During an era of widespread secular and religious reform initiatives from the late-18th through the early-20th centuries, the Shakers sought to embody a purity of life, re-make human relations, and fulfill a utopian vision of a “New Heaven and a New Earth.” William Dinges, professor emeritus of religious studies at The Catholic University of America, examines the origins of the movement; its theological worldview; and the social, cultural, and historical factors that both contributed to the Shakers’ longevity and led to their demise.