By Shannon Bennett, Student
US Religious Records Part 1 was a bit mind-blowing for me. Let me explain why, because it might not seem like it should have been. Let’s start with the fact that my parents are not religious and my grandparents were not either. In fact, only a couple of my great-grandparents even attended church regularly. It’s just not a thing in my family. While some people find that odd, it was a decision made a long time ago that I never really thought about.
National Cathedral. Official standard prayer book of America, 1892. Library of Congress LC-H814-T-C04-249
I know that basic tenants of major religions. My parents felt it was important for me to experience and learn as much as I wanted or could. They didn’t want to force religion on me but thought something that important was my decision.
It’s not like I have never gone to church, I have, but it was always as an intrigued outsider looking in. When I was in elementary school my best friend was Jewish and the two of us would spend hours talking about Christianity vs Judaism much to the displeasure of her mom.
Just because religion isn’t a part of my life doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a part of my ancestors’ lives. Which is why I was excited to take this course. The three courses I took in religious studies at University helped lay a lot of historical basis for me, but of course they didn’t prepare me for what I need to know as a genealogist.
Records, documents, memoirs and so much more are waiting for us in these religious records. Since a majority are not digitized this is a great example of how there could be information just waiting for us out there. Waiting for us in a room and the only way we can break down our wall is to go there. Sounds like a lot of fun to me!
Don’t be misled that this was easy. There was a lot of information and I know this is only part 1 of 2 so there is more coming. It makes me anxious to start the next section. Wonder what I will learn in those pages?
See you online!
