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New Directions in Narrative History
Sarah Osborn's World: The Rise of Evangelical Christianity in Early America
A colonial woman's riveting personal journal and correspondence opens a window on America's first-generation evangelicals
In 1743, sitting quietly with pen in hand, Sarah Osborn pondered how to tell the story of her life, how to make sense of both her spiritual awakening and the sudden destitution of her family. Remarkably, the memoir she created that year survives today, as do more than two thousand additional pages she composed over the following three decades. Sarah Osborn's World is the first book to mine this remarkable woman’s prolific personal and spiritual record. Catherine Brekus recovers the largely forgotten story of Sarah Osborn's life as one of the most charismatic female religious leaders of her time, while also connecting her captivating story to the rising evangelical movement in eighteenth-century America. A schoolteacher in Rhode Island, a wife, and a mother, Sarah Osborn led a remarkable revival in the 1760s that brought hundreds of people, including many slaves, to her house each week. Her extensive written record—encompassing issues ranging from the desire to be "born again" to a suspicion of capitalism—provides a unique vantage point from which to view the emergence of evangelicalism. Brekus sets Sarah Osborn's experience in the context of her revivalist era and expands our understanding of the birth of the evangelical movement—a movement that transformed Protestantism in the decades before the American Revolution.
In 1743, sitting quietly with pen in hand, Sarah Osborn pondered how to tell the story of her life, how to make sense of both her spiritual awakening and the sudden destitution of her family. Remarkably, the memoir she created that year survives today, as do more than two thousand additional pages she composed over the following three decades. Sarah Osborn's World is the first book to mine this remarkable woman’s prolific personal and spiritual record. Catherine Brekus recovers the largely forgotten story of Sarah Osborn's life as one of the most charismatic female religious leaders of her time, while also connecting her captivating story to the rising evangelical movement in eighteenth-century America. A schoolteacher in Rhode Island, a wife, and a mother, Sarah Osborn led a remarkable revival in the 1760s that brought hundreds of people, including many slaves, to her house each week. Her extensive written record—encompassing issues ranging from the desire to be "born again" to a suspicion of capitalism—provides a unique vantage point from which to view the emergence of evangelicalism. Brekus sets Sarah Osborn's experience in the context of her revivalist era and expands our understanding of the birth of the evangelical movement—a movement that transformed Protestantism in the decades before the American Revolution.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 11, 2019
I found this well-researched, historically-critical (in best sense of that term) of a poor Puritan woman insightful and, at times, disturbing. Being familiar with Puritanism, the writings of Edwards, and critiques on the Enlightenment's transformation of Christianity--Brekus' introduction to this unknown individual filled in some gaps and challenged some of my positive assessments of that time period.
Sarah Osborn was an afflicted woman and an intimidating Jesus-lover. Her self-loathing, almost paranoid obsession of idolatry and lack of grace in being able to grieve, lament and interpret all suffering as punishment for sin or lesson-to-be-learned shows a dark side to Puritanism's pursuit of God. At the same time, her life of radical sacrifice and absolute surrender to the supremacy and goodness of God leaves me lost in the dust of lukewarm, compromising devotion by comparison.
A few quotes:
"she was determined to find evidence of God's compassion in the midst of his wrath." This quote is in the context of extreme poverty as the British ransacked her town, destroyed her life-long church and left her mostly alone without any help in her aging years.
"If Sarah Osborn's voice still has the power to inspire people today, it is because of her vision of the world as flawed, transient, and yet infused with grace."
Sarah Osborn was an afflicted woman and an intimidating Jesus-lover. Her self-loathing, almost paranoid obsession of idolatry and lack of grace in being able to grieve, lament and interpret all suffering as punishment for sin or lesson-to-be-learned shows a dark side to Puritanism's pursuit of God. At the same time, her life of radical sacrifice and absolute surrender to the supremacy and goodness of God leaves me lost in the dust of lukewarm, compromising devotion by comparison.
A few quotes:
"she was determined to find evidence of God's compassion in the midst of his wrath." This quote is in the context of extreme poverty as the British ransacked her town, destroyed her life-long church and left her mostly alone without any help in her aging years.
"If Sarah Osborn's voice still has the power to inspire people today, it is because of her vision of the world as flawed, transient, and yet infused with grace."
April 11, 2019
This is a sympathetic portrayal of a person who has some awkward or unattractive traits. She’s probably too pious and “narrow” for most audiences today, but Brekus really gets at the world she lived in and what’s going on in her heart, to the extent that’s possible I really appreciated the economic and Enlightenment context for the evangelical movement. My students were most impacted by reading about her relationship with people of African descent, some of whom she had enslaved herself. This is a touching view of a critical point in US history from the perspective of those on the margins.
October 20, 2022
a really profound work of archival research. this kind of micro history is really interesting to me and i’m sure it’s incredibly challenging to create. one thing i really liked was the way brekus continually incorporated outside context to osborn’s works in order to position her within the broader moment.
March 12, 2018
First off, I'll give credit where credit is due: The story of Sarah Osborn is an interesting one. Learning about the everyday life of Puritans and other Congregationalists was very interesting, but ...
THIS BOOK WAS BORING BEYOND BELIEF.
Maybe I found it boring because I'm not a church or religious history scholar, but a political and military history scholar.
If church history is your cup of tea, give this book a shot. But if you're not into church history, I would stay away -- far away.
THIS BOOK WAS BORING BEYOND BELIEF.
Maybe I found it boring because I'm not a church or religious history scholar, but a political and military history scholar.
If church history is your cup of tea, give this book a shot. But if you're not into church history, I would stay away -- far away.
October 5, 2024
2-3 Read for a class. I appreciate that Osborn is a voice when men were the dominant voices in New England during the Enlightenment. I'm familiar with many of her struggles and doubts. She's wants to be a faithful Christian in the midst of a lot of poverty and hardship. I'd rather have read more of her diaries and memoir than interpretations of them
March 16, 2022
One of the best academic history books I have read. It really balances giving insight into who Sarah Osborn was as a person while also using her as a point of entry for understanding the many dynamics present at that time in pre-Revolutionary War America.
June 22, 2020
This is one of the best books about 18th-century religion and women's experiences of religion in northern British colonies.
January 21, 2020
Good achievement of biographical history.
February 14, 2017
Exactly the encompassing-cultural-history-of-ideas microhistory that I've always wanted!
November 10, 2016
In the study of religion in early America, here is a rarity. An evangelical woman who actually preached and was published in the 1700s. She lived into her 80s, although was blind and crippled in her later years, but still dictated her thoughts and lessons to friends almost to the end. This book which gives insight into the evangelicalism in the 18th century is possible because she wrote a memoir and kept a daily diary (only part of which has survived). It's difficult to read her own self abasement, but mankind's unworthiness and baseness was drilled into the churchgoers of the time.
In addition to the insight into the religion of the time, this book is an eye-opening look into the life of an impoverished struggling woman in Newport, Rhode Island during this time - as well as a look at the society of Newport itself. Just getting enough wood to avoid freezing in a New England winter was a struggle. Very interesting and amazing story.
In addition to the insight into the religion of the time, this book is an eye-opening look into the life of an impoverished struggling woman in Newport, Rhode Island during this time - as well as a look at the society of Newport itself. Just getting enough wood to avoid freezing in a New England winter was a struggle. Very interesting and amazing story.
December 17, 2016
One of my favorites this year. Brekus beautifully draws the reader into Sarah's thoughts, ideas, and experiences giving life to this eighteenth century evangelical leader. This book is well written, thoughtful and deeply challenging. I invite others to read this as we wrestle with how to live in our changing world.
July 9, 2013
Here's my review of Sarah Osborn's World, at the Gospel Coalition http://thegospelcoalition.org/book-re...
January 30, 2014
An exceptionally well-researched and beautifully written book.
February 18, 2016
Hard to read about Evangelicalism because it's so batshit to me but damn this is how history should be written
November 22, 2016
Wow, excellent!!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews