The Influence of Christianity on the Life of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson

Download or read book The Influence of Christianity on the Life of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson written by Richard M. Biel and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The life story of Thomas Jonathan 'Stonewall' Jackson has been thoroughly researched by historians much more competent than myself. To merely write another biography of Stonewall Jackson, I feel, would be a very weak topic for an M.A. thesis. This biography, however, will go deeper into the dynamics which made Jackson the great leader and man that he was. Most historians tell us that the greatness of Jackson, in the Civil War, can be explained by examining his background. He was trained at the United States Military Academy, he received combat experience during the Mexican War, and he grew as a leader while guiding the cadets at the Virginia Military Institute. I ask the question, can this background alone explain the greatness of Stonewall Jackson? I feel that a careful examination of existing documents will reveal that religion, specifically Christianity, influenced Stonewall Jackson more than anything else. This biography will examine the life of Jackson, but it will also show that his personality, conduct, and his impact upon history cannot be understood apart from an understanding of his Christian faith. The key to Stonewall Jackson was his Christianity. All men wrestle with fundamental questions. The general, the politician, and the diplomat all, in one way or another, ask the following questions: Who am I? What is the world around me like? How can I be happy? Which things are truly important? While the questions are answered differently, the answers affect every decision a person makes. For Confederate Lieutenant General Thomas Jonathan 'Stonewall' Jackson, the answers included his intense faith in Jesus Christ. The promises of Christianity were real to him in a way that a more skeptical age cannot easily comprehend. Jackson's troops observed their commander praying, and this gave them the psychological advantage of knowing that God was on their side. This partially explains why Jackson's troops had such tremendous confidence in him as a leader. The troops felt that God would not abandon the brave, pious General Jackson. Subsequently, victory followed victory. Was this type of leadership taught at West Point? Did he learn it during the Mexican War? Das it part of the curriculum at V.M.I.? The answer is no. To understand the effectiveness of Stonewall Jackson as a military leader we must understand the influence of Christianity on his life. The faith of Stonewall Jackson did not begin with the Civil War. He developed his faith from scratch, and this biography will trace his spiritual pilgrimage. Chapters 1 and 2 will discuss his difficult childhood and his four tough years at West Point. An orphan, Jackson was raised by his uncle. While his mother was a spiritual influence, his uncle was irreligious, and it seems that the primary objects of Jackson's early worship were the twin deities of ambition and determination. As a cadet at West Point, Jackson developed a strict personal moral code. His view of God was a simplistic one. He considered God an impersonal, stern controller of destinies. Upon graduation from West Point, Jackson had an intense under- standing of right and wrong, and he had a deep respect for God. His spiritual quest had begun, but he did not yet possess the love and joy that would later characterize his spirituality. Chapters 3 and 4 develop the Christian commitment that Jackson would embrace for the rest of his life. The Mexican War found Jackson under the influence of a Captain Taylor. Taylor was impressed with Jackson's sense of duty, and he suggested that it was every man's duty to investigate the principles of the Bible. This Jackson did. Since he was in Mexico, his search began with an examination of Roman Catholicism. Further study convinced Jackson that he ought to examine other denominations. The more he studied, the more Christianity appealed to him. He faced a dilemma after the war, however. Stationed at frontier posts, Jackson had no opportunity to practice his faith as a member of a church. While stationed at Fort Hamilton, New York, Jackson was baptized in the Episcopal Church, but he was reluctant to actually join this denomination. Quarrels with other officers, and a desire to develop his fledgling Christian faith, led Jackson to consider a semimilitary civilian position and resign from the Army. Chapters 5 and 6 reveal the day-to-day expression of Jackson's Christian faith. Chapter 5 specifically deals with Jackson's service to the Lexington Presbyterian Church. It is interesting how his first impressions of the Presby- terian denominaiion were less than favorable. He did, however, join the Presbyterian Church, and he became one of its most diligent members. Jackson not only joined various Christian organizations while serving as a professor at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, but he also founded and taught a Negro Sunday school and served as a deacon. His Christian commitment was expressed in his family life as well as his church service. Chapter 6 provides insight into the home life of Stonewall Jackson. At home Jackson engaged in personal prayer and Bible study which strengthened and encouraged him for the duties of his church and vocation. This biography concludes with Jackson's involvement in the Civil War. Jackson was known as one of the Confeder-acy's outstanding officers, but he was also recognized as an unusually devout officer. Chapter 7 will discuss Jackson's Christianity during the war, and it will also evaluate the spiritual influence he had on those he carne in contact with. Jackson took special care to assemble a staff sympathetic to his religious views. From Harpers Ferry to Chancellorsville, Jackson's theological views, as they related to war, are cited. Important doctrines to Jackson were the providence of God, predestination, prayer, and the importance of giving credit for battle successes to God. Jackson's religion had matured from the struggling faith of a child into the primary object of his thoughts. As he lay dying of pneumonia, with a recently amputated arm, Jackson comforted those who visited him after he was wounded at Chancellorsville by quoting Romans 8:28: 'And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose.' This verse properly summarizes the level of faith found in the life of Thomas Jonathan 'Stonewall' Jackson. During most of his life, and as he lay dying, thoughts of God were on his mind. To define Jackson in military terms alone is to deny the influence of Christianity on his life. To deny the influence of Christianity on his life is to limit our true understanding of the man."--Document.