The course attempts to illustrate the dynamic and powerful role that religion has played, and continues to play, in the social, cultural, political, economic, and creative aspects of realms of American life. Because of the broad scope of the subject, a course such as this one can only survey the landscape rather than being a comprehensive account. We will pay special attention to the diversity of American traditions and cultures while we also look for patterns that emerge from their shared history as Americans. We will also explore the history of a few selected religious
issues more thoroughly. We will be attentive to issues of power that have shaped American religious history, the ways we interpret that history, and the ways we think about religion. By the end of the course, you should be familiar with a general chronological overview of historical developments and issues in American religion.

This syllabus was created for the Young Scholars in American Religion program.

Richard J. Callahan
Author

University of Missouri-Columbia
Institution

Public College or University
Institution Type

Syllabus
Resource Type

Undergraduate Course
Class Type

2005
Date Published

Religious Studies, History
Discipline

Catholic, Protestant
Religous Tradition

Class/Power, Politics/Law/Government, Pluralism/Secularism/Culture Wars, Region/Urban/Rural, Nationalism/War/Civil Religion, Science/Technology/Environment
Topics