HIS 3683 - American Religious History

Credits: 3

Prerequisite(s): ENG 1010 or equivalent with a grade of D or better, and any course with HIS prefix or that is crosslisted with HIS prefix, or permission of instructor

Description: This class will explore American religious practice, community, and culture from before colonization to the present. It will consider how Americans have both retained and adapted traditional faiths in new circumstances, and it will examine how the American faithful have articulated their spiritual identities and (sometimes) imposed these identities on others. Finally, it will explore how American religious leaders and followers have negotiated the meanings of ritual and belief, often creating new traditions that are firmly rooted in American history and society.