The Children of Peace, which existed from 1812 to 1890, was started by former Quakers from the United States who set up a utopian community near Toronto. With their propensity for fine architecture, music, and ritual, adherents to the sect attracted the attention of the religious, political, and social élites. Their leader and founder, David Willson, was one of the most prolific religious writers and theorists in Canada at the time. The Children of Peace sought to create a church where God spoke directly to all and where both Christians and Jews could find a home. McIntyre looks at life in the community and places the sect within its broader historical contexts. His examination of the community's buildings and artefacts provides insight into the beliefs and behaviour of its adherents. Children of Peace makes an important contribution to the growing field of religious and cultural history in Canada.

John McIntyre is the author of Children of Peace (McGill-Queen's University Press) and the Director/Curator of the Sharon Temple National Historic Site. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware and a Professor at Seneca College. John McIntyre has been awarded the Lieutenant-Governor's Lifetime Achievement in Heritage Preservation.

John McIntyre's profile page

"Undoubtedly this will immediately establish itself as the book on the Children of Peace." John Webster Grant, Professor Emeritus of Church History, Victoria University.