Religion has been one of the strongest cultural forces in the lives of Appalachians. Diverse and pervasive, it influences much of what is considered Appalachian both inside and outside of the region. Cultural traits highly valued by many Appalachians are intimately tied to religious beliefs shaped by the challenges of frontier life--humility, well-defined family structure, self-sufficiency and resourcefulness, and hospitality are all encouraged by the Scriptures, and all were essential for survival in the remote valleys and mountain hollows.

Distrustful of established church hierarchies, the first European settlers of the region were mostly Protestant Christians arriving during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Small, isolated Appalachian communities most often formed self-reliant churches that provided for their particular spiritual and material needs. Spirituality was an integral part of life for many in the mountains. Dependent on the whims of nature for survival