Church and State: Religion’s Role in the Democratic System
William Jennings
Bryan’s resignation from the position of Secretary of State effectively ended
his political career. Additionally,
society as a whole was moving left of Bryan, causing him to be an anachronistic
figure with little political influence.
The conventions of 1920 assured Bryan of this shift, as he realized that
his ideas no longer coincided with the leadership or general majority of either
political party. Therefore, he appealed
to the churches for support of his reforms.
The fundamentalist leader encouraged the churches to become more morally
responsible. Bryan was convinced that
the church’s role should reach beyond instruction of the individual and
enlighten society about its immoralities.
He questioned, “What is a church for if it is not to stand for morality
in all things and everywhere.”[1]
Bryan encouraged the churchgoers to become more active in
politics. He espoused the election of
godly men and support of moral legislation as another method of Christian
service. “Whenever God is as faithfully
served at the ballot box as He is in the church, it may be depended upon that
the era of trusts, of imperialism, of spoliation, and of corruption will be at
an end, and the probability of evils in public life will be reduced to the
minimum.”[2] However, the excesses of the Guilded Age
did not result in many victories for Bryan and his causes. His position in society continued to
deteriorate in this era as his fundamentalism compromised his position in
society. By the time of his death in
1925, he was seen as a failure and religious radical due to the Scopes Monkey
Trial.
William Jennings Bryan:
A Conservative Progressive
World War I: The
Destruction of a Dream
Church and State:
Religion's Role in a Democratic System
Bryan's Downfall:
Evolution and the Scopes Monkey Trial
This
page was created by Kristy Owens
Email
any questions to:
This
page was last updated on March 30, 2001