=========================================================================
Date:         Mon, 3 Dec 2001 18:25:02 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Ellen Noonan 
Subject:      Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Welcome All, to the HistoryMatters forum on teaching religion in
American history. To open our conversation, I=92ll toss out three issues
that interest me and look forward to receiving others that speak to your
concerns and to those of your students.

Heading my list is how we should tackle teaching this subject to
students from increasingly diverse religious backgrounds. Most of my
students at the University of Delaware have been raised as
Protestants, Catholics, Mormons, or Jews, but a there=92s steadily
growing minority who have been brought up in the faiths of Islam,
Buddhism, and Hinduism, as well as a sprinkling of others who would
identify themselves as adherents to Native American religious
traditions or Wiccan groups, or some form of "New Age" spirituality.
Then there those who have had no religious upbringing or
affiliation=97I=92d guess about a quarter of my students fit that descriptio=
n.
If that profile typifies most of your classes, we=92re confronting "a mixed
multitude," which means that  the first challenge (and opportunity) that
we face as teachers is imparting a common ground of essential
knowledge about the varieties of religious belief, ritual, and
experience, past and present.

But what counts as "essential knowledge"? What=92s your sense of the
"canonical wisdom," the stuff that=92s absolutely got to be covered? And
what are the best ways to make that knowledge accessible to
students of richly diverse religious backgrounds and beliefs? What
have you found to be proven strategies to get those differences
working for us, as educators?

Having a common ground of knowledge will help to foster a productive
and civil discourse in the classroom, discussions that invite all voices
and contributions. But it=92s equally important to assure students (to say
nothing of parents and school adminstrators) that teaching (and
learning) about the role of religion in American history does not mean
preaching in the behalf of any particular religion. If we=92re to have any
credibility with our students (in any educational setting, but especially
in the public schools) we=92ve got to leave our own religious convictions
at the door of the classroom and model for our students ways of
understanding and discussing religion as an academic subject.
Ideally, we should be able to approach the study of religion in
American life with the same dispassion, objectivity, and
open-endedness that we=92d bring to sorting out the merits of the
debate over the Constitution between the Federalists and the
Anti-Federalists or the causes of the Civil War. So let=92s talk about how
best to keep our convictions to ourselves=97and how to cool down any
students eager to proselytize for their faiths=97when class discussions
heat up.

(I=92m guessing that some home-school and private school teachers
might dispute the point above, to which I say, "Fire away: Here=92s an
ideal forum.")

Finally, I=92d like to cast our discussions about the role of religion in
American history in the broadest perspective. My experience in the
classroom has taught me that even with a little instruction in theology
and the differences among major world religions and/or Christian
denominations, students can easily become fascinated with the
venerable subjects of American religious history=97the beliefs and
practices that distinguish Puritans from Anglicans, Catholics from
Protestants, liberals from evangelicals, Orthodox Jews from Reformed
Jews, followers of the Nation of Islam from other African-American
Muslims. And they are as easily engaged when invited to wonder
about why people in a particular place and time, given the play of
economic, political, and cultural influences, were drawn toward (to
give only a few examples) evangelical Christianity or Fundamentalism
or Pentecostalism or radical forms of Islam. All of that is good, but it
can get even better.

Here=92s how I see it: we can make the academic study of religion even
more meaningful for our students by conveying to them the
uncommon power that religious beliefs and loyalties have exerted in
shaping crucial passages in the American past and present. Whether
you applaud or deplore that influence, its historical importance is
beyond dispute, and its sway makes the United States (at least since
the nineteenth century) singular among the nations of the West. So
our responsibility is to give our students the learning and the tools to
appreciate and analyze the impact of religion on every aspect the
American experience, even the most seemingly "secular" episodes.

The possibilities are endless, but listed below are a few of my
favorites, and I=92d like to know yours:

*the influence of Catholic missionaries in sustaining the French
presence in North America until the end of the Seven Years=92 War.
(Was it the proselytizing of the Jesuits and other Catholic orders
among the Indians that made the contest for a continent between the
French and the British a cliffhanger?)

*the importance of religion in mobilizing popular support for the
American Revolution (Was this war for colonial liberation perceived by
the rebels not only as a political and constitutional crisis but also as a
holy war?)

*the role of Native American religions in shaping Indian military
resistance to white expansion during the early national period (Were
native revitalization movements the key to native mobilization?)

*the impact of Christianity on antebellum black communities, North
and South. (Did the incorporation of Christian teachings into
African-American systems of belief encourage or retard the opposition
to slavery among African Americans, both free and enslaved?)

*the influence of evangelical Christianity on white women of all
classes during the nineteenth century (To what extent did it inspire
and enforce Victorian ideals of domesticity? Or, conversely, did it
midwive of the women=92s rights movement?)

*the contributions of Fundamentalists to the rise of a mass
entertainment culture of the twentieth century (Were they the makings
of radio=97and, if so, to what extent did they colonize all the other
popular forms that followed?)

*the force of the Christian Right in American politics since the 1970s
(Who are these folks and to what extent have they shaped and
continue to influence elections and public policy?)

 Having said my piece to get our conversation started, I=92m set to listen
and learn. Tell me what you think about any of the above or what items
you=92d like to add to our agenda, and I=92ll do my best to respond and to
keep our discussion flowing. What better way for us all to celebrate the
end of classes and the luxury of having some time to indulge the life of
the mind?

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Mon, 3 Dec 2001 20:13:15 EST
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Arlene Colvin 
Subject:      (no subject)
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I think your subjects are good.  I would be interested in discussing as well
the influence of religion on white America, from colonial times to the civil
war,  as it relates to its acceptance of slavery as an institution.

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I think your subjects are good.  I would be interested in discussing as well the influence of religion on white America, from colonial times to the civil war,  as it relates to its acceptance of slavery as an institution.

--part1_b4.2c329a5.293d7d2b_boundary--

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 4 Dec 2001 11:15:37 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         "Nancy L. Zens" 
Subject:      Re: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman

I read with interest the list of areas where religion can be approached in
a U.S. history class, or any topical course about the U.S.  There are a few
I would like to add.
     The role of religion in the Civil War era in keeping up morale among
both CSA and USA troops and also the use of religion among the civilian
population north and south.  Southern revivals and the New York Draft Riots
come very quickly to mind.
     The Protestant/Catholic tensions that underlay the Progressive reform
attempts.
     The importance of religion in the emergence of black support groups
during and after slavery (not just jumping to the Civil Rights Movement of
the 1950s+, but the anti-lynching campaigns, mutual help organizations,
etc.)
     The layer of religion in hate groups like the KKK (in all of its
resurrected forms) or white supremist groups.  This might be particularly
effective as a jumping off point for discussions on Sept 11th.
     The difference between the legally mandated freedom of religion and
true tolerance.
I find myself truly torn in trying to cover the scope of U.S. history.  I
teach the full year U.S. sequence and all other U.S. courses at Central
Oregon Community College in Bend, Oregon (the high desert side, eastern of
the state).  Our student populations has little racial diversity and little
religious diversity (Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Mormon, a smattering of
Buddist), though there is ethnic and age diversity
In approaching situations where relgion has played a key role in the
historical events under discussion, I preface the class period with a
comment that we are not talking about faