Appalachian Collection

Catholicism and Judaism in Appalachia


 

Scope

Here is where you will give some general information about your topic as a type of introduction to the researcher. This section is generally about a paragraph in length. Both Catholicism and Judaism have had a significant presence for many years in Appalachia. Although neither religious group has large numbers of practitioners in the Appalachian region, both have maintained a small, but strong voice. Despite the long- standing presence of both these religions, few resources provide a detailed analysis and narrative of Catholicism and Judaism in Appalachia. This pathfinder attempts to provide a starting point in exploring some of the excellent resources that are currently available.

 

Introduction

Since the majority of works concerning Judaism and Appalachia deal with specific churches, cathedrals, temples, or synagogues in either individual towns, dioceses, regions, or states; there are very few general works that provide a broad overview. The most helpful works in obtaining a broad overview are:

McNeil, Lou F. 1999. Catholic Mission and Evangelization. In Christianity in Appalachia: Profiles in Regional Pluralism , ed. Bill J. Leonard. 257-277. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press. ASU APP COLL STACKS: BR535.C45 1999. McNeil's article discusses both the history of Catholicism in Appalachia and possible reasons for the small number of Catholics in Appalachia.

Shinedling, Abraham I. 1963. West Virginia Jewry: Origins and History, 1850-1958. Vols. 1-3. United States of America: Press of Maurice Jacobs, Inc. ASU APP COLL STACKS: F250.J5 S5 v. 1, F250.J5 S5 v. 2, and F250.J5 S5 v. 3. While not providing an analytical overview in the manner of McNeil's article on Catholicism, West Virginia Jewry does provide exhaustive details of the history of Judaism in West Virginia.

 

Subject Headings

When trying to find subject headings relevant to Catholicism and Judaism in Appalachia, the most useful subject headings generally relate to the state and religion or religious group (for example Catholics -- Kentucky). For some states, particularly those on the edges of the Appalachian Regional Commission's definition of Appalachia, such searches will not result in findings related to the "Appalachian" part of the state and religion within that "Appalachian" part. Suggestions on subject headings to consult when researching are based on search results using the Western North Carolina Library Network.

Highly Relevant:

  • Catholic Church -- Appalachian Region
  • Catholic Committee of Appalachia
  • Catholic Church Diocese of Wheeling
  • Catholic Church -- West Virginia
  • Catholic Church -- North Carolina
  • Catholic Church -- South Carolina
  • Catholic Church -- Georgia
  • Catholics -- Kentucky
  • Catholic Church -- Kentucky
  • Catholic Church --Tennessee
  • Catholic Church --Maryland
  • Catholics -- Maryland
  • Catholics -- Pennsylvania
  • Catholics -- Ohio
  • Catholic Church -- Ohio
  • Jews -- Virginia
  • Jews -- West Virginia
  • Jews -- North Carolina
  • Jews -- South Carolina
  • Jews -- Kentucky
  • Jews -- Tennessee

Also Relevant:

  • Christianity -- Appalachian Region
  • Appalachian Region -- Religion
  • Catholic Church -- United States -- Pastoral letters and charges
  • Catholic Church -- Pastoral letters and charges
  • Jews -- Alabama
  • Jews -- Pennsylvania
  • Jews -- Mississippi
  • Jews-- Ohio

More General:

  • Appalachian Region -- Religious Life and Customs
  • Appalachian Region - -Social Conditions
  • Appalachian Region -- Economic Conditions
  • Church Work with the poor -- Appalachian Region
  • Evangelistic work -- Appalachian Region
  • Church and social problems -- Appalachian Region
  • Finkelstein, Leo, 1905-1998

 

Clipping File Subject Headings

Religion is the most relevant subject heading in the clippings file.

