So I'm working on a timeline wherein the Americas remain British, first by gaining limited representation in the House of Commons and later their own self-government. The POD is something vague in the 1730s or 40s, but that is the ultimate result of it.
This obviously means the religious landscape is going to be very different. I still want uniquely American faiths, but with a couple of important factors to take into account.
1. The ethnic makeup is a lot different.
This world's America has about 250 million people. Just shy of 70% of that speak English and are of predominantly British stock, but the largest remaining groups are German, French, Indian and various natives, as well as important Russian and Spanish minorities in Alaska and Florida, respectively. The lower population and different distribution is because settlement is much more controlled by British authorities using land grants and transfers. This obviously means a much more prevalent Lutheran minority, which will obviously have an affect on religious developments.
Notably, there is an absence of Irish Americans due to immigration being heavily restricted from that group specifically; and African Americans make up a much smaller share of the population due to either immigrating back to Africa (particularly British Senegal) or going through a demographic shift earlier (as they are a wealthier demographic ITTL than in ours).
2. Hindus.
In this timeline the British phase out slavery throughout the 1830s, and aside a small dust up in deepest Alabama and the Bahamas this is largely peaceful. This leads to Blacks becoming an urban minority as IOTL, where they fill in roles in the lower-middle and entrepreneurial class (particularly with the absence of Irish and Italians), with the exception of Jamaica which remains almost entirely African. To replace these workers, the British ship in Indian Coolies en masse, and they become this timeline's preferred minority of abuse. Due to high birthrates and higher immigration rates, by the 2020s they make up 11% of the population. How an enormous Hindu presence will affect Christian America is something I would very much like to explore. (There are also Muslims, but they are far fewer and generally wealthier than their Hindu counterparts)
3. No south-east.
This one's smaller in affect, but essentially everything between Texas and California has remained Mexican, who are quite large and powerful and are the primary republican force in the Americas.
So how would religion develop here? Anglicanism is still the state religion but I suspect it isn't very well enforced. I still want stuff like the Great Awakenings and Mormons, although the latter will have to be something new. One idea I had was to have a sect of Shakers arise that
aren't celibate, and so proliferate through rural America. Any ideas are welcome. Know any obscure 18th Century religious movements or philosophical trends? Post 'em here, maybe we can make something of them.
Thank you in advance.