In the 1830s, the growing popularity of evangelical sects and Christian revivalism led to a high number of sex scandals. While most sex scandals were recorded between clergymen and female parishioners, a fair few were the results of attempts to shame women out of ascending to the pulpit by spreading rumors of promiscuity. One unique case of these evangelical sex scandals is that of Eleazer Sherman, the only documented scandal between members of the same sex. Sherman's trial, though it was on a much smaller scale than some scandals, was very significant in terms of understanding the relationship between Christianity and sexuality at that point, due to its multifaceted nature. (Jazper Schmidt)

There are three ways that the trial of Eleazer Sherman highlights what we know about religion, gender and sexuality in the early 19th century: the significance of gender transgressions, the significance of intimacy and homosexuality, and how expressions of male sexuality and sex reform changed during that time. (Jazper Schmidt)