History 359: History of Religious Life in the United States

Spring 2007 Prof. Jack Maddex jmaddex@uoregon

Meets 9:00-9:50 M W F Office 333 McKenzie (phone 346-4829)

At 300 Villard Hours 2:30-4:00 M W; 10:00-11:30 U H

Website is on Blackboard.

Assigned books (to read in any order):

Edwin Gaustad & Leigh Schmidt. A Religious History of America . Revised ed.

Jay P. Dolan. In Search of an American Catholicism .

Jonathan Sarna. American Judaism .

George M. Marsden. Fundamentalism and American Culture . Revised ed.

Paper: You are to write either a 10-to-13-page paper based on additional reading or research about a particular religious group, leader, event, or development (of your choice) in United States history, or two papers half that length on different topics. Discuss topic(s) with me by April 21; I can help you identify topics and find sources. The two parts of the assignment, due May 8 and 31, will each count ¼ of the course grade. If you write one large paper, the May 8 assignment should be a draft of half of its sections.

Apr. 2—Introduction: Religion and United States Culture

4— Old World Religious Traditions in the 17 th Century

6—Native American Religion & Mission Encounter

9—Puritanism in the Colonies ( New England Focus)

11—Puritan Varieties & Offshoots

13—Anglicanism in the Colonies (Southern Focus)

16—Early Religious Pluralism (Middle-Colonies Focus)

18—The Great Awakening: 18 th -Century Revivalism

20—Enlightenment and Revolution in America

23—More Awakenings: Revivals in the Early 19 th Century

25—Theological Currents in Early 19 th Century

27—Denominational Consciousness in Early 19 th Century

30—New Movements & Experiments of Early 19 th Century

May 2—“Immigrant Faiths” & Religious Nativism

4—Social Application: Reform, Slavery, & Civil War

7—Reconstruction: Churches North & South, Black & White

9—Industrial Changes, Protestant Role, & Secularism. Paper (part 1) due.

11—Assimilation & Tradition in U. S. Judaism

14—Assimilation & Tradition in U. S. Catholicism

16—Idealist & Occult Movements ca. 1900

18—Protestant Establishment & Diverse Others, early 20 th Century

21—Fundamentalism vs. Modernism, 1910s-30s

23—Neo-Orthodoxy to Postwar “Revival,” 1930s-50s

25—American Catholicism before, during, & after Vatican Council II

28— Memorial Day. No class.

30—“Mainline” Protestantism in Mid-to-Late 20 th Century. Paper (part 2) due.

June 1—Evangelicalism in Mid-to-Late 20 th Century

4—Judaism in Mid-to-Late 20 th Century

6—New Movements & Religious Diversity in Late 20 th Century

8—American Way & Religious Life after 4 Centuries: Adding Up the Score

June 2 (Tues.)— Final Exam, 10:15-12:15. Bring “green books.”

No midterm test. Term paper(s)—50 % of grade. Final exam (2 essay questions)—50 %.