Religion in America Since 1945: A History

Patrick Allit gives a thorough history of the way that religion has taken place in The United States since the second world war. Allit divides the text into different eras such as by time and theme. He makes sure to include different perspectives as it does not simply address majority religion. People of different ranges of life are represented. Allit keeps different religions and ethnic groups in his history of religion. Through the text Allit traces a history of the American people. It is interesting to see a history of a people through their religious activities. Rather than watching political, social , and cultural history in a vacuum here we see the interaction of people and their religion. Another thing I liked is that it brings into focus people and events that normally are not present. Allit supports his story with a lot of evidence from different areas.

This book has a lot of information that is important while looking at a history of America since 1945. This book describes in detail the events and movements that have taken place since 1945 and describe religions involvement and thoughts on the events and movements. What I found the most interesting about this book is it explains why religion is so important to America in every aspect. After reading this, it was hard for me to understand why religion has been left out of many history books, even though this book proves why religion is so important. I find it so interesting that state and church are supposed to be separate, but in America it is almost impossible to do. This book is great for people who want to show the importance of religion to America.

Of late, religion seems to be everywhere, suffusing United States politics and popular culture and acting as both a unifying and a divisive force. This collection of manifestos, Supreme Court decisions, congressional testimonies, speeches, articles, book excerpts, pastoral letters, interviews, song lyrics, memoirs, and poems reflects the vitality, diversity, and changing nature of religious belief and practice in American public and private life over the last half century. Encompassing a range of perspectives, this book illustrates the ways in which individuals from all along the religious and political spectrum have engaged religion and viewed it as a crucial aspect of society. The anthology begins with documents that reflect the close relationship of religion, especially mainline Protestantism, to essential ideas undergirding Cold War America. Covering both the center and the margins of American religious life, this volume devotes extended attention to how issues of politics, race, gender, and sexuality have influenced the religious mainstream. A series of documents reflects the role of religion and theology in the civil rights, feminist, and gay rights movements as well as in conservative responses. Issues regarding religion and contemporary American culture are explored in documents about the rise of the evangelical movement and the religious right; the impact of "new" (post-1965) immigrant communities on the religious landscape; the popularity of alternative, New Age, and non-Western beliefs; and the relationship between religion and popular culture. The editors conclude with selections exploring major themes of American religious life at the millennium, including both conservative and New Age millennialism, as well as excerpts that speculate on the future of religion in the United States.