Shaking the Faith

Set in the early 19th century, the narrative follows Mary Marshall Dyer, who transitions from being a Shaker to leading a fervent anti-Shaker movement after her husband’s increasing devotion to the sect leads to a personal crisis. Her quest to reclaim her children and her subsequent activism over fifty years highlight the societal tensions surrounding family, religion, and gender in pre-Civil War America. Through her writings and public engagement, Dyer's experiences illuminate the complexities of individual agency and community dynamics during a transformative era.