(Or Reason, Revelation and the
Federal Reserve)
Course Description - Assignments - Books to be Purchased - Course Outline -
References - Links to Religion and the Law - Links to Politically Active Religious Groups
|
PS200AM/W |
Douglas Casson |
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the tensions that
exist between religious faith and liberal democracy. We begin with the
assumption that the
By examining the historical as well as the contemporary role of numerous
religious groups the political process, we will seek to understand how
religious organizations and political power are both antagonistic and
interrelated in the American political experience. We will also explore the
philosophical and legal difficulties inherent in setting boundaries between
church and state and how American courts continue to wrestle with ways in which
to uphold an understanding of religious faith within a regime that is committed
to individual rights.
The course will be split into three general segments: the first providing an
overview of the political history of religion in
1. You will be responsible for the required readings for each class session. You should be prepared to summarize the readings and help us explore their significance within the context of the course. Since the quality of the seminar will depend at least in part on classroom discussion, it is imperative that you take this seriously. Make time to wrestle with some of these difficult texts.
2. You will be required to write five-page memo on an interest group with a religious focus and present your findings to the class. Research may include traditional reference books, personal interviews and/or internet websites. The memo should describe the history, the structure and aims of the organization as well as provide us with an analysis of the political vitality of the group. Please speak to me about your topic so we can avoid duplication. This assignment will be due on October 9.
3. You will also be required to write a 10-15 page original
research project. Your topic is your choice as long as it is related to the
political, philosophical or legal conflicts surrounding religious belief and
democratic politics in
4. There will also be a final exam.
Your grade will consist of 20% participation, 20% memo and presentation, 40% final paper and 20% final exam.
Eastland. Religious Liberty in the Supreme Court (Eerdmans)
Fowler, Hertzke, Olson. Religion and Politics in
Finke and Stark. The Churching of
Martin. With God on Our Side (Broadway)
Tocqueville. Democracy in
Weithman. Religion and Contemporary Liberalism (Notre Dame)
There will also be several articles available on E-reserves
Course Outline
August 28 Introduction: no reading assignment
Looking Back: A Changing Religious
Landscape
August 30 The Colonial Era I: Puritan Community
Fowler, Hertzke and
Tocqueville, Democracy in
Winthrop, "A Model of Christian Charity" and Ward, "The Simple Cobler of Aggawam" (E-reserves)
September 4 The Colonial Era II: Evangelical Fervor
Fink and Stark,
Edwards, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and "A Divine and Supernatural Light" (E-reserves)
Tennent, "The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry" and Hancock, "The Danger of an Unqualified Ministry" (E-reserves)
September 6 The Revolution: Establishing Disestablishment
Berns, "Religion and the Founding" (E-reserves)
Tocqueville, Democracy in
September 11 The Young Republic: Factions, Sects and Denominations
Fink and
Finney, "Measures to Promote Revivals" and Nevin, "The Anxious Bench" (E-reserves)
Tocqueville, Democracy in America, II.I.1-5, including the preface (7-34)
September 13 Crisis in the Republic: The Religious Response to Slavery
Channing, "Slavery" and Thornwell, "The Christian Docrine of Slavery" (E-reserves)
Douglass, "Fourth of July Oration," "The Destiny of Colored Americans," "What are the Colored People Doing for Themselves?" and Lincoln, "The Second Inaugural Address" (E-reserves)
Tocqueville, Democracy in
September 18 Protestant Nationalism and the Catholics
Fink and
Strong, "Our Country" and Gibbons, "The Church and the Republic" (E-reserves)
Tocqueville, Democracy in
September 20 The Persistence of Dissension and Sect
Fink and Starke, Ch. 5
Tocqueville, Democracy in America, II.II.1-17 (101-157)
September 25 The Quest for Unification and the Decline of the Mainline
Fink and Stark, Ch. 6-7
Contemporary Politics: Religious
Affiliation and Political Behavior
September 27 A Religious Profile of Contemporary America
Fowler, Hertzke and Olson, Ch. 2
October 2 How Does Religious Affiliation Affect Voting?
Fowler, Hertzke and Olson, Ch. 4
Wolfe, "A Quiet Faith" (E-reserves)
October 4 Political Elites and Civil Religion
Fowler, Hertzke and Olson, Ch. 5
Bellah "Civil Religion in America" Appendix: Kennedy, "Inaugural Address" and MLK, Jr, "I Have a Dream Speech" (E-reserves)
October 9 Organized Religious Groups (Assignment 2: Interest Group memo due)
Fowler, Hertzke and Olson, Ch. 3
October 11 African American Religion and Politics
Fowler, Hertzke and Olson, Ch. 7
Lincoln and Mamiya, The Black Church in the African-American Experience (E-reserves)
October 16 FALL BREAK. NO CLASS
October 18 Women and Religion in America
Fowler, Hertzke and Olson, Ch. 8
Optional: Tocqueville, Democracy in America, II.III.8-12 (200-222)
October 23 Political Mobilization of Small Religious Group
Fowler, Hertzke and Olson, Ch. 9
October 25 Case Study: The Mobilization of the "New Christian Right"
Fowler, Hertzke and Olson, Ch. 6
Martin, With God on Our Side, Introduction
October 30 The New Christian Right, Part II
Martin, Ch 8, 11-13, Epilogue
Defining the Role of Religion in a
Liberal Society
Religious Politics and the Battle Over the Legal System
November 1 Fowler, Hertzke and Olson, Ch. 10 and 11
November 6 Eastland, Religious Liberty in the Supreme Court, 15-58
November 8 Eastland, 125-168, 195-212
November 13 Eastland, 213-250, 307-332
November 15 Eastland, 417-438, 471-508
Religion and the Philosophical Justifications of Liberalism
November 20 Rawls, "Introduction," Political Liberalism (E-reserves) Audi in Weithman, Religion and Contemporary Liberalism, 38-75
November 22 THANKSGIVING BREAK. NO CLASS
November 27 Quinn and Wolterstorff in Weithman, 138-181
November 29 (Assignment 3: final paper due) Jackson and Elshtain in Weithman, 182-217 and 253-263
December 4 Coleman and Hollenback in Weithman, 264-290 and 291-306
December 6 Conclusions and New Questions: no reading assignment
December 11-16 FINALS