Religious Studies 131: Religion in
America (Spring 2019)
Professor
John Schmalzbauer
Office:
Strong Hall 263
Office Hours: M, F 3-4:30 p.m.; and TR 11:00 a.m.-1 p.m.
Email:
jschmalzbauer@missouristate.edu
Phone:
836-5918
"You can’t understand
America without understanding religion.”
-Historian David Stowe
“There is no grand narrative
of religion in America, no founding myth, no single common story of ‘us,’ which
might ground American religious identity.
There are, however, many little stories, often circling around the same
people and events but taking very different, even conflicting perspectives on
them.”
-Timothy Beal,
Religion in America: A Very Short
Introduction
“American religion is
incredibly diverse.”
-Charles Lippy,
Introducing American Religion.
*
SLO8.1 - Explain and compare social institutions, structures, and
processes across a range of historical periods and cultures around the globe.
*
SLO8.2 - Understand the past and how it influences present world
societies and contemporary problems.
*
SLO8.4 - Articulate interdependence of people and places around the
globe.
Course
Objectives:
1) Explore the
diversity of America’s religious people and institutions past and present, from
the many different Protestant denominations, to Catholic, Jewish, Islamic, and
other groups, comparing their beliefs and practices and the ways they have
responded and adapted to each other (SLO 8.1, SLO 8.2, SLO 8.4)
2) Investigate
the historical and contemporary influence of diverse religious attitudes and
values on American culture, politics, and society, including the close
relationship of religion to class, race, ethnicity, and gender (SLO 8.1, SLO
8.2)
3) Demonstrate
the impact of globalization, immigration, and transnationalism in American
religious history. (SLO 8.1, SLO 8.2, SLO 8.4)
Required Texts
Charles H. Lippy,
Introducing American Religion (New
York: Routledge, 2009).
Patrick Allitt,
Major Problems in American Religious
History, Second Edition (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2013).
Expectations for Reading:
Students must complete the reading for each day
before coming to class, including the
Readings.
Attendance Policy:
Attendance is required at all class meetings.
The only acceptable excuses for absences are emergencies, official
university activities (with a written excuse) or illness.
Participation (25 points):
Students will be evaluated on their participation
in class discussions. Students will
be assessed on their familiarity with the readings.
Quiz Paragraphs (150 points):
Periodically, students will be asked to write a paragraph (or multiple
paragraphs) responding to the reading(s) for the day.
These paragraphs will be graded on how well they draw on the reading(s),
as well as their quality of analysis. Some paragraphs will be written at
home. Others will be written in class.
Religious Congregation Visit Paper (200 points):
Students will visit a congregation
(church, synagogue, temple, etc.) affiliated with a religious tradition other
than their own. After this visit,
students will write a paper describing the religious practices, beliefs, social
composition, and material culture of the congregation.
Papers should relate observations of local religious life to what we have
been covering in the course. See
separate handout. This paper is due
on Wednesday May 1 in class.
Reflective Assessment Essay
(25 points): Courses that are part of
the General Education Requirements for graduation have specific goals and
learning outcomes. REL 131 focuses on General Learning Goal 8 and Specific
Learning Outcomes 8.1, 8.2, and 8.4, as well as three major course objectives
(see above). This assessment assignment is required by the University and will
be used to determine whether this course is meeting these objectives. At the
end of the semester you will write an essay about your academic progress in
these areas. This essay is due by Thursday May 9th.
Email essays to
religion131@gmail.com. Using
specific examples from class lectures, discussions, readings, and assignments,
the essay will include one paragraph about each of the following:
-the diversity of America’s
religious institutions, including the beliefs and practices of different groups
-the historical and
contemporary influence of religion on American culture, politics, and society
-the role of class, race,
ethnicity, and gender in American religion
-the impact of globalization
and immigration on American religious life
Although the purpose of this
exercise is to assess the course, you will be graded on your thoughtfulness.
Assessment Survey (Not Graded):
Students will also complete an in-class survey on General Education goals and
learning outcomes at a date chosen by the instructor. Unlike the reflective
assessment essay, this survey will not be graded.
Examinations (600 points total; 200 points each):
There will be three examinations in
this course. They will test students
only on the units leading up to the examination.
The final will not be cumulative.
