Does Holy Day = Holiday? (VERSION 2.0)
Written: Oct 03 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Gives an interesting take about how Sunday has influenced modern American culture.
Cons: McCrossen holds a little bias view on certain Religious looks.
The Bottom Line: Read it for some stirring knowledge on how Sunday has influenced American culture. The book was a decent read, and surprised me as to how good it was.
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| zhouse's Full Review: Alexis McCrossen - Holy Day, Holiday: The American... |
Okay, after writing this review, it seems that it already got trashed. Why? I guess the new status quo doesn't like it, so I'll try to do it again. And to think, I used to be an advisor myself around two years ago.....
I must admit though, this book was actually very enjoyable to read. And now, without further ado, my review:
A SATISFACTORY SUMMARY:
The purpose of this review is to summarize and explain any positive elements of the book Holy Day, Holiday by Alexis McCrossen. Simply put, this book takes a historical account of Sunday during nineteenth-century America because this day takes on its most lasting forms during the nineteenth-century time period. Drawing from numerous sources, such as reports and editorials, pamphlets, tracts, laws, court decisions, personal papers, homemaker’s manuals, diaries, etc., Alexis McCrossen attempts to define the meaning of Sunday. By attempting to define the day of Sunday as McCrossen does in this book, she shows the reader the level of importance and influence that the day of Sunday has had in shaping modern American culture. When reading the book chapter-by-chapter, this element is clearly evident to the reader.
At the beginning of the book, McCrossen discusses the origins of Sunday’s obvious religious overtones, particularly the hard core Christian viewpoints. The concepts of rest and leisure are not yet intermingled in the minds of Americans, and Sunday is kept purely as the day of rest. “Blue Laws” are issued by Puritans during colonial times to regulate morality, which declares strict adherence to the observance of the Sabbath (the Sabbath equates to Sunday, according to Sabbatarians). The Sabbatarian point-of-view held Sunday as a day where all people must keep the day holy by resting from the previous week’s work and to unequivocally worship God; unfortunately, disputes over what constitute work, rest, and culture signal a change in what Sunday means to the majority of the American people. Discussions over the trepidation over the controversial occurrence of transporting and delivering United States Mail on Sunday’s takes place during the antebellum period of the United States. Protests of the federal government’s decision to authorize of Sunday mail delivery not only activated fears about possible abuses of the federal government’s sovereignty, but also attracted national attention to the dilemma of Sunday. Once all arguments are made in this debate, many people see the necessity of constant information flow in what was then a newborn nation.
As the decades went on in the United States, the meaning of Sunday starts to change from a day of rest to a day of leisure. The book now gives descriptions of Sunday from three different fronts: the frontier, the cities, and during the Civil War. On the frontier, Overlanders and Gold Rushers saw every day as a fight for survival, therefore the traditional observance of the Sunday Sabbath is not a feasible idea to them. In the cities throughout the nation, the “Continental Sabbath,” a cosmopolitan celebration that sought to remake Sunday as a day of pleasure, recreation, and enjoyment. During the Civil War, both the Union and the Rebels moved troops and held battles during Sundays, despite orders from their superior commanders. In each instance discussed in this chapter, ideals differing from the “Traditional Sabbath” begin to rear its head due to the harsh practicalities of survival during that time. Debates over what work and rest really are begin to take hold; the traditional labels of work and rest start to unravel.
The next few chapters specifically discuss the circumstances that lead to the changes that equate rest with leisure. Dialogue over the relationship between culture and democracy opens up; these questions create new hopes for Sunday. Liberal Protestants argue that Sunday should be remade into a day of culture, a day with recreation and amusement rather than preaching and wordy prayer. The new types of options that open up for the day of Sunday show the benefits and problems that arise when leisure truly beings to override rest as the foremost method to utilize a Sunday. Groups would attempt to fashion Sunday into an access way for culture, enabling people from all walks of life to educate and better themselves. Museums, libraries, and world fairs are several of the institutions available for cultural improvement. Excursions, spectacles, and commerce also aide in the development of Sunday’s a day of leisure. Due to massive technological improvements over train and other transportation systems and the relatively simple way to access a train for travel, Sunday excursions become a natural activity for the day. Coupled with the increased use of horse carriages, the use of the term “Sunday Drive” increasingly grows during this time. Another consequence for the improved transportation systems is increased commerce during Sundays. Finally, Sunday also provides families with fashionable activities and special family togetherness. After working a full week, fathers can spend lots of “quality time” with their wives and children. This basis promotes the beginning of a standard that eventually leads to a way to promote traditional family values, and allows for a better use of Sunday for the family.
The level of importance and influence the day of Sunday has had in shaping American culture has been subtle yet enlightening. The trials and tribulations Americans go through in order to establish Sunday as a day of rest is obvious, but defining the term rest perplexes the American people for a long time. Going from a biblical observation of the Sabbath, attending church and reflecting on the gift of the Sabbath that God has given, to enjoying a day off work by amusement and recreation, otherwise celebrating a day of leisure, shows that American culture has opened up greatly. By keeping the day of Sunday as a day of rest and leisure from the rest of the work week (during these modern times), it shows the growth the American culture goes through from Sabbatarian law dictating the terms of rest to people exercising their individual freedom in enjoying their “day of rest” in any way they see fit.
END OF SUMMARY
Overall, Alexis McCrossen gives the reader a book with an intriguing hook: How should someone spend their free time?
I never realized how important the day of Sunday was in my life; Sundays were just the days before school started again (a.k.a. Mondays).
Well, this book shows the debate over how a person should spend their free time. McCrossen uses the perspective of Sunday as her main premise because this day has always had some sort of sway with the American public - past and present.
Personal beliefs aside, I happen to agree with the "liberal" side of the book's argument about a person's choosing a day of leisure (a day of recreation and amusement) instead of a day of rest (a day of Church followed by contemplating God for the rest of the day a.k.a. idleness) for their Sunday. Since this is my final semester of classes before I earn my Bachelor's degree, using my Sundays to study and catch up in school work or to spend time with friends and family (which is a very rare occurrence to me these past few months) is a necessity to me.
And having someone ordering me to spend my "free time" some "proper" way really doesn't sit well with me.
See, I never knew average people like me back in the 19th and early 20th centuries had to go through this type of game; it shows the upheaval they went through helped shape the world I live in and the type of culture I see everyday.
FINAL WRAP UP: I highly recommend picking up this book; not only for history buffs but for anyone looking for something different to read.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
zhouse
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Member: Manny Z.
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 79
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