Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Myth of Innocence & Southern Churches of Christ

Richard Hughes writes,

"A profound sense of innocence characterized the American experience for much of the twentieth century, especially between World War I and the 1960s. Some periods were exceptions to that generalization, of course. The Great Depression, for example, generated enormous doubt and despair, not only among blacks and other minorities, but also among whites."

"Still, in the mainstream of American life, most had no doubt about the ultimate meaning of their nation: America stood for good against evil, right against wrong, democracy against tyranny, and virtue against vice. What can account for this extraordinary sense of innocence that many in years later would view as profoundly naive?"