Exams will be a mixture of matching, short answer and essay questions.
Extra Credit Points (Possible 40 Points):
Students may earn up to 30 extra credit
points for attending campus lectures and cultural events approved by the
instructor. Students will receive
5 points for each event they attend.
To receive the points, students must write a two paragraph summary.
Total Number of Points: 1,000
The following grading scale
will be used:
4.0 A: Outstanding Work
(93-100)
3.7 A- : Excellent Work
(90-92)
3.3 B+: Near Excellent Work
(87-89)
3.0 B: Very Good Work
(83-86)
2.7 B-: Good Work (80-82)
2.3 C+: Slightly Above
Satisfactory Work (77-79)
2.0 C: Satisfactory Work
(73-76)
1.7 C-: Slightly Below
Satisfactory Work (70-72)
1.3 D+: Passing Work (67-69)
1.0 D: Minimum Passing Work
(63-66)
0.0 F: Failed—No Credit
(0-62)
0.0 I: Incomplete
Your performance in this
class will be graded using the plus/minus system.
Academic Honesty Policy:
Missouri State University is a
community of scholars committed to developing educated persons who accept the
responsibility to practice personal and academic integrity. You are responsible
for knowing and following the University’s academic integrity policy plus
additional more-specific policies for each class. The University policy,
formally known as the “Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures” is
available online at http://www.missouristate.edu/policy/Op3_01_AcademicIntegrityStudents.htm and
also at the Reserves Desk in Meyer Library. Any student participating in any
form of academic dishonesty will be subject to sanctions as described in this
policy.
Non-Discrimination Policy:
Missouri State University is an equal
opportunity/affirmative action institution, and maintains a grievance procedure
available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against.
At all times, it is your right to address inquiries or concerns about possible
discrimination to the Office for Institutional Equity and Compliance, Park
Central Office Building, 117 Park Central Square, Suite 111, 417-836-4252. Other
types of concerns (i.e., concerns of an academic nature) should be discussed
directly with your instructor and can also be brought to the attention of your
instructor’s Department Head. Please visit the OED website at www.missouristate.edu/equity/.
Policy on Disability
Accommodations: If you are
a student with a disability and anticipate barriers related to this course, it
is important to request accommodations and establish an accommodation plan with
the University. Please contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) (https://www.missouristate.edu/disability/),
Meyer Library, Suite 111, 417-836-4192, to initiate the process to establish
your accommodation plan. The DRC will work with you to establish your
accommodation plan, or it may refer you to other appropriate resources based on
the nature of your disability. In order to prepare an accommodation plan, the
University usually requires that students provide documentation relating to
their disability. Please be prepared to provide such documentation if
requested. Once a University accommodation plan is established, you may notify
the class instructor of approved accommodations. If you wish to utilize
your accommodation plan, it is suggested that you do so in a timely manner,
preferably within the first two weeks of class. Early notification to the
instructor allows for full benefit of the accommodations identified in the plan.
Instructors will not receive the accommodation plan until you provide that plan,
and are not required to apply accommodations retroactively.
Dropping this Class: It is your responsibility to understand the University’s procedure
for dropping a class. If you stop attending this class but do not follow proper
procedure for dropping the class, you will receive a failing grade and will also
be financially obligated to pay for the class. For information about dropping a
class or withdrawing from the university, contact the
Office of the Registrar
at 836-5520.
Cell
Phone Policy: As a member
of the learning community, each student has a responsibility to other students
who are members of the community. When cell phones or pagers ring and
students respond in class or leave class to respond, it disrupts the class.
Therefore, the Office of the Provost prohibits the use by students of cell
phones, pagers, PDAs, or similar communication devices during scheduled classes.
All such devices must be turned off or put in a silent (vibrate) mode and
ordinarily should not be taken out during class. Given the fact that these same
communication devices are an integral part of the University’s emergency
notification system, an exception to this policy would occur when numerous
devices activate simultaneously. When this occurs, students may consult their
devices to determine if a university emergency exists. If that is not the case,
the devices should be immediately returned to silent mode and put away. Other
exceptions to this policy may be granted at the discretion of the instructor.
