Jefferson Davis

Baptists and the American Civil War: April 26, 1864

While the just-concluded annual meeting of the Georgia Baptist Convention focused primarily on supporting Confederate soldiers through the evangelistic efforts of army chaplains and missionaries, delegates, many of whom were well-to-do pastors of larger churches, made no formal mention of what is arguably the most pressing issue among the soldiery: that of desertion. Baptist churches…

Baptists and the American Civil War: December 24, 1863

The fortunes of the Confederacy have fallen enough that some white Southern intellectuals have, albeit quietly and discretely, begun contemplating the unpleasant possibility of defeat and the end of African slavery. The outlines of a post-war narrative of Southern defeat are already taking shape, involving themes of white supremacy, righteousness and faithfulness victimized by superior…