Religion in Public Life

Catalog description

This course explores the role that religion plays in public life in a variety of contexts, including the United States of America from the eighteenth century to the present. Students explore multiple perspectives on the relationship between religion and government, including ideas of secularism, state religions, and theocracy. Topics covered may also include debates over prayer in public schools, creationism (e.g. the Scopes trial), the 1979 Iranian revolution, and Scientology’s legal battle with the Internal Revenue Service over tax-exempt status. Semester(s) Offered: Fall