Die Arbeit gibt einen kurzen Überblick über die religiöse Geschichte der USA, sowie über die größten religösen Gruppen, die heute dort zu finden sind. Hauptthema der Arbeit ist, wie sich Religion auf das Konzept der Gleichheit der Amerikaner auswirkt.
America from earliest history on seemed to be a place of freedom for many people. Freedom in regard to endless space, freedom in regard to unbelievable business opportunities, but also freedom in religious terms.
America’s first settlers, the Puritans, were in search of a place where they could follow their religion in a free way, and so at first sight helped to created a place where this was possible, the United States of America. Millions of people followed them in the course of time. Religious Freedom was from earliest history one of the major pull factors that made people come to America, as it was also explicitly guaranteed in the First Amendment to the Constitution:
Congress should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
However, since the Constitution was ratified a few hundred years have passed, and in the meantime millions of people have accepted the promise of religious freedom made by the government. Today America is a multireligious place, in which all religions should at least theoretical be equal. But its Christian roots in modern times are made more obvious than ever. So, for example, in 1954 the Pledge of Allegiance was supplemented with the phrase “under God”:
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Religion in America
2.1 History of those “who brought religion”
2.2 History of those “who were brought to religion”
3. One Nation under God
3.1 The Nation’s Religion?
3.2 The white man’s religion
4. Religious Pluralism
4.1 Religious groups
4.1.1 Roman Catholicism
4.1.2 Judaism
4.1.3 Islam
4.1.4 Native American Religion
4.1.5 Hindu
4.1.6 Buddhism
4.2 Religious Inequality
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
The paper examines the historical development of religious freedom in the United States and investigates whether true equality exists in contemporary American society, despite its multireligious landscape. It specifically analyzes the tension between the country's theoretical commitment to religious pluralism and the actual predominance of Christian, particularly white Protestant, power structures in politics and daily life.
- The historical roots and contradictions of religious freedom in the U.S.
- The role of Christianity as the "nation's religion" and its political influence.
- The diverse religious landscape and the challenges of being a religious minority.
- The intersection of ethnicity, race, and religious identity in the American context.
- The collaboration between political parties and the "Christian Right."
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 The white man’s religion
Religion in America, although there once was supposed to be the separation between church and state, is strongly tied to political power structures. This can be viewed in the voting behavior of American Citizens. A statistic looking at whom people of different faith voted for from 1948 onwards showed, for example, that
white Protestants have voted consistently Republican, and white protestants who attend church regularly have voted even more consistently Republican. The size of Republican pluralities varies from denomination to denomination and year to year, but not the fact of the support.
Jews, Blacks and other ethnic or religious minorities that were looked at in the statistic on the other hand tended to vote for the Democratic party.
Now, why is there this connection between Protestants and the Republican Party, and what does it mean for Religious Inequality?
The Republican Party, being a conservative party, obviously stands for traditional values, religiosity being one of them.
Also the Republican Party is strongly supported by the Christian Right, a large group of conservative American Protestants lobbying for the importance of religious values.
The Christian right has asserted itself in national politics over the past twenty years as the Supreme Court and Congress have increasingly set national standards on such issues as abortions, religious prayers in schools, gay rights and women’s rights in employment.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the foundational promise of religious freedom in the U.S. and introduces the central research question regarding whether religious equality persists in modern times.
2. Religion in America: This chapter traces the history of early settlers, examining how the desire for religious freedom was often limited to specific groups and how white, Christian identity became the dominant framework.
3. One Nation under God: This section analyzes how Protestantism became the "nation's religion," exploring its deep influence on U.S. politics and its symbiotic relationship with the Republican party through the Christian Right.
4. Religious Pluralism: This chapter explores the diverse landscape of religions in America, documenting specific experiences of groups like Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and Native Americans while highlighting the systemic religious inequality they face.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the findings, asserting that while religious pluralism is a reality in the U.S., it does not equate to equality, as power remains heavily concentrated within the Christian majority.
Keywords
Religious Pluralism, Religious Freedom, United States, Christianity, Protestantism, Religious Inequality, Christian Right, Separation of Church and State, Ethnicity, Politics, Minorities, Fundamentalism, American Constitution, Public Discourse, Cultural Diversity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the paradox between the American ideal of religious freedom and the reality of religious inequality, particularly focusing on the dominance of Protestant Christian values in political and social life.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key themes include the history of American religious settlement, the political influence of the Christian Right, the challenges faced by religious minorities, and the intersection of religion, race, and ethnicity.
What is the author's main research question?
The author asks whether it is still accurate to speak of equality in religious terms in contemporary America given the historical and ongoing privileging of Christianity.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study utilizes a qualitative approach, analyzing historical texts, political voting patterns, and sociopolitical literature to evaluate the state of religious equality in the U.S.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body examines the history of "who brought religion" and "who were brought to religion," the concept of "One Nation under God," the realities of religious pluralism among various minority groups, and the political entanglements of the Christian Right.
How would one characterize the key terms of this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as religious pluralism, systemic inequality, Christian dominance, and the political navigation of religious identity in a multireligious nation.
How does the paper describe the influence of the "Christian Right" on politics?
The author describes the Christian Right as a powerful lobby that has effectively "hijacked" political platforms to push religious agendas, such as prayer in schools and opposition to abortion, often at the expense of other religious groups.
What does the author conclude about the status of Muslim women in the U.S.?
The author concludes that Muslim women face unique challenges, including both patriarchal cultural pressures from within their own communities and external discrimination from the broader American society due to their visibility.
- Quote paper
- Vanessa Lengert (Author), 2006, American religious pluralism - An expression of american inequality, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/78226
