Chapter V Religion in the U.S.A.

I. General Information 1.There are over 3000 religious denominations and 60% of the population has religious beliefs. 2.Protestants:Protestants A. Over 3/5 of all the religious people are protestants. B. They regard America as a place of greater prosperity. C. They have taken on an American character and they also form sub-groups.

3. Two major native denominations A. They are the result of native development. B. Mormonism: the Latter-Day-Saints, founded in 1830 in New York State, Mormonism a. “The book of Mormon” is of equal inspiration with the Bible Mormonism. b. The Mormons mainly spread in the western states.

C. Christian Science: Church of Christ, founded in 1866Christian Science a. Health depends only on right mental attitudes, illness being an illusion of non-existent matter, the mistake of mentality. b. It is popular among the bourgeoisie class.

4. Roman Catholics: A. More than ¼ of all Americans are of Roman Catholic faith. B. Nearly all American Catholics express loyalty to their church through support for Catholic school and through a hope that their children will marry Catholics. 5. The Orthodox Church: five million members: They are less assimilated. 6. Jews: 3% of Americans in the east

II. The Characteristics of the Religious Practice 1.The wide variety of denominations and the attitude of permissiveness and tolerance that exists among them. Reasons: A. Different colonies and immigrants in history. B. The American environment stimulated the religious independence. C. The different denominations are integrated in the pattern of American life.

2. The emphasis on social problems and humanitarian ideals rather than on the Calvinist concern with individual sin to improve the present world by doing one’s duty toward one’s fellow man and less toward winning salvation in the next world through repentance

3. Separation of church and state A. There is no established state religion. B. Religion has much influence over people and education, but the government has nothing to do with this. C. The religious instructions in school lay stress on morals and ethics.

III. The Problems in American Religion 1. People have fervent religious belief and some small sects are extremely intolerant, such as People’s Temple. 2. In such a highly developed capitalist world, the economic declining, constant unemployment, the disintegration of families make people crazy for religions.

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Groups of the Protestant 1.The Baptists: largest group, with liberal attitudes in relation to the blacks, and belief that all human beings are equal before God whatever their color may be. 2.Methodists: second largest 3.Quakers or the Society of Friends: They do not go out to attract adherents, and they remained a very small group. They take no interest in politics, but they are greatly respected.

The Christian Science Monitor The Christian Science Monitor (CSM) is an international newspaper published daily, Monday through Friday. Started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist, the paper does not use wire services and instead relies largely on its own reporters in bureaus in nineteen countries around the world.newspaper1908Mary Baker EddyChurch of Christ, Scientistwire services Despite the name, the CSM is a newspaper that covers current events around the world. The paper does not attempt to evangelize. With the exception of a daily religious feature on the The Home Forum page, the content represents international and United States news.The Home ForumUnited States As of 2005, the print circulation is reported to be 71,000 but has a much larger online readership.