God's Almost Chosen Peoples: A Religious History of the American Civil War. By George C. Rable. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2010. 586 pp. $35.00 cloth (original) (raw)
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George C. Rable's "God's Almost Chosen Peoples" explores the profound role of religion during the American Civil War, arguing that beliefs were essential for understanding the motivations of both Northerners and Southerners. Rable elucidates how each side interpreted their efforts as divinely sanctioned through sermons and popular narratives, asserting that religion not only reinforced sectional identities but also influenced soldiers' experiences and community dynamics. By embracing a wide array of religious perspectives, including those of Catholics and Jews, he reveals a complex tapestry of providentialism that shaped American identity and purpose during the conflict.
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