 

Library of Congress Call Numbers

The Library of Congress call numbers which correspond to the suggested subject headings are:

  • BM225
  • BR535
  • BX874
  • BX1410
  • BX1415
  • BX4705
  • D810
  • DS146
  • E184
  • F159
  • F180
  • F235
  • F247
  • F249
  • F250
  • F264
  • F265
  • F334
  • F349
  • F444
  • F445
  • F455
  • HC107
  • HD5325
  • PJ5129

 

Frequently Cited or Relevant Books

As mentioned earlier, there are very few books that comprehensively examine all of Judaism or Catholicism; most books on these religions in Appalachia tend to focus on a particular church, temple, or synagogue. Of the books listed as frequently cited or relevant, two are focused in such a manner. Faith in the Mountains is a history of one Catholic diocese, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. A Separate Circle is a chronicle of the Jewish community in Knoxville, Tennessee, which includes both a temple and a synagogue. These two books are included in this pathfinder as representative of the best of such studies of a particular faith community of Judaism or Catholicism in Appalachia. The other three books included in this category are publications of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia and are statements by the Catholic Bishops of Appalachia and reflections on these statements. All three books are frequently cited, especially This Land is Home to Me, and are a powerful summary of the Catholic Bishops' understanding of Appalachia and the role of the Catholic Church in Appalachia.

Besman, Wendy Lowe. 2001. A Separate Circle: Jewish Life in Knoxville, Tennessee. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press. ASU APP COLL STACKS: F444.K7 B47 2001.

Catholic Bishops of Appalachia. 1996. At Home in the Web of Life: A Pastoral Message on Sustainable Communities in Appalachia Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of This Land is Home to Me. Webster Springs, West Virginia: Catholic Committee of Appalachia. ASU APP COLL STACKS: HC107. A13 A8894 1995.

Catholic Bishops of Appalachia. 1985. This Land is Home to Me: A Pastoral Letter on Powerlessness in Appalachia . 10th Anniversary Edition. Whitesburg, Kentucky: Catholic Committee of Appalachia. ASU APP COLL STACKS: BX874.A2 T47 1985.

Hacala, Joseph R. S.J. 1980. Dream of Mountains' Struggle: Appalachian Pastoral Five Years Later . Lancaster, Kentucky: Kentucky Valley Press. ASU APP COLL STACKS: F106.D74 1980.

Pyne, Tricia T. 2000. Faith in the Mountains: A History of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston , 1850-2000. Italy: Editions du Signe. Accession Number: OCLC: 45834276.

 

Journal Articles

As with other resources, journal articles analyzing Catholicism or Judaism in Appalachia are relatively scarce. Of the articles available, the two best were both written by Deborah Weiner and analyzed Judaism in Appalachia. There were found in the journals:

The American Jewish Archives Journal . Cincinnati, Ohio: Jacob Rader Marcus Center. v. 49, 1997 to present. Semiannual. Accession Number: OCLC: 42470120.

Journal of Appalachian Studies . Morgantown, West Virginia: Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University for the Appalachian Studies Association. vol 1, Fall 1995 to present. Semiannual. ASU APP COLL STACKS: F106.J74

 

Biographies

Biographies, particularly of religious leaders, are very often found when searching for information about Catholicism or Judaism in Appalachia. One biography representative of the information typically found is:

A Man Made of Granite . 1974 (?). Parkersburg, West Virginia: Pappas Brothers. ASU APP COLL OVERSIZE: BX4705.S925 35 1974.

 

Internet Resources

The Catholic Committee of Appalachia maintains a very useful website:

http://www.cathcomappalachia.org

http://www.as.wvu.edu

 

Videos

There are very few video resources that specifically examine Catholicism and Judaism in Appalachia; however, two excellent videos do provide an examination of these two religions and their role in the region. This Land is Home To Us provides a brief background on the history of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, while The Righteous Remnant provides a more in-depth look at the Jewish community of Beckley, West Virginia. Both videos are very useful in coming to understand the issues particular to religious groups that are minorities within a region.

This Land is Home To Us: The Catholic Church in West Virginia . 1994. Produced by Office of Communications Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Written and narrated by Father Larry W. Dorsch. Office of Communications Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Videocassette. Ohio County Public Library: Video 282.754 T349.

The Righteous Remnant: Jewish Survival in Appalachia . 1997. Produced and directed by Maryanne Reed. Edited by Murphy Tinsley. 27 mins. First Team Productions. Videocassette. ASU APP COLL VIDEOS: VC 326.

 

Compiler: Sarah Post Calhoun, Date: 04 December 2001