REL 3015 - Christianity in the United States

Since its founding, the United States has been dominated by the Christian tradition, although at no time has the tradition been monolithic. The goal of this course therefore is to introduce students to the wide range of Christian groups in the United States from the colonial period to the present. We will explore the process of Protestant denominationalism in this country, the rise of Evangelicalism, and the growth of the Roman Catholic Church. We will also be exploring some broad themes that cut across confessional boundaries: ethnicity, race, and religion; issues of church and state; and the tensions between religious conservatives, religious liberals, and secularists.

Credits: 4 hours

Notes: This course satisfies General Education Area III: The United States: Cultures and Issues.