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The Foxfire Series #7
Foxfire 7
First published in 1972, The Foxfire Book was a surprise bestseller that brought Appalachia's philosophy of simple living to hundreds of thousands of readers. Whether you wanted to hunt game, bake the old-fashioned way, or learn the art of successful moonshining, The Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center had a contact who could teach you how with clear, step-by-step instructions.
The seventh Foxfire volume explores the traditions of mountain religious heritage--including ministers, revivals, baptisms, gospel-singing, faith healing, camp meetings, snake handling--and more.
The seventh Foxfire volume explores the traditions of mountain religious heritage--including ministers, revivals, baptisms, gospel-singing, faith healing, camp meetings, snake handling--and more.
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 29, 2024
This was my least favorite in the Foxfire series so far, but it was all about religion in Appalachia, from denominations and sects of those to snake handling and foot washing. Some of it was interesting, as I remember my parents recalling dinner on the grounds and revivals in the Deep South (not Appalachia).
This from the section on Methodists I found interesting, as my mother also relayed the same story referring to her father and walking to school.
“ I can remember when my mother made my dresses to my ankles and I had to wear them there. She’d make my step-ins to come down, you know. And, I didn’t think I wanted to wear them down there long. When I’d get to school, I’d roll them up. I’d pull them ( down) before I’d get back home. They’d make nice, you know. They’d put trimming on them. I thought that was a little too tacky. I didn’t like it.”
This from the section on Methodists I found interesting, as my mother also relayed the same story referring to her father and walking to school.
“ I can remember when my mother made my dresses to my ankles and I had to wear them there. She’d make my step-ins to come down, you know. And, I didn’t think I wanted to wear them down there long. When I’d get to school, I’d roll them up. I’d pull them ( down) before I’d get back home. They’d make nice, you know. They’d put trimming on them. I thought that was a little too tacky. I didn’t like it.”
August 5, 2020
Foxfire 7 talks of all things religious in the Appalachian mountain country. Much of it leaks down to the foothills and piedmont, where I am from, so there are parts of this that I grew up with and other parts, more extreme and uncommon, that I had only read or heard about. This is a very complete, well-written, and, if you’re into this kind of thing, extremely interesting book.
January 30, 2021
Everything you could ever imagine wanting to know about southern religion. And a little bit more. No one should research the south, or American Christianity as it used to be without first reading this book. It's unforgettable, but you'll want to page through it again and again.
This volume is different from all the other Foxfire books. This is American history. And it's an excellent history, especially now, when the goals of Christianity have changed so very much. So much as to be nearly unrecognizable. Frankly, it kind of saddened me the last time I took a skim through it, because it's virtually all gone now. Religion has become a vehicle for politics, and that applies to all denominations, because under the circumstances, it has to. Even inclusive houses of worship have to "state their positions" on climate change, evolution, oh just everything that really needn't be discussed in a church, and especially shouldn't be a litmus test for fellowshipping there. I personally would like to find a place where people get together to share their hopes, their sadnesses and their joys all in fellowship with others who will not push them about "who you should vote for that aligns with our values." That was never what it was supposed to be about! Those matters really don't belong, one way or the other.
In the south, people held "dinner on the grounds" to make sure everyone ate for the next week and no one asked any questions about who brought what! Back in the day, houses of worship, particularly down south, were places where other people cared about their neighbors, and a stranger was just someone you had not yet met. Yes, they tended to be segregated, but that was NOT always true! Black churches were especially welcoming toward interested whites. Nowadays, in a post-Dylan-Roof world, that's not the same. I would feel nervous walking into a black church, knowing every eye was suspicious that I'd come to do harm, perhaps great harm.
This just was not how it was pre-1980. I grew up down south from 12-21, and went to a variety of different churches with friends. (I am non-practicing Jewish, so everyone was wanting to save me! But it wasn't out of prejudice; it was out of love and sincerity, which is why I accepted every invitation.) Everyone was always welcome, no one was dangerous, and the warmth radiated for the rest of the day. Sure, they tried hard to help you reach salvation, but there was never a sense of reproach if that didn't happen. They just kept on trying.
