Dr. Julia Corbett Hemeyer is Professor of Religious Studies, Emerita, at Ball State University. Since her retirement from classroom teaching in 2004, she is a part time hospital chaplain, and interfaith minister in private practice as a spiritual mentor, meditation teacher, author, and guest speaker. For more information, please visit her website: http://www.ManyPathsInterfaithMinistries.net
Preface Part One PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS Introduction: Religious America: Diversity and Freedom 1 Studying and Describing Religion Why Study Religion? Studying Religion as a Part of the Humanities Describing Religion Popular Religion Questions and Activities for Review, Discussion, and Writing For Further Reading Relevant World Wide Web Sites 2 Religion in the Life of the United States Disestablishment and the Constitution By the Numbers: Data on Religious America Religion after 9-11 Civil Religion and Beyond Questions and Activities for Review, Discussion, and Writing For Further Reading Relevant World Wide Web Sites 3 Conflict and Controversy Sexual Misconduct by the Clergy Gays and Lesbians in Communities of Faith Religion and Violence after 9-11 Religious Expression in a Religiously Plural Culture Questions and Activities for Review, Discussion, and Writing For Further Reading Relevant World Wide Web Sites Part Two CHRISTIANITY IN THE UNITED STATES-COMMONALITY AND DIVERSITY 4 The Waning Influence of Mainline Protestantism and the New Evangelical Majority Christian Faith and Practice: Overview Protestant Christianity Mainline Protestantism Denominational Distinctiveness Evangelicals: The New Center in American Protestantism Women in Protestantism Questions and Activities for Review, Discussion, and Writing For Further Reading Relevant World Wide Web Sites 5 Christianity in American Culture: Diverse Themes Evangelical Christianity in American Culture: Three Cases Megachurches The Religious-Political Right Separatist and Fundamental Christians Holiness Christians Pentecostal Christianity Questions and Activities for Review, Discussion, and Writing For Further Reading Relevant World Wide Web Sites 6 Catholic Christianity: Sacramental Community The Distinctiveness of Catholic Christianity Additional Distinctive Catholic Beliefs Catholic Worship: Word and Sacrament Catholic Lifestyles in the United States The Church as a Social Institution The Second Vatican Council: 1962-1965 Who Are American Catholics? Women in the Catholic Church Questions and Activities for Review, Discussion, and Writing For Further Reading Relevant World Wide Web Sites 7 Ethnic Diversity in Christianity: Two Examples Ethnic Christianity Eastern Orthodox Christianity Eastern Orthodox Christianity in the United States African-American Christianity The Changing Face of Ethnic Christianity Questions and Activities for Review, Discussion, and Writing For Further Reading Relevant World Wide Web Sites 8 American-Born Christianities Overview Latter-day Saints Christian Scientists Seventh-day Adventists Jehovah's Witnesses An American Innovation Community and Reassurance Questions and Activities for Review, Discussion, and Writing For Further Reading Relevant World Wide Web Sites Part Three EXPANDING DIVERSITY 9 Living a Jewish Life in the United States Who Is a Jew? A Brief Historical Note Jews and Christians Principal Beliefs and Practices of Jewish People One Judaism, Several Expressions Jewish Women Holocaust, Memory, and Religiousness Anti-Semitism Into the Future Questions and Activities for Review, Discussion, and Writing For Further Reading Relevant World Wide Web Sites 10 Muslims in the United States: A Growing Minority Islam, and Islam in the United States Muhammad The Qur'an Beliefs The Five Pillars of Islam Muslims in the United States Muslim College Students Muslim Organizations Muslima: Muslim Women in America Islam and Black Americans Into the Future Questions and Activities