Emergency Response Statement:
At the first class meeting,
students should become familiar with a basic emergency response plan through a
dialogue with the instructor that includes a review and awareness of exits
specific to the classroom and the location of evacuation centers for the
building. All instructors are provided this information specific to their
classroom and/or lab assignments in an e-mail prior to the beginning of the fall
semester from the Office of the Provost and Safety and Transportation. Students
with disabilities impacting mobility should discuss the approved accommodations
for emergency situations and additional options when applicable with the
instructor. For more information go to
http://www.missouristate.edu/safetran/51597.htm and
http://www.missouristate.edu/safetran/erp.htm.
Mental Health and Stress Management:
As
a student you may experience a range of personal issues that can impede
learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug
problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation.
These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic
performance and may reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. You
can learn more about free and confidential Missouri State University Counseling
Center services available to assist you at https://counselingcenter.missouristate.edu/.
Title IX
Policy:
Missouri
State University has a Title IX policy that guides our response to instances of
sexual violence. Sexual Violence includes: Rape, Sexual Assault, Sexual
Misconduct, Sexual Discrimination, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Stalking,
Sexual Harassment and Pregnancy issues. The Title IX policy can be located on
the MSU Title IX website at www.missouristate.edu/titleix/.
This website is also a good resource for any questions or issues involving Title
IX and contains contact information for the MSU Title IX Office and staff.
Read an overview
of the Title IX office. If an MSU student discloses a Title IX related issue
to a MSU faculty or staff member who is deemed to be a “Responsible Employee”
under the policy, that faculty or staff member is required to report such
disclosure to the Title IX Coordinator. A responsible employee includes any
employee who has the authority to take action to redress sexual violence; who
has been given the duty of reporting incidents of sexual violence or any other
misconduct by students to the Title IX Coordinator or other appropriate school
designee; or whom a student could reasonably believe has the authority or duty
to take action.
Chosen Name Policy:
A student may choose a name other
than their legal name to identify themselves at Missouri State University. A
chosen name is different than the student’s legal name. Refer to the Chosen Name
policy for more information. Students can provide their chosen first and middle
names in the Profile tab of My Missouri State.
Statement on Religious
Accommodations: The University may provide a reasonable accommodation based on a
person’s sincerely held religious belief. In making this determination,
the University reviews a variety of factors, including whether the accommodation
would create an undue hardship. The accommodation request imposes
responsibilities and obligations on both the individual requesting the
accommodation and the University. Students who expect to miss classes,
examinations, or other assignments as a consequence of their sincerely held
religious belief shall be provided with a reasonable alternative opportunity to
complete such academic responsibilities. It is the obligation of students to
provide faculty with reasonable notice of the dates of religious observances on
which they will be absent by submitting a Request for Religious Accommodation Form to
the instructor by the end of the third week of a full semester course or the end
of the second week of a half semester course.
Religion at a State University:
Consistent with Supreme Court decisions regarding the teaching of religion at
public institutions (Abington v. Schempp 1963), this course approaches the study
of religion from a non-confessional standpoint.
We will focus on describing and analyzing the place of religion in
American culture, rather than arguing for one religious tradition or another.
Students are free to express or not to express their own beliefs in
class.
Introduction: Setting the Stage
Monday January 14: Introducing the Course
Part I: Religious Diversity in Colonial
America—Native Americans, Africans, & Europeans
Wednesday January 16: The Aztecs and Spanish
Catholicism
Reading: Bernal Diaz del
Castillo in Allitt, 23-26.
Reading: Victor Valle, “In
Search of the Aztecs.” Available at
http://articles.latimes.com/print/1987-11-29/news/vw-25512_1_david-carrasco
Bring a paragraph to
class that explains what happened to the Aztec sacred sites and why.
Friday January 18: Native American Religions
Reading: Lippy, 1-5.
Reading: Denise and John
Carmody, “Traditions of the Eastern Woodlands,” in Allitt, 47-55.
Monday
January 21: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No Classes)
Wednesday
January 23:
African Religions in the New World
Reading: Lippy, 6-8.
