Render unto Caesar, render unto God: Texas denominational colleges and universities and the politics of the Civil War era.

Abstract

This dissertation is a study of church-state relations. Its overarching goal is to illuminate the manner in which religion and government interact. The setting for this study is the Civil War era, which includes the period from the 1840s to the 1880s. The actors in this study are the state of Texas, Texas denominational colleges and universities, church leaders, and key educational pioneers. Analysis is limited to three specific denominations: the Baptists, the Methodists, and the Presbyterians. Its central argument is that Texas denominational colleges and universities reflected and promoted the social and political values of Texas during the Civil War era. Supporting evidence for this argument is provided by bringing together religious history and educational history. The topics and questions examined are varied. One chapter is devoted to the question of how both church and state viewed the role of denominational colleges and universities. The remaining chapters focus on specific political and social questions. They cover the response by Texas denominational colleges and universities to slavery, secession, and reconstruction. To document this response, particular attention is paid to the formal and informal curriculum.