Era of Manifestations

Era of Manifestations

The Shakers came under a spiritual revival called the Era of Manifestations, which lasted from the late 1830s to about 1850. According to Shaker tradition, heavenly spirits came to earth, bringing visions, often giving them to young Shaker women, who danced, whirled, spoke in tongues, and interpreted these visions through their drawings and dancing. While the Era of Manifestations strengthened the spiritual roots and bonds of the Shakers, several of the leaders of this movement later left the Shakers. As pacifiists,the Shakers did not believe that it was acceptable to kill or harm others, even in time of war. As a result the Civil War brought with it a strange time for the Shaker communities in America. Both Union and Confederate soldiers found their way to the Shaker communities. Shakers tended to sympathize with the Union but they did feed and care for both Union and Confederate soldiers. President Lincoln exempted Shaker males from military service, and they became some of the first conscientious objectors in American history. The end of the Civil War brought large changes to the Shaker communities. One of the most important changes was the post- war economy. The Shakers had a hard time competing in the industrialized economy that followed the Civil War. With prosperity falling, converts were hard to come by. By the early 20th century the once numerous Shaker communities were failing and closing. Today, in the 21st century, the Shaker community that still exists--the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Community--denies that Shakerism was a failed utopian experiment. Their message, surviving over two centuries in America, reads in part as follows: " Shakerism is not, as many would claim, an anachronism; nor can it be dismissed as the final sad flowering of nineteenth century liberal utopian fervor. Shakerism has a message for this present age--a message as valid today as when it was first expressed. It teaches above all else that God is Love and that our most solemn duty is to show forth that God who is love in the World."

Several pieces of art were created as part of the manifestation in New Lebanon, New York and Hancock, Massachusetts. These were called "gift drawings" and depicted visions received by the Shakers during this time. Some of these "drawings" are now part of the American Folk Art Museum collection.

References

* [http://www.passtheword.org/SHAKER-MANUSCRIPTS/Shakers-Compendium/shaker1x.htm Rules and Regulations, Government, and Doctrines of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing]
* [http://www.shaker.lib.me.us Sabbethday Lake Shaker Community]
* [http://www.folkartmuseum.org/images/afam_995.pdf American Folk Art Museum: A House of Blue (PDF)]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Manifestations of Postmodernism — Postmodernism preceded by Modernism Postmodernity Hypermodernity Hypermodernism (art) Post anarchism Posthumanism …   Wikipedia

  • New Confucianism — (Xinrujia) The term xinrujia or xinruxue, loosely translated as ‘New Confucianism’, is increasingly understood as an intellectual and cultural phenomenon of the last twenty five years, one that has garnered considerable attention in Western… …   Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture

  • Ann Lee — For the rock formation, see Mother Ann (rock formation). For other people named Ann Lee, see Ann Lee (disambiguation). Ann Elizabeth Lee Mother Ann Lee tombstone Born 29 February 1736(1736 02 29) Manchester …   Wikipedia

  • Palmette — era to decorate: # the fronts of ante fixae, # the upper portion of the stele or vertical tombstones, # the and its continuation as a decorative frieze on the walls of the same, and # the cymatium of a cornice. Though generally known as the… …   Wikipedia

  • Hinduism — /hin dooh iz euhm/, n. the common religion of India, based upon the religion of the original Aryan settlers as expounded and evolved in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, etc., having an extremely diversified character with many… …   Universalium

  • Judaism — /jooh dee iz euhm, day , deuh /, n. 1. the monotheistic religion of the Jews, having its ethical, ceremonial, and legal foundation in the precepts of the Old Testament and in the teachings and commentaries of the rabbis as found chiefly in the… …   Universalium

  • arts, East Asian — Introduction       music and visual and performing arts of China, Korea, and Japan. The literatures of these countries are covered in the articles Chinese literature, Korean literature, and Japanese literature.       Some studies of East Asia… …   Universalium

  • KABBALAH — This entry is arranged according to the following outline: introduction general notes terms used for kabbalah the historical development of the kabbalah the early beginnings of mysticism and esotericism apocalyptic esotericism and merkabah… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Buddhism — Buddhist, n., adj. Buddhistic, Buddhistical, adj. Buddhistically, adv. /booh diz euhm, bood iz /, n. a religion, originated in India by Buddha (Gautama) and later spreading to China, Burma, Japan, Tibet, and parts of southeast Asia, holding that… …   Universalium

  • ANTISEMITISM — ANTISEMITISM, a term coined in 1879, from the Greek ἁντί = anti, and Σημ = Semite by the German agitator wilhelm marr to designate the then current anti Jewish campaigns in Europe. Antisemitism soon came into general use as a term denoting all… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”