This work covers the story of an important antebellum reform movement: ecclesiastical abolitionism. It covers the struggle among the most radical religions to purge their churches and society of sin, especially slavery, and their uncompromising efforts to force morality into political discourse.

Perfectionist Politics is the story of an important, but overlooked, antebellum reform movement: ecclesiastical abolitionism. Douglas M. Strong examines those radical evangelical Protestants who seceded from proslavery denominations and reorganized themselves into independent antislavery congregations.

Mirroring political abolitionist activity -- particularly in the "burned-over district" of New York State -- the ecclesiastical abolitionists formed a network of abolition churches and became the primary focus of Liberty Party electioneering strategy.

Ecclesiastical abolitionists justified this clear connection between church and state through the ethical experience of evangelical perfectionism. A vote for the Liberty Party became a mark of one's holiness. Perfectionist concepts also provided ecclesiastical abolitionists with a theological compass that enabled them to steer a middle course between two poles of U.S. democratic society -- the need for institutional structure on one hand and the desire for greater individual liberty on the other.

Strong contends that Liberty Party politics can be understood only as part of a broader perfectionist religious culture and specifically as an antebellum reflection of the popularized theological principle of "entire sanctification".

Many believe that American Protestantism has long been divided into two groups: those concerned with the impact of religion in the public sphere and those concerned with private faith, individual morality, and personal evangelism. Douglas Strong provides examples of people over the last 150 years who bridged the apparent chasm between these two groups and were able to nurture a deep personal piety while simultaneously working to transform society.