Day 4 (June 26): History of American Religion

a) Morning Session - Religious Studies as a Discipline

The Academic Director will discuss religious studies as an academic discipline, as distinct from theological and biblical studies. Major figures in the development of the field and intellectual paradigms. Substantive issues for discussion: defining religion, value neutrality as a goal of religious study, and interdisciplinary perspectives drawing off history, sociology, philosophy, political science, cultural studies, global and international studies, and other fields. Illustrations from, and applications to the American scene.

 Assigned Readings:

Ninian Smart, "Religious Studies and the Western Mind," in Richard Hecht, "Religious Studies," in Reader

b) Afternoon Session - The Original Traditions

This session will focus upon indigenous religions and the early religious transplants to the U.S.  The history of Native American, Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, and African-American traditions will be traced from the early beginnings to the present. Protestantism in the nation's early years shaped democratic values and thus set the norms that affects the adaptation of all other religions; and in turn, this normative system respects the "manyness" of  American religions and reinforces democratic principles of choice and  conscience. Lecture and discussion.

Speaker: Prof. Catherine L. Albanese, Professor of Religious Studies, UCSB.

Assigned Reading:

Catherine L. Albanese, America: Religion and Religions, Part One A

 

c) Evening: Boat Cruise