Fairfield University DigitalCommons@Fairfield Religious Studies Faculty Publications Religious Studies Department 1-1-2014 The U( n) Plain Bible: New Religious Movements and Alternative Scriptures in Nineteenth-century America Lydia Willsky-Ciollo Fairfield University,
[email protected] Copyright 2014 The Regents of the University of California Peer Reviewed Repository Citation Willsky-Ciollo, Lydia, "The U( n) Plain Bible: New Religious Movements and Alternative Scriptures in Nineteenth-century America" (2014). Religious Studies Faculty Publications. 134. https://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/religiousstudies-facultypubs/134 Published Citation Willsky, Lydia. "The U( n) Plain Bible: New Religious Movements and Alternative Scriptures in Nineteenth-century America." Nova Religio: The ourJ nal of Alternative and Emergent Religions 17.4 (2014): 13-36. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Religious Studies Department at DigitalCommons@Fairfield. It has been accepted for inclusion in Religious Studies Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Fairfield. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. The (Un) Plain Bible New Religious Movements and Alternative Seriptures in Nineteenth-century America Lydia Willsky ABSTRACT: This article explores the phenomenon of nineteenth- century new religious movements as a reaction to the “plain Bible” religious culture of that era. The plain Bible thesis maintained that the Bible was clear in its meaning, persuasive in its message, and authorita- tive in all mattere of truth. Through the examples o^oseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy and Heni^ David Thoreau, this article illustrates how three religious innovators reacted against the plain Bible thesis by creating their own versions of scripture which, in turn, aided in creating٠٢ -Christianity.