This course considers how religion and politics have influenced each other in the United States, as well as the ways that Americans have understood those influences. Our major questions include: Is the United States a Christian nation, a secular nation, or something else entirely? When has religion promoted, or prevented, bigotry, conflict, and violence? What exactly do we mean by “separation of church and state”? In what ways has religion shaped the politics of gender and race? How have Americans dealt with the nation’s bewildering religious diversity? Why have faith and science been so often in conflict (or have they)? How have religious people sought to reform American politics and society? What is the relationship of religion to American democracy?
This syllabus was created for the Young Scholars in American Religion program.
Joseph Kip KosekAuthor
George Washington UniversityInstitution
Private College or University Institution Type
Syllabus Resource Type
Undergraduate Course Class Type
2011 Date Published
Religious Studies, History Discipline
Catholic, General Comparative Traditions, Indigenous, Judaism, Protestant Religous Tradition
Gender/Women/ Sexuality, Politics/Law/Government, Pluralism/Secularism/Culture Wars, Race/Ethnicity, Nationalism/War/Civil Religion, Science/Technology/Environment Topics