Religion and American Culture

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

How has religion shaped American culture and politics? According to one story we tell, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declared the separation of church and state, but that wall of separation has always been more porous than many have expected–or desired. And it never separated religion from American culture. Indeed, some historians argue that the separation of church and state spurred Americans to become even more religious in their daily lives and in public culture. And the United States has become one of the most devout–and most religiously diverse–countries in the modern world. Religious people, ideas, and practices have shaped how Americans understand politics, identity, race, gender and sexuality, immigration, community, democracy, and freedom. Religion animates our visual art, literature, music, and film. It moves people to take up arms against perceived enemies and to call for nonviolent civil disobedience. It provides moral comfort and spiritual frustration in turn. Thinking across American history and culture, this course asks how we ought to understand the role of religion in the United States. We will read leading scholarship in the study of U.S. religion alongside a broad range of historical and contemporary sources, including material culture and film. Students will also have the opportunity to pursue their own research on topics that interest them.