Back in the 70s, we had televangelism already, but ask anyone who attended in person, to an arena as if it were a rock concert, and many will tell you it was amusing watching Ernest Angely going around "healing" people as his silly toupee slipped - on live television! We'd sit in the nosebleed section and have a good belly-laugh. Now, none of this is funny. Or generally and genuinely heartfelt, or welcoming. So, I do think it's good for students and researchers to find out how it really used to be so they can see how everything changed.
This volume is different from all the other Foxfire books. This is American history. And it's an excellent history, especially now, when the goals of Christianity have changed so very much. So much as to be nearly unrecognizable. Frankly, it kind of saddened me the last time I took a skim through it, because it's virtually all gone now. Religion has become a vehicle for politics, and that applies to all denominations, because under the circumstances, it has to. Even inclusive houses of worship have to "state their positions" on climate change, evolution, oh just everything that really needn't be discussed in a church, and especially shouldn't be a litmus test for fellowshipping there. I personally would like to find a place where people get together to share their hopes, their sadnesses and their joys all in fellowship with others who will not push them about "who you should vote for that aligns with our values." That was never what it was supposed to be about! Those matters really don't belong, one way or the other.
In the south, people held "dinner on the grounds" to make sure everyone ate for the next week and no one asked any questions about who brought what! Back in the day, houses of worship, particularly down south, were places where other people cared about their neighbors, and a stranger was just someone you had not yet met. Yes, they tended to be segregated, but that was NOT always true! Black churches were especially welcoming toward interested whites. Nowadays, in a post-Dylan-Roof world, that's not the same. I would feel nervous walking into a black church, knowing every eye was suspicious that I'd come to do harm, perhaps great harm.
This just was not how it was pre-1980. I grew up down south from 12-21, and went to a variety of different churches with friends. (I am non-practicing Jewish, so everyone was wanting to save me! But it wasn't out of prejudice; it was out of love and sincerity, which is why I accepted every invitation.) Everyone was always welcome, no one was dangerous, and the warmth radiated for the rest of the day. Sure, they tried hard to help you reach salvation, but there was never a sense of reproach if that didn't happen. They just kept on trying.
Back in the 70s, we had televangelism already, but ask anyone who attended in person, to an arena as if it were a rock concert, and many will tell you it was amusing watching Ernest Angely going around "healing" people as his silly toupee slipped - on live television! We'd sit in the nosebleed section and have a good belly-laugh. Now, none of this is funny. Or generally and genuinely heartfelt, or welcoming. So, I do think it's good for students and researchers to find out how it really used to be so they can see how everything changed.
January 13, 2016
Foxfire 7: Ministers, church members, revivals, baptisms, shaped-note and gospel singing, faith healing, campmeetings, footwashing, snake handling, and other traditions of mountain religious heritage (The Foxfire Series #7) by Eliot Wigginton (Editor), Foxfire Students (Anchor Press 1982) (917.58). More transcribed interviews by the students at Rabun County High School in Georgia with their rural elders (See The Foxfire Book). My rating: 7.5/10, finished 1982.
February 26, 2008
For me, not as good as the others in the series so far - I like the variety and the practicality of a lot of the material, and this volume is all about the culture's religious beliefs and practices, which I don't share and in which I am not nearly as interested. This would probably be a good read for anyone who is particularly interested in Christianity or religion in general.
April 28, 2011
A Great Series on how on people use to do thing when they were mostly self sufficient, and not store dependent different volumes cover everything from snake handling. to log cabin building to planting by the seasons, a must for DIY'ers and survivalists. Check out amazon.com for individual contents.
May 6, 2012
This are some strange books. They are educational in nature, but sometimes they go meandering about in some places that are uncharted territory for most of us. There are a lot of lost skill sets that are covered in these books as well as a lot of unusual traditions. Sometimes the writing can be rather dry, but they are awesome with the knowledge factor.
September 5, 2011
A collection of oral history from the Appachalian Mountain region of the south.
September 28, 2011
Has a lot of information about the different denominations in the Appalachia. It's a pretty good read
January 20, 2012
Well, I was reading it. But I gave it to Leslie to read about shape note singing. Now she is passing it on to another member of her shape note group. I'll get it back sometime.
April 3, 2013
Snake Handlin!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews