protestant

Chapter3TheAmericanReligiousHeritage

Thecareofeveryman’ssoulbelongstohimlf.

ThomasJefferson

BeforeYouRead

youknowaboutreligionintheUnitedStates?

AmericansbelieveinGod?

ligionismostpopularintheUnitedStates?

icanshaveanationalreligion?

religionshapedAmericanvalues?

FreedomofReligionintheUnitedStates

ThefundamentalAmericanbeliefinindividualfreedomandtherightofindividualstopracticetheir

atdiversityofethnic

backgroundshasproducedreligiouspluralism;almostallofthereligionsoftheworldarenowpracticedin

7percentsay

87percentofAmericansareChristians,2percentare

Jewish,andtheother4percentbelongtootherreligiousfaithssuchasMoslem,Buddhist,

87percentwhoareChristian,59percentareProtestant,27percentCatholic,and1percentEastern

apatternthathaspersistedfordecades.

AlthoughtheoverwhelmingmajorityofAmericansareChristians,allreligionsmakeimportant

renowalmostasmanyMoslemslivingintheUnitedStates

AsianimmigrantshavebroughtwiththemthetraditionalreligionsofEastAsia—Taoism,Confucianism,

andShintoism,NativeAmericanreligionsarestillpracticedandstudied

today,particularlyfortheirteachingsaboutlivinginharmonywithnature.

Fromthebeginningofitshistory,

Catholicfaithwnext

300years,CatholicmissionariesandttlersfromSpainandthenLatinAmericacametowhatisnow

thecitieswerenamedbythemissionariesandttlers—San

Francisco,SanteFe,andSanAntonio,CanadianCatholicmissionariesalsocamewith

theexplorersandtradersfromQuebec,downtheMississippiRivertoNewOrleans.

Inthe1600s,theEuropeanttlersbeganestablishingcoloniesalongtheeastcoastofNorthAmerica.

AlthoughthereweresomeCatholics,ewnation

formed,itwastheProtestantbranchoftheChristianfaiththathadthestrongesteffectonthedevelopment

,almosttwo-thirdsofallAmericansareProtestants.

TheDevelopmentofProtestantism

TheProtestantbranchoftheChristianfaithbrokeawayfromtheRomanCatholicchurchinEuropein

the16thcenturybecauofimportantdifferencesinreligiousbeliefs.(TheEasternOrthodoxbranchofthe

ChristianfaithhadparatedfromtheRomanCatholicChurchin1054.)AtthetimeoftheProtestant

Reformation,theRomanCatholicchurchwasthecenterofreligiouslifeinWesternEuropeancountries;

theCatholicPopeld

peoplewhatwasrightandwrong,andtheygrantedthemforgivenessforsinsagainstGodandtheChristian

faith.

TheProtestants,ontheotherhand,le

sinned,theyshouldektheirforgivenessdirectlyfromGodratherthanfromapriestspeakinginGod's

eofthepowerandauthorityofpriests,Protestantssubstitutedwhattheycalledthe

"priesthoodofallbelievers."Thismeantthateveryindividualwassolelyresponsibleforhisorherown

relationshipwithGod.

AftertheProtestantsbrokeawayfromtheCatholicchurch,theyfoundthattheycouldnotagree

ore,theProtestantsbegantoformparatechurches,called

denominations.(ThelargestProtestantdenominationsintheUnitedStatesnowaretheBaptists,

Methodists,Lutherans,Presbyterians,Episcopalians,andtheUnitedChurchofChrist.)Inthe1600s,the

Catholasmuch

bitternessamongsomeofthereligiousgroups,andmanyProtestantdenominationxperiencedreligious

ultofthispercutionwasthatmanyProtestantswerereadytoleavetheirnative

countriuently,amongthe

earlyttlerswhocametoAmericainthe1600s,thereweremanyProtestantsekingreligiousfreedom.

Inthepreviouschapter,wenotedthatthisdesireforreligiousfreedomwasoneofthestrongest

llyspeaking,thelackofanyestablished

nationalreligioninAmericaappealedstronglytoEuropeanProtestants,whetherornottheywerebeing

t,some

denominationshopedtoforcetheirviewsandbeliefsonothers,butthecoloniesweresimplytoolargefor

aofparationofchurchandstatebecame

eConstitutionwasadoptedin1789,thegovernmentwasforbiddentoestablisha

nationalchurch;ernmentandthechurchhadto

heconditions,avarietyofdifferentProtestantdenominationsdevelopedand

grew,witheachdenominationhavinga"liveandletlive"itywas

acceptedandstrengthened.

ProtestantismintheUnitedStates

TosomeonenotfamiliarwiththeProtestantfaith,thereligioussceneintheUnitedStatesmaybe

iousProtestantdenominationshavecompletelyparatechurchorganizations,and

althoughtherearemanysimilarities,therearealsosignificantdifferencesintheirreligiousteachingsand

otestantdenominationsforbiddancing,playingcards,anddrinkingalcohol,forexample,

whileothersdonot.

Whatcausthisreligiousdiversity?PerhapsthemajorcauistheProtestantbeliefthatthe

individual,nottheorganizedchurch,eawasbroughtto

AmericaandfirmlyestablishedbyEuropeanProtestants,anditisonereasonwhynosinglechurchhas

anreligioustraditionhancouragednotonlythe

developmentofnumerousdenominationsbutalsoatoleranceandacceptanceofallfaithsthatexpressthe

imateofreligiousfreedomhas,ofcour,

strengthenedthedevelopmentofculturalpluralismintheUnitedStates.

TheProtestantHeritage:Self-Improvement

AlthoughmanyProtestantdenominationxistintheUnitedStatestoday,allofthemsharea

commonheritagethe

mostimportantvaluestant

Christianity,likeRomanCatholicChristianity,oftenemphasizesthenaturalsinfulnessofhumannature.

However,sinceProtestantsdonotgotopriestsforforgivenessoftheirsins,individualsareleftalone

beforeGodtoimway,

Protestantismencouragesastrongandrestlessdesireforlf-improvement.

Theneedforlf-improvement,onceestablished,reachesfarbeyondlf-improvementinthepurely

eenincountlessbooksthatexplainhowpeoplecanbehappierand

moresuccessfulinlifebyimprovingeverythingfromtheirvocabularytotheirtennisgame,oreventheir

whethenaturalproducts

ofacultureinwhichpeoplebelievethat"Godhelpsthowhohelpthemlves."

Oneofthemostpopularlf-helpbookverwrittenintheUnitedStateswaswrittenbyaProtestant

minister,itlestates,ingto

Peale,gtheBibleislikedoingregular

dailyexercis;itcanimproveone'slf-confidenceandensurepersonalsuccessinlife.

Americansbuyhundredsofmillionsoflf-helpbooksayear,andtypically;halfoftheNewYork

tiontothat,Americansattend

thousandsoflf-helpminarsandsupportgroupmeetingstohelpthemstopsmokingordrinking,lo

weight,bebetterparents,havehappierrelationships,and,ofcour,developlf-confidence.

MaterialSuccess,HardWork,andSelf-Discipline

Theachievementofmaterialsuccessisprobablythemostwidelyrespectedformoflf-improvement

holarsbelievethatthenation'sProtestantheritageislargelyresponsiblefor

aofmixingmaterialismandreligionmayemcontradictory;religionis

consideredtobeconcernedwithspiritualmatters,thetwomix?

SomeoftheearlyEuropeanProtestantleadersbelievedthatpeoplewhowereblesdbyGod

rotestantleaders,particularlyinthe

UnitedStates,madeanevenstrongerconnectionbetweengainingmaterialwealthandbeingblesdby

1900,forexample,BishopWilliamLawrenceproclaimed,"Godlinessisinleaguewithriches....

Materialprosperityishelpingtomakethenationalcharactersweeter,morejoyous,moreunlfish,more

Christlike."

AmericanProtestantism,however,hasneverencouragedtheideaofgainingwealthwithouthard

holarsbelievethattheemphasisofProtestantismonthetwovalues

matestantviewofhard

workanddisciplinedifferedfromtheoldertraditionoftheCatholicchurchwherethemosthighlyvalued

workwasthatperformedbypriestsandotherswholivesweregivencompletelytotheorganizedchurch.

Theworkandlf-disciplineofthowhooccupationswereoutsidethechurchmighthavebeen

tantleadersbroughtaboutadifferentattitudetowardwork,first

inEurope,andlaterintheNewWorld,byviewingtheworkofallpeople—farmers,merchants,and

laborers—asholy.

Protestantsalsobelievedthatthecapacityforlf-disciplinewasaholycharacteristicblesdby

-disciplinewasoftendefinedasthewillingnesstosaveandinvestone'smoneyratherthanspend

tanttradition,therefore,mayhaveplayedanimportantpartincreatinga

goodclimatefortheindustrialgrowthoftheUnitedStates,whichdependedonhardworkandwillingness

iefinhardworkandlf-disciplineinpursuitofmaterialgainandother

goalsisoftenreferredtoas"theProtestantworkethic,"or"thePuritanworkethic."

ItisimportanttounderstandthatthisworkethichashadaninfluencefarbeyondtheProtestant

ligiousgroupsintheUnitedStatessharebeliefinwhatiscalledtheProtestantworkethic.

Americanswhohavenoattachmenttoaparticularchurch,ProtestantorCatholic,havestillbeeninfluenced

bytheworkethicintheirdailylives.

Itisinterestingtonotethatinthelastfewdecades,therehasbeenashiftbothintheworkethicandin

ovichandotherrearchersreportthatinthepast,mostAmericansdidnot

1950s,forexample,mostpeoplesawtheirjobs

,byamarginoffourtoone,theyexpecttheirworktogivethema

nofpersonalsatisfactionandfulfillment,oplearealsobeginning

toquestionwhetherworkinglonghourstohavesuccessandmaterialwealthisreallyworththesacrifice.

Perhapslessmightbebetter.

VolunteerismandHumanitarianism

TheProtestantideaoflf-improvementincludesmorethanachievingmaterialgainthroughhard

duals,inother

words,makethemlvesintobetterpersonsbycontributingsomeoftheirtimeormoneytocharitable,

educational,losophyissometimescalled

volunteerism,orhumanitarianism.

Historically,someoftheextremelywealthyAmericanshavemadegenerouscontributionstohelp

arly1900s,forexample,AndrewCarnegie,afamousAmericanbusinessman,gaveaway

morethan300milliondollarstohelpsupportschoolsanduniversitiesandtobuildpubliclibrariesin

eller,anotherfamousbusinessman,in

explainingwhyhegavealargesumfromhisprivatefortunetoestablishauniversity,said:"ThegoodLord

gavememymoney,sohowcouldIwithholditfromtheUniversityofChicago?"Themotivefor

humanitarianismandvolunteerismisstrong:ManyAmericansbelievethattheymustdevotepartoftheir

timeandwealthtoreligiousorhumanitariancausinordertobeacceptableintheeyesofGodandinthe

sinesncouragetheiremployeestodovolunteerwork,and

individualsmaygettaxcreditsformoneygiventocharity.

Born-AgainChristiansandtheReligiousRight

Perhapsthemostdramaticexampleoftheideaoflf-improvementinAmericanProtestantismis

theexperienceofbeing"bornagain."Someindividualswhohavehadthixperiencesaythatbeforeit

eyopenedtheirheartstoGodandtoHis

Son,JesusChrist,ythixperienceissometimesvery

emotional,andafterward,theirlivesaresocompletelychangedthattheydescribetheexperienceasbeing

"bornagain."AnumberoftheChristianradioandtelevisionshowshavebeenledbyborn-again

evangelistssuchasBillyGrahamandJerryFalwell.

Manyoftheborn-againChristiansbelongtoProtestantchurchesthatarepoliticallyvery

16percentofAmericansnowidentifythemlvesaspartofthereligiousconrvative

ghmanyconrvativeChristiansfromdifferentProtestantdenominations(and

anumberofCatholicchurches)havetraditionallyhadtheirdifferences,theissueoflegalizedabortionhas

ntyears,undernamessuchas"TheMoral

Majority,"the"ReligiousRight,"the"ChristianRight,"or"ReligiousConrvatives,"theChristian

Conrvativeshavejoinedtogethertooppolegalizedabortionandthebanonprayerinthepublic

vebeenparticularlysuccessfulingainingpowerwithintheRepublicanpoliticalparty,and

theyhaveactivelycampaignedforcandidateswhosupporttheirviews.

ANationalReligion

InthecountriesfromwhichtheAmericancolonistmigrated,thedominantvaluesofthenation

anProtestantsmadecertainthatno

organizednationalchurchwould•existintheiryoungcountry.

Americans,however,havedevelopedanumberofinformalpracticesthatcombinenational

rofscholarshavereferredtothepracticesasthe"nationalreligion"of

nfunctionofthisnationalreligionistoprovidesupportforthedominantvalues

,itdoesinaninformalandlessorganizedwaywhatnationallyorganizedchurchesdid

forEuropeannationsinearliertimes.

TheinformalnationalreligionintheUnitedStatesmixespatriotismwithreligiousideasinsongsand

inceremoniesthatproclaimGod'sblessingonAmerica,itsbasicvalues,

nationalreligioncanbeobrvedonmanyoccasionswhenAmericansgathertogether—onnational

holidays,atpoliticalconventions,aballgame,theplayersandfans

standupforthenationalanthem,acticeistaken

soriouslythatin1996,theNationalBasketballAssociation(NBA)actuallysuspendedaprofessional

basketballplayerwhorefudtostandduringthenationalanthem.

TheNBAstatedthathecouldnotplayingamesunlessheagreedtofollowtheirrulerequiringplayers

tostandinarespectfulmannerduringthenationalanthem.

Patrioticsongssuchas"GodBlessAmerica,""AmericatheBeautiful,"and"MyCountryTisofThee"

ongsaresungfrequentlyonpublic

occasionsandmayalsobesungatProtestantworshiprvices,expressingtheideathattheUnitedStates

sionsofthenationalreligioncanalsobeenwhentheUnited

Statesndsmilitaryforcesoveras;theGulfWarprovidedgoodexamplesofthemixingofprayerand

patriotism.

SomeobrversofAmericansocietybelievethatthevariouspracticesthatarecalledthenational

mesthepracticescanhelptocreateaclimateinwhich

disa1960s,forexample,

somecitizensconsideredtheyoungpeoplewhoprotestedagainstthewarinVietnamtobe"un-American."

Theytoldtheyoungprotesters,"America—loveitorleaveit."Thisphrabecameasloganthatillustrated

theirexcessivepatriotism.

Whenthenationalreligionhelpstocreateaclimatethatencouragexcessiveconformitywith

prevailingnationalpractices,r,itusuallyrvesadifferentfunction:

toexpressthebeliefofmostAmericansthatitisimportanttobeanationofpeoplewhobelieveinGodand

arelovedandprotectedbyGod.

TheearliestProtestantttlersbelievedthatbycomingtoAmerica,theywerecarryingoutGod'splan.

,Americansstillneedtobelievethattheir

nationwillcontinuetosucceed,andthenationalreligionhelpstoanswerthisneedbyremindingthemof

eansofmaintainingtheirnationallf-confidenceinarapidlychanging

world.

America'sProtestantheritageemstohaveencouragedcertainbasicvaluesthatmembersofmany

shelpedtounitemanydifferentreligiousgroups

alandreligiouspluralismhasalso

createdacontextoftolerancethatfurtherstrengthenstheAmericanrealityofmanydifferentreligions

livingpeacefullywithinasinglenation.

NewWords

PopetheleaderoftheRomanCatholicChurch

sinanactthatbreaksGod'slaws;somethingthatismorallywrong

solelyonly;byonelfalone

denominationaparticularreligiousbodywithspecialbeliefsthataredifferentfromthebeliefsofother

groupswiththesamereligiousfaith

percutioncrueltreatment;causingonetosufferforreligiousbeliefs

eternaleverlasting;havingnoend

supportgroupagroupofpeoplethatshareacommonproblem(suchashavingcancerorgoingthrougha

divorce)andmeetregularlytogiveeachotherencouragementandsupport

proclaimtomakeknown,todeclareofficially

inleaguewithworkingtogether

PuritanaProtestantgroupwithverystrictreligiouspractices(Thisgrouphadpoliticalpowerinsomeof

theAmericancolonies.)

volunteerismthepracticeofvolunteeringone'srvicestohelpothers(withoutpay)

humanitarianismtryingtoimprovelifeforhumanbeingsbygivingthembetterlivingconditions;helping

others

bananorderthatprohibitsorforbidssomething

patriotismloveforandloyaltytoone'scountry

prevailingmostcommonorgeneral

laryCheck

Writetheletterofthecorrectphranexttoeachword.

___whomeettoencourageeachother

____iousleader

____y;causingsuffering

____

____pular

____country

____inglifeforothers

____timetorveotherswithoutpay

____gwith

____trongstatement

____lywrongact

____yreligiousgroup

____tantchurchsuchasMethodistorBaptist

___uingforever

____inglaws

hensionCheck

WriteTifthestatementistrueandFifitisfalaccordingtotheinformationinthechapter.

____ghthereisculturalpluralismintheUnitedStates,thereisnoreligiouspluralism.

____testantdenominations(suchasMethodist,Baptist,Presbyterian)areallpartofthe

RomanCatholicchurch.

____.lechurchhasbecomethecenterofreligiouslifeintheUnitedStatesbecauthe

emphasisisontheindividual,notaparticularchurch.

____tholicsttledincolonialAmericatoescapereligiouspercutionbythe

ProtestantsinEurope.

____stitutionoftheUnitedStatesparateschurchandstateandforbidsthegovernmentfrom

everestablishinganationalchurch.

____tantismencouragesastrongdesireforlf-improvement.

____ericanProtestantleadershavesaidthatpeoplewhoarerichhavebeenblesdbyGod.

____testantworkethicisthebeliefthatpeopleshouldsharetheirtimeandtheirwealthtohelp

others.

____ityofAmericansnowconsiderthemlvespartofthereligious,politically

conrvativemovement.

____ionalreligionoftheUnitedStatesisamixtureofreligionandpatriotismthatexpressthe

beliefthatGodhasblesdAmericaanditsvalues.

tionsforFurtherReading

•JonathanEdwards,SinnersintheHandsofanAngryGod

•NathanielHawthorne,TheScarletLetter

•NathanielHawthorne,YoungGoodmanBrown

•HermanMelville,BillyBudd

•StudsTerkel,Working

•JacobNeur,Editor,WorldReligionsinAmerica:AnIntroduction

endedMovies

•ElmerGantry

•Witness

•TheScarletLetter

•LeapofFaith