Reading: “Religion in
Africa: Common Themes,” “Religion in Africa: Unity in Diversity,” and “Religious
Transitions: From the Mother Land to the New World.” Available at
http://www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/print/journey1.html
Friday January 25: Comparing Creation Stories in
Colonial America
Reading: “How the World Was
Made,” from James Mooney,
Myths of the Cherokee. Available at
https://web.archive.org/web/20141112210938/http://www.learnnc.org:80/lp/editions/nchist-twoworlds/1672
Reading: “The Golden Chain:
A Creation Story Told by the Yoruba of West Africa,” Available at
https://web.archive.org/web/20081202131919/http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-twoworlds/1845
Reading: “The Creation and
Fall of Man from Genesis,” King James Bible.
Available at
https://web.archive.org/web/20090716221714/http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-twoworlds/1673
Bring paragraph to class
comparing creation stories from Cherokee, Yoruba, and the Bible.
Monday January 28: European Religions in the New
World
Reading: Lippy, 8-21.
In-Class Video: Mission San
Xavier del Bac from America’s Houses of
Worship documentary.
Wednesday January 30: Puritan New England
Reading: Lippy, 21-29.
Reading: Edwin S. Gaustad,
“Quest for Pure Christianity.” Available at
https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/quest-for-pure-christianity/
Friday February 1: Gender and Dissent in Puritan
New England—Anne Hutchinson
Reading: Peter Gomes, “Anne
Hutchinson: Brief Life of Harvard’s ‘Midwife’: 1595-1643.”
http://harvardmag.com/pdf/2002/11-pdfs/1102-32.pdf
Reading: Trial and
Interrogation of Anne Hutchinson (1637).
http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/30-hut.html
In-Class Quiz and
Discussion: Come ready to talk about Hutchinson’s trial
Monday February 4: Religious Diversity in the
Thirteen Colonies
Reading: Catherine Albanese,
“Religious Diversity in Early America.” Available at
https://web.archive.org/web/20170107051810/http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/publication/2008/08/20080819130107cmretrop0.2322962.html
Reading: Peter Manseau, “Why
Thomas Jefferson Owned a Qur’an.”
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/why-thomas-jefferson-owned-qur-1-180967997/
Reading: Kenneth T. Jackson,
“A Colony with a Conscience.” Available at
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/27/opinion/27jackson.html?_r=1
Wednesday February 6: The First Great Awakening
and American Evangelicalism
Reading: Lippy, 30-43.
Reading: Nathan Cole in
Allitt, 68-72.
Reading:
The Four Spiritual Laws,
http://www.4laws.com/laws/englishkgp/default.htm
Write a paragraph
comparing Nathan Cole’s conversion story to
The Four Spiritual Laws
Friday February 8: Religion and the American
Revolution
Reading: George Marsden in
Allitt, 113-118.
Reading: Thomas Kidd in
Allitt, 118-123.
Monday February 11: The Founding Fathers and
Religion
Reading: Brittanica Blog
“Founders & Faith Forum.” Read all of the essays.
http://blogs.britannica.com/2007/05/founders-and-faith-forum-overview/
Reading: Rick Shenkman, “An
Interview with Jon Butler.”
http://hnn.us/articles/9144.html
Quiz and Discussion: Come
to class ready to take a position in the Founding Fathers debate
Part II: Dominant and Dissenting Voices in the
Early Nineteenth Century
Wednesday February 13: The Second Great Awakening
and the Market Model of Religion
Reading: Lippy, 55-58;
75-90.
Reading: Roger Finke and
Rodney Stark in Allitt, 15-21.
Reading: Peter Cartwright in
Allitt, 130-133.
Friday February 15:
African American Religion as Resistance
Reading: Lippy, 61-74.
Reading: Albert Raboteau in
Allitt, 155-164.
Reading: Megan Sullivan,
“African-American Music as Rebellion: From Slavesong to Hiphop.”
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5f90/f91bda7b35c0c56816e40c62cde58bb10e18.pdf
Write a paragraph
discussing how African Americans used religion and music to resist oppression.
Monday February 18:
President’s Day (No Classes)
Wednesday February 20:
Homegrown American Religion—Latter Day Saints
Reading: Lippy, 91-95.
Reading: Joseph Smith in
Allitt, 135-138.
Friday February 22: Native Americans Exiled
Reading: Kathryn Eutsler,
“Trail of Tears Markers in Greene County Offer A Place to Learn, Never Forget.”
http://www.ksmu.org/post/trail-tears-markers-greene-county-offer-place-learn-never-forget#stream/0
Reading: John Ross, “Our
Hearts are Sickened.” Available at
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6598/
This is the direct testimony of a Cherokee leader.
Monday February 25: Catholic Immigrants in
America
Reading: Lippy, 108-117.
Reading: Maria Monk document
in Allitt, 169-172.
Wednesday February 27: The Slavery Debate and
American Religion
Reading: Angelina Grimke in
Allitt, 178-181.
Reading: Frederick Douglass
in Allitt, 182-183.
Reading: Thornton
Stringfellow in Allitt, 183-185.
Bring a paragraph to
class comparing the views of Grimke, Douglass, and
Stringfellow.
Friday March 1: Examination #1
Part
Monday March 4: Religion and the Civil War—Julia
Ward Howe and the Battle Hymn
Reading: Lippy, 123-136.
Reading: Benjamin Soskis, “A
Fiery Gospel.”
www.slate.com/articles/arts/life_and_art/2011/11/julia_ward_howe_s_battle_hymn_of_the_republic_how_it_changed_america_.single.html
Wednesday March 6: Christianity and Class
Warfare—Rockefellers and Socialists
Reading: Russell Conwell,
“Acres of Diamonds.”
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5769/
Reading: Janine Giordano
Drake, “Wealth, Socialism, and Jesus” (find out about Bouck White)
https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/wealth-socialism-and-jesus/
Reading: “Bouck White’s
Letter to the Fifth Avenue Church,” 24-27. Available at
https://ia801408.us.archive.org/8/items/lettersfrompris00whitgoog/lettersfrompris00whitgoog.pdf
Write a paragraph
comparing Russell Conwell and Bouck White.
Friday March 8: The Social Gospel and Christian
Feminism
Reading: Lippy, 145-153;
159-164; 167-170.
Reading: Deborah Yaffe,
“Rereading the Social Gospel.”
https://paw.princeton.edu/article/rereading-social-gospel
Reading: Elizabeth Cady
Stanton in Allitt, 279-281.
March 9, 2019 -
March 17, 2019: Spring Break
Monday March 18: Freethinkers in America
Reading: Susan Jacoby, “A
New Birth of Reason.” Available at
https://theamericanscholar.org/a-new-birth-of-reason/#.XDFOOGl7nIV
Reading: Thomas Gounley,
“Looking Back on Liberal, the Midwest's Failed Atheist Utopia.”
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/exv9va/looking-back-on-liberal-the-midwests-failed-atheist-utopia
Wednesday March 20:
German Immigrants in the Midwest
Reading: Russel Gerlach,
“The German Presence in the Ozarks.”
http://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/ozarkswatch/ow50306.htm
Reading: Joseph Leahy,
“Century-Old War Leaves Lasting Impact on St. Louis German Identity.” http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/century-old-war-leaves-lasting-impact-st-louis-german-identity
Friday March 22: New Religious
Movements—Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christian Science
Reading: Lippy, 95-106.
Reading: Jerry
Bergman, “President Eisenhower and the Influence of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.” http://www.kshs.org/publicat/history/1998autumn_bergman.pdf
Reading: Jesse Bogan,
“Guarding Tradition.”
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/guarding-tradition-principia-has-lots-of-money-but-few-christian/article_ad258325-d809-57bf-991c-e4c6e5d3f7e3.html
Monday March 25: Metaphysical Religion
and Chiropractic Medicine
Reading: “D.D. Palmer’s
Religion of Chiropractic.”
www.chiro.org/Plus/History/Persons/PalmerDD/PalmerDD's_Religion-of-Chiro.pdf
Wednesday March 27: The Globalization of
Basketball and Yoga
Reading: Lippy, 154-159.
Reading: John Murray, “The
Spiritual Pathway to March Madness.”
https://web.archive.org/web/20150313223004/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704131404575117742726044162
Reading: Ann Louise Bardach,
“How Yoga Won the West.” Available at
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/opinion/sunday/how-yoga-won-the-west.html?_r=0.
Reading: Andrea Jain, “No, I
Don’t Owe My Yoga Mat to Vivekananda.” Available at
http://religiondispatches.org/no-i-dont-owe-my-yoga-mat-to-vivekananda/
Write a paragraph
comparing the impact of globalization on yoga and basketball
Friday March 29: Jewish Immigrants in America
Reading: Lippy, 117-121;
143-144.
