On The Relation Between Religion And American Abolition Movement

America is a country built up by immigrants from different countries, and they came here with different religions forming a situation of many sections and many Christians. Many important events including the abolition movement in American history were deeply influenced by religion. Guided by historical materialism, the thesis tries to study the history of American abolition movement from the religious angle, making a deep, all-round and concrete historical investigation on the relation between religion and abolition movement.There are both important academic values and realistic meanings in studying the relation between religion and American abolition movement. Recognizing the relation between religion and American abolition movement is one of the premises and foundations of studying the history of abolition movement from religious angle, and contributes to deepening our understanding of abolition movement and grasping its historical truth. Meanwhile, correctly understanding the relation between religion and American abolition movement can provide useful reference for us when we handle realistic problems. It contributes not only to deeply understanding current international situations and handling well the diplomacy about America, but also to building a socialistic core system of values, strengthening our national cohesion, and stirring up Chinese people to devote themselves to the target of building a well-off society in an all-round way.In order to recognizing clearly the relation between religion and American abolition movement, we must understand three key problems including the historical background and motive power of religion getting involved in the abolition movement, religious impact and effect on the abolition movement, and historical limits of religion getting involved in the abolition movement. This thesis will mainly analysis and discuss these three key problems.There are deep historical reasons for religion getting involved in the abolition movement. First, the influence of European tradition provides history genes for the religion attending the abolition movement. Second, the influence of the Enlightenment provides the ideological impetus. Third, the Great Awakening arouses Christianity's enthusiasm to take part in the abolition movement. The third reason is the most important among them.Religion makes a notable impact on the beginning and development of the abolition movement. From the practical angle, there are five effects. Firstly, religion provides ideological bases for the abolition movement. Secondly, religion provides mental power for abolitionists. Thirdly, clergymen and Christians act as propagandists of the abolition movement, disseminating their views among the public. Fourthly, churches and Christians make a notable impact on establishing abolition organizations and helping the Black. Finally, clergymen and Christians act as an important role in fostering abolitionists.We also should see that religion has unavoidable historical limits in getting involved in the abolition movement. Firstly, slavery problem's non-center position in religious issues influences the result of religion's getting involved in the abolition movement. Secondly, moral criticism about the slavery doesn't touch slavery problem to its source. Thirdly, the equivocalness of Bible weakens its ideological strength as the anti-slavery basis. Fourthly, the defect of the struggle tactics influences the result of religion's getting involved in the abolition movement. Finally, the church schism weakens the religion's power of involving in the abolition movement.When researchers discuss the history of the abolition movement, they often notice the function of religious factors easily, however they also often overestimate the function easily. Through careful research about the relation between religion and abolition movement, we know that the fact is not so simple. The relation between religion and the abolition movement is not pure pushing and being-pushed, but a still more complicated one. Only if we hold firmly to the dialectical and historical viewpoint, will we get all-round and accurate understanding of the relation between religion and abolition movement.