American Religion

Sections  I. Religious Liberty  II. Protestants in the United States  III. Catholics  IV. Three Faiths  Ⅴ. Religious Diversity  Ⅵ.American Character of Religion

Focal points  I. Importance of Religion  II. protestants and protestant groups in the US  III. Catholics in the US  IV. Jews and their religious faith  V. religious diversity in the US  VI. characteristics of American religious beliefs

Importance of Religion 1.A religious people 2.A major purpose of colonization 3.A major factor of America’s rapid development 4.An important aspect of American identity 5.Basic documents and religion 6.Definition of faith healing

A religious people 94% believe in God ． 90% pray ． 57% are members of a church ． 40% attend a church weekly ．

A major purpose of colonization Religious freedom in a relative sense, i.e, greater religious freedom in America than in European countries The elect of God

 An important aspect of American identity …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  "WASP" stands for white Anglo-Saxon Protestant  The majority of the early settlers who came to America from Europe belonged to the various Protestant churches.  Their religion and culture had a great impact on the formation of the American mainstream culture.

A Priest in the Army A Puritan Girl

Basic documents and religion The Declaration of Independence – Creator; Nature’s God – The First Amendment to the Constitution – free practice of religion – no state or national religion

Definition of faith healing …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Curing of an illness or disability by recourse to divine power, without the use of traditional medicine. Example: “Faith-Healing Parents Given Jail Sentence” (Oct. 7, 2009)

“Faith-Healing Parents Given Jail Sentence” A couple from Wisconsin, who prayed rather than seeking medical care for their 11-year old daughter who died of an undiagnosed but treatable form of diabetes 糖尿病, were sentenced to 6 months in jail and 10 years probation 缓刑.

Religious liberty Religious liberty The Declaration of Independence guaranteed the basic right of religious freedom. The First Amendment to the U.S Constitution explicitly forbade the federal government to give special favors to any religion or to hinder the free practice, or exercise, of religion.

 Christianity  the actual national religion Christianity

 President Eisenhower ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  “Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first, the most basic expression of Americanism.”  “ Without God, there could be no American form of government, nor an American way of life.”

 William O. Douglas ……………………………………………………………………  Supreme Court Justice  wrote in 1952 ： “We are a religious people, whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being.”

Three Faiths in the U.S The “ three faiths ” in the U.S.A. are Protestant, Catholic and Jewish. three faiths ProtestantCatholicJewish

Protestantism ﹙ 60% of the population ） Baptist 洗礼教派 Methodist 卫理公会教徒 Presbyterian 长老会教友 Episcopalian 圣公会教徒

路德会 长老会 卫理公会 清教徒 卫斯理公会教派 加尔文教徒 英国国教徒 再浸礼教徒 新教 路德会 英国国教徒 主教派会员 卫理公会 卫斯理公会教派

1. The Baptists …………………………  the largest Protestant group in America. They believe in adult baptism by immersion, symbolizing a mature and responsible conversion experience.

The Baptists

2.The Methodists 卫理公会派 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  the second largest Protestant group in the U.S. The Methodist Church has a form of service based on that of the Church of England.

 Roman Catholics ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….  ¼ of all Americans.  Anti-Catholic prejudice.  John F. Kennedy, the first Roman Catholic president  All-male clergy.

 the Jewish 犹太教 ………………………………………………………………….  More liberal Protestant and Jewish clergymen joined non-believers in maintaining that abortion is a basic right for women.

 By the 1950s, the above “three faiths” model of American religion had developed. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………  The order reflects the strength in numbers of each group.

Religious diversity  A fertile ground for the growth of new religious movements.  Many religious communities were founded in 18th and 19th century America.  Many small sects 教派 and cults 信徒 appear in American society all the time.  1,000 denominations, sects, and cults.

 Non-Western religions  Buddhism  Hindus  Islam also beginning to grow.

Worship in a Hindu Temple in New Jersey Praying Outside a Mosque in New Mexico

A Mormon Temple in the Great Salt Lake City A Buddhist Temple in Hawaii

Preaching in a First Congregational Church, New England Princeton University Chapel

American religious character  1. The harmonious co-existence of various religions.  2. The co-existence of strong religious beliefs and social progress.  3. Independence of church in terms of finance and building.  4. little concentration on doctrine or religious argument.

An Anglican Woman Priest Passover 逾越节

 people go church mainly for the following reasons ……………………………………………………………….  (1) for having a place in community 在社区中有一席之地.  (2) for identifying themselves with dominant values. 使自己和社会的主流价值观 保持一致.  (3) for getting together with friends 与朋友聚会.

Goodbye