Reading: Abraham Cahan in
Allitt, 244-246.
Monday April 1: Protestant Modernism
Reading: Lippy, 172-176;
179-182.
Reading: Shailer Mathews,
“Modernism/Fundamentalism.”
https://web.archive.org/web/20160325073955/http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/dfg/amrl/matt.htm
Reading: Nicene Creed,
available at
http://www.ucc.org/beliefs_nicene-creed
Bring a paragraph to
class comparing the statement from Shailer Mathews to the Nicene Creed.
Wednesday April 3: Protestant Fundamentalism
Reading: Lippy, 176-179.
Reading: Joel Carpenter,
“How Fundamentalists Adapted Their Message to Modern Conditions,” in Allitt,
321-326.
Friday April 5: Pentecostalism in Black and White
Reading: Kevin Sack, “How
Race is Lived in America: The Pentecostal Church in America.”
http://movies2.nytimes.com/library/national/race/060400sack-church-side.html
Reading: Banks, “Assemblies
Of God Highlights Value Of Diversity For 100-Year Anniversary.”
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/08/assemblies-of-god-diversity_n_5655811.html
Reading: “Black, White
Pentecostals Mark Historic Lynching With Unity Services.”
https://www.charismanews.com/us/37307-black-white-pentecostals-mark-historic-lynching-with-unity-celebration
Write a paragraph
discussing the role of race in Pentecostal history
Monday April 8: Examination #2
Part IV: Religion in Post-World War II America
Wednesday April 10: “What Story Are We In?”
Six Sociological Narratives
Web Reading: Spickard, “What
is Happening to Religion? Six Sociological Narratives.”
https://inspire.redlands.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1076&context=oh_articles
Write a paragraph
applying one of Spickard’s six stories to the role of religion in your community
(either at home or at MSU). Which story makes the most sense of what you
observe?
Friday April 12:
Jewish Contributions to American Popular Culture
Reading: Arie
Kaplan, “How the Jews Created the Comic Book Industry.”
http://reformjudaismmag.net/03fall/comics.shtml
Reading: Arie
Kaplan, Arie Kaplan, “How the Jews Transformed the Comic Book Industry.”
http://reformjudaismmag.net/03winter/comics.shtml
Monday April 15: Postwar American
Religion—Comparing Graham, Peale, and Niebuhr
Reading: Lippy, 201-211.
Reading: Laurie Goodstein,
“Billy Graham, 99; Dies; Pastor Filled Stadiums and Counseled Presidents.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/21/obituaries/billy-graham-dead.html
Reading: George Vecsey,
“Norman Vincent Peale, Preacher of Gospel Optimism, Dies at 95.”
Reading: Arthur Schlesinger,
Jr., “Reinhold Niebuhr’s Long Shadow.”
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/22/opinion/reinhold-niebuhr-s-long-shadow.html
Bring a paragraph to
class comparing Graham, Peale, and Niebuhr.
Wednesday April 17: Changes in American
Catholicism
Reading: Mark Massa,
“Catholics Enter the Mainstream of American Life,” in Allitt, 326-332.
Reading: Mary Gail Frawley-O’Dea,
“Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church,” in Allitt, 507-513
Reading: Michael J.
O’Loughlin, “The U.S. Catholic experience is increasingly Hispanic and
Southwestern.”
https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2017/09/06/us-catholic-experience-increasingly-hispanic-and-southwestern
April 18, 2019 - April 21, 2019: Spring Holiday
Monday April 22: Religion and the Civil Rights
Movement
Reading: “Alabama
Clergymen’s Letter to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
http://www.massresistance.org/docs/gen/09a/mlk_day/statement.html
Reading: Martin Luther King,
Jr., “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
https://www.massresistance.org/docs/gen/09a/mlk_day/birmingham_jail.html
Write a paragraph
comparing the Alabama Clergymen's letter with Martin Luther King, Jr.'s “Letter
from a Birmingham Jail.”
