1. Constructing a Labour Gospel: Labour and Religion in Early 20th-Century Ontario.
- Author
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Turkstra, Melissa
- Subjects
- *
CHRISTIANITY , *RELIGIONS , *LABOR movement , *SOCIAL movements , *CHURCH , *CLERGY , *INTERNATIONAL alliances , *INTERNATIONAL relations - Abstract
THIS PAPER CONSIDERS the presence of Christianity in the labour movement in early 20th-century Ontario. During this period labour leaders were unquestionably disillusioned with the established churches and did not hesitate to criticize clergy-men for their indifference and hostility to labour's cause. This disillusionment did not mean, however, that organized labour abandoned religion. Both moderate reformist and radical labour leaders articulated a non-sectarian, activist Christianity that helped them frame the issues they were concerned about. Alliances also developed between the churches and labour bodies at the national level and labour-friendly clergy and a small group of labour leaders in industrial centres in southern Ontario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006