Religion in America

Catalog description

How has religion shaped the history of the United States and been reshaped by the course of that history? This course focuses on key moments in the history of American religions in order to understand the social and political dynamics that created the religiously diverse public sphere we live in today. Topics may include the internal diversity of American Christian churches; the impact of religious ideas on movements for social and economic reform, especially the abolition of slavery; the evolution of ideas and practices of religious liberty, including the role of the Supreme Court; political engagement of religious communities on both the Left and the Right; moments of conflict between religion and science; and encounters between Christians and non-Christians in North American history.