In many ways, it is the great untold story of the Civil War
that so devastated the United States.
In the fall and winter of 1863-64, a “great revival”
took place among the Confederate and Union forces – and tens of thousands
of soldiers were converted.
In many ways, it is the great untold story of the Civil War
that so devastated the United States.
In the fall and winter of 1863-64, a “great revival”
took place among the Confederate and Union forces – and tens of thousands
of soldiers were converted.
In a war in which 620,000 died – more than in all other
American wars combined – men sought the solace of God in great numbers,
and chapels could not hold the soldiers who wanted to attend.
Volumes upon volumes have been written about the violent Civil
War battles within the divided nation. But the devout faith of men on both sides
of the fight rarely has been chronicled.
However, now, readers and audiences can discover the religious
beliefs of those who fought on both sides of the Civil War in a new Broadman
and Holman book, “Faith in God and Generals: An Anthology of Faith, Hope,
and Love in the American Civil War.” The book was released Jan. 31 and
serves as a companion resource to a major motion picture, “Gods and Generals,”
which opens this month.
The book was compiled by Ted Baehr and Susan Wales. Baehr is
founder/publisher of Movieguide. Wales is an author, speaker, producer and radio
personality.
Their book contains writings and photographs related to the
lives of such Civil War personalities as Abraham Lincoln, Thomas “Stonewall”
Jackson, Clara Barton and Frederick Douglas.
Much of the information in the book was compiled through letters
and diary entries of people who lived during the Civil War and from articles
written by history experts, Baehr said.
In compiling the book, Wales said she gained “an appreciation
for these great men and women who lived before us and strove to make our world
a better place.
“I pray we can do the same for our children and the generations
to come by learning from their mistakes and their successes as we make choices
and decisions for our country, our businesses and in our own personal lives,”
she said.
Many of those fighting for both the Union and Confederacy were
devoutly faithful people who trusted Jesus Christ, Wales said. People on both
sides prayed for God to bless their cause, but ultimately, Gods own purposes
prevailed.
“The North believed they were fighting to set the captives
free, and southerners truly believed they were on Gods side, since slavery
was condoned in biblical times,” she explained.
In fact, the book quotes a bewildered Abraham Lincoln, who
wonders whose side God is on, crying out: “We, on our side, are praying
him to give us victory, because we believe we are right; but those on the other
side pray him, too, for victory, believing they are right. What must he think
of us?”
Sometimes, humans can understand just a little bit of Gods
will at a time, Wales suggested.
“Apparently, the (Civil War) fight had to be fought, and
the blood had to be shed for the slaves to be freed, just as Christs blood
had to be shed on the cross for our spiritual freedom,” she said.
Both the book and the movie juxtapose the tragedy of lost dreams
and brutal battles – when friends and family members often fought against
each other – with the impressive faith and patriotism of those who hoped
to build a better world through the struggle, Baehr said.
“We tried to present history as accurately as possible,”
he emphasized. “This is pretty strong stuff. But I hope people will see
how important faith was to those who have gone before them and think about how
important faith is today.”
The faith of those who fought on both sides of the Civil War
serves as a great example to Americans today during a time when fewer people
stick to deeply-held convictions, Wales said.
“They were confident of eternal life and a better place
and looked forward to their death despite the outcome of the war,” she
said. “They were willing to die for what they believed in, right or wrong,
and trusted that they would find their answers in heaven.”
Baehr said he hopes the book will help readers gain insights
into their own lives.
“We want to reaffirm the faith thats so much a part
of our nations history and, in doing so, give people insights into the
past that can help them understand Gods vision for our future,” he
said.
Baehr also urged evangelicals to support the “Gods and
Generals” film.
“The entire future of this incredible, faith-filled movie
rests on how well it does in the first few weeks and, indeed, the very first
weekend at the box office,” he said.
The film “captures the triumph of faith and love in the
midst of tragedy – a message we need to hear as the world continues to
struggle with war and division,” Baehr said.
“Gods and Generals” is based on a novel of the same
title by Jeff Shaara. It begins in early 1861 and continues through 1863, climaxing
with the Battle of Chancellorsville. It is a prequel to the 1993 film “Gettysburg,”
featuring much of the same cast and intended to be the first of a trilogy.
The film largely looks at Confederate General Stonewall Jackson
and Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The strong faith of both men is portrayed
unapologetically.
The film is long – three-and-a-half hours. It is rated PG-13 due to sustained
battle sequences. Additional information is available at www.godsandgenerals.com.
(BP)