Wednesday April 24:
Religion and Gay Rights in America
Reading: Jaweed
Kaleem, “Unearthing the Surprising Religious History of American Gay Rights
Activism.” Available at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/28/gay-religious-history_n_5538178.html
Reading: Robert
Koehler, “‘Normal Heart’ Stirs Up the Heartland.” Available at
http://articles.latimes.com/1989-12-03/entertainment/ca-284_1_normal-heart
Reading: Alex
Vandermaas-Peeler, Daniel Cox, Molly Fisch-Friedman, Rob Griffin, Robert P.
Jones, “Emerging Consensus on LGBT Issues.”
https://www.prri.org/research/emerging-consensus-on-lgbt-issues-findings-from-the-2017-american-values-atlas/
Friday April 26:
Varieties of Religious Feminism
Reading: Carol
Christ in Allitt, 390-392.
Reading: Julie
Ingersoll, “Nany Hardesty, Founding Mother of Biblical Feminist Movement.”
Reading: Debra
Nussbaum Cohen, “Judith Plaskow is Still Standing, Twenty Years On.”
Bring a
paragraph to class comparing Carol Christ, Nancy Hardesty, and Judith Plaskow.
Monday April 29: Evangelicals, Mormons, and
American Politics
Reading: Mark Silk, “How
Mormons and Evangelicals Became Republicans.”
https://web.archive.org/web/20140912100436/http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RINVOl14N2/Mormon%20and%20Evangelicals.htm
Reading: Sarah Pulliam
Bailey, “How Nostalgia for White Christian America Drove So Many Americans to
Vote for Trump.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/how-nostalgia-for-white-christian-america-drove-so-many-americans-to-vote-for-trump/2017/01/04/4ef6d686-b033-11e6-be1c-8cec35b1ad25_story.html?utm_term=.275af0791d1c
Reading: Melani McAlister,”
A Kind of Homelessness: Evangelicals of Color in the Trump Era.”
https://religionandpolitics.org/2018/08/07/a-kind-of-homelessness-evangelicals-of-color-in-the-trump-era/
Wednesday May 1: New Immigrants and the
Changing Religious Landscape
Reading: Reading: Lippy,
217-231.
Reading: “Kansas City.” Read
the essay and explore the database/map.
www.pluralism.org/landscape/kansas-city/
Reading: American Values
Atlas data on Kansas City and St. Louis. Click on other cities to compare.
http://ava.publicreligion.org/#religious/2015/MetroAreas/religion/m/13
**Congregation Paper Due Today**
Friday May 3: Japanese Buddhists in America
Reading: Taitetsu Unno, “The
Pure Land in the New World.”
https://tricycle.org/magazine/pure-land-new-world/
Reading: Rick Fields,
“Contrasting Immigrants Buddhists and ‘White Buddhists,” in Allitt, 438-445.
In-Class Film:
Streams of Light: Shin Buddhism in America
https://www.imdb.com/videoplayer/vi1215735321
Monday May 6: Islam in America
Reading: Evelyn
Asultany, “Selling American Diversity and Muslim American Identity.” http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/american_quarterly/v059/59.3alsultany.html (on
campus)
Reading: Pew Research
Center, “U.S. Muslims Concerned About Their Place in Society, but Continue to
Believe in the American Dream.”
http://www.pewforum.org/2017/07/26/findings-from-pew-research-centers-2017-survey-of-us-muslims/
Reading: Daniel Burke, “25
Influential American Muslims.”
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2018/05/us/influential-muslims/
Wednesday May 8: The Future of Religion in
America
Reading: Tobin Grant, “5
Signs of the ‘Great Decline’ of Religion in America.” Available at
https://religionnews.com/2014/08/01/five-signs-great-decline-religion-america-gallup-graphs-church/
Reading: Robert P. Jones,
“The Eclipse of White Christian America.”
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/07/the-eclipse-of-white-christian-america/490724/
Reading: Elesha Coffman (on
Tobin Grant’s blog), “Religious decline in America?”
http://religionnews.com/2015/01/21/religious-decline-america-answer-depends-timeframe/
Reading: Rodney Stark, “3
Myths about ‘Irreligious’ America, Busted.”
https://home.isi.org/3-myths-about-%E2%80%9Cirreligious%E2%80%9D-america-busted
Write one paragraph
answer to this question: Is American religion declining or just changing?
**Final Examination: Monday, May 13, 11:00 am to
1:00 pm**