Both Prayed to the Same God: Religion and Faith in the American Civil War

By Robert J. Miller
Selected bibliography, appendices, endnotes, index, 260 pp., 2007. Lexington Books, a Division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc. 4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD, 20706, $29.95.

Reviewer: Richard J. Blumberg

Richard J. Blumberg has a master’s degree with honors in Civil War studies. He is past president of the Houston Civil War Round Table and is a speaker for that group and the Society of Women in the Civil War. He also reviews books for the Blue and Gray Education Society.

Review:

Many factors influenced life in mid-19th century America. Ironically, one of the most significant influences, religion, has been virtually ignored until now.

Religious beliefs and customs shaped every aspect of life in Civil War America. Many political decisions were made on the basis of moral interpretations of respected clergy. We can thank Father Robert Miller, pastor of St. Dorothy's Church in Chicago, for finally providing us the first book-length, comprehensive study of religion in the Civil War, Both Prayed to the Same God: Religion and Faith in the American Civil War.

Several books address specific topical aspects of religious beliefs and practices during the Civil War. However, Father Miller's book is different. It provides the much needed overview that explains morals, faith and religious beliefs in the context of the political, economic, social and military aspects of society.

The book is written in four easy-to-read and cohesive sections.
Section One provides the reader with concrete evidence of how religious beliefs and practices in the late 18th and early 19th century shaped the political, economic and military ideologies of both the North and the South. The divergence in attitudes, stemming from the different religious sects located in the North and South, had a direct cause and effect that ultimately plunged our nation into the Civil War.

The second section builds on the foundation created in the first section. Prior to the Civil War various churches located throughout the United States influenced public opinion regarding many aspects of life and society. In this section the growing concern builds that the two geographic areas were drawing farther apart and that Civil War appears inevitable.

Section Three provides an in-depth study of how both soldiers and families coped with the harsh realities brought on by the Civil War. The extremely high death and injury toll made the need for chaplains much more significant. Ideals of courage, faith, morality and a better life became focal points on both sides. The use of colporteurs significantly helped to meet the ever increasing demand for Testaments and Bible Tracts. [The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language defines "colporteur" as a peddler of devotional literature.]

The last section provides a nice summary of how each side justified its actions and conduct during the Civil War. Additionally, the reader learns some of the major consequences and changes of thought in various religious sects that were the direct result of the war. Miller does an excellent job resolving the confusion revolving around the "Lost Cause" image of the South.

In addition to the four sections, Miller includes in the appendix a listing of famous or noteworthy military leaders and their religious affiliations. The book is an easy read, filled with insightful quotations and meticulously researched data. The bibliography and chapter endnotes are organized nicely.

At $25.95 this book is a real bargain. Accurately researched and comprehensive in its presentation, it truly meets its goal of providing a much needed overview of how religion impacted the daily lives of Civil War soldiers.