experiments. It was fertile ground for new ideas to take root and spread to other parts of the country. It became a "psychic highway" for New Englanders who left the East and headed West in search of new ways of life
- from The Burned Over District

154 posted on 06/13/2007 1:36:02 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
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To: Alex Murphy

The Oneida Community folks made great traps and other goods. Interesting group of people. The Mansion House exists today. You can tour it. I think there are apartments for folks who may have descended from the Noyes family. Oneida Community Silver was founded by them as well. Unfortunately, they aren’t doing well anymore.


230 posted on 06/14/2007 5:13:01 PM PDT by Marysecretary (GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL.)
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