Background of Religion and Church in America

1. Traditionally a "religious" country through immigration history, though with separation of church and state
2. Seeming contradictions: "In God We Trust" on money, "...one nation, under God ..." in Pledge, official chaplains, public 'religiosity'
3. Religious issues often in the news: court cases about public prayer, public aid to parochial schools, question of public aid to religion-based charities
4. General religious conservatism: 60% believe the Bible is 'historical fact' [IHT 6-7 March 2004; #12]; religious sensitivities & the "right to life" movement (anti-abortion), the "moral majority" in politics, the "secular humanism" challenge to public schools, etc.
5. Influence of 'religion' on U.S. foreign policy (especially the George W. Bush administration)
6. Questions often arise: 'What is a "church"?' 'Can the "state" interfere'? (see Freedom of Religion: Separating Church and State)

Traditional basic mixture of Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish (cf. Will Herberg)

1. 79 churches with at least 50,000 members, led by Roman Catholic (ca. 50 million), Southern Baptist (ca. 15 million), United Methodist (ca. 9 million), major Jewish denominations (ca 3.5 million), Presbyterian (ca. 3 million), Episcopal (ca. 2.5 million), United Church of Christ (ca 1.7 million) (Source: USA Today, 1994)
2. Population overall is 82% Christian; ca. 2% Jewish; the remainder 'other'
3. Protestant Christianity dominates all U.S. regions; many smallish denominations, sects
4. Roman Catholicism the largest single church, traditionally strong in cities, and in most U.S. regions except the 'old' South;
5. Jewish population concentrated on East coast, Miami, Hollywood and large urban areas
6. Islam, Asian religions growing, especially on the West coast, in the Gulf states
7. Religious fundamentalism and the generally-conservative "Bible belt" influence still strong in the South and Midwest, but also prominent elsewhere

Aspects of Immigration History and U.S. and Religious Values (cf. Europe)

1. Early history of European religious exiles and freedom-seekers; development of 'City on the Hill' metaphor of religious/political independence, rights, and sense of moral destiny
2. Early ethnic immigration usually centered around the community church; usually in the 'mother tongue' of the ethnic community until ca. 1910-20 (see 1907 Midwestern German church baptism certificate). Often the promotion of 'liberation values' within the ethnic churches, cf. their European origins, and sense of responsibility to 'enlighten' or 'minister to' others.
3. Sense of traditional European culture as having been (continuing to be?) comparatively unjust, corrupt and accomodating of 'evil', trying to accommodate or adjust to it, negotiate it away, rather than to confront and 'abolish' it, as the U.S. perspective often sees things
4. U.S. traditional religious values incline popular views more toward moral black/white 'absolutes' rather than a more European (?) gray acceptance of conflicting 'rights and wrongs'
5. Choice of religion and general tolerance of religious diversity a factor behind relatively greater U.S. 'religiosity' than many other countries? (see 2004 BBC figures)

Church membership and attendance seen as "social respectability"

1. U.S. "civil religion" stronger than "religion"?
2. 'Ritual' of Sunday morning church attendance; dress, social functions
3. Many church clubs, associations, etc., and much involvement in them; connection with working life? (Whyte: The Organization Man)
4. Church membership often changes in relation to social status, mobility

Tension Between Protestants and Catholics in America?

1. Stereotype Midwestern town; social, economic, athletic 'separation'
2. Post-1830 Irish immigration into Protestant America leads to separate Catholic "parochial schools"; suspicion of Catholics as a European "5th column" not uncommon until the election of Kennedy in 1960
3. General harmony prevails, but occasional underlying tension with issues such as birth control, abortion, public aid to parochial schools, etc. (cf midwestern community example)

Recent Aspects and Movements for Religion and Church in the U.S.

1. Ecumenism -- national and world ecumenical spirit; consolidation of denominations into a more unified church -- social force, economic influence, etc.
2. Movement from "spiritual" to a more "social" or "secular" focus demanded by the "sophistication" of more educated congregations?
3. Church as economic power, social policy and political clout
4. Political influence of organized 'religious right', plus general conservative influence of Catholic Hispanic immigration in California and the U.S. Southwest, for example.

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Largest Religious Bodies in the U.S.

(Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2000)
(The definition of "member" is determined by each religious body)

Thirteen Largest Religious Bodies Roman Catholic, 62,018,000 (1998) Southern Baptist, 15,729,000 (1998) United Methodist, 8,400,000 (1998) Jewish, 6,041,000 (1998) Churches of God in Christ, 5,500,000 (1991) Evangelical Lutheran, 5,178,000 (1998) Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), 4,923,100 (1998) Presbyterian, 3,575,000 (1998) National Baptist Convention of America, 3,500,000 (1987) Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, 2,597,000 (1997) Assemblies of God, 2,526,000 (1998) African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2,500,000 (1998) Episcopal Church, 2,365,000 (1996) [for more detail and other comparisons, see also 'Largest Religious Groups in the USA' (1999-2003)]

Other U.S. Religious Groups (Among Top 10 in at Least 1 State)

United Church of Christ Church of the Nazarene Christian Scientist Unitarian Universalist Association Seventh-Day Adventists Intl. Church of the Foursquare Gospel Pentecostal Holiness Church Wesleyan Church Armenian Apostolic Church

(Others, but not among any top 10 ...) Quakers Amish & Mennonites Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox Muslim/Islamic Buddhist Hindu Salvation Army

Useful Vocabulary

ecumenical, ecumenism denominations, interdenominational revivals, evangelism blasphemy, sacrilege, heresy sect, sectarian

pastor, parson, priest minister, ministry parish, parishioner ordained, ordination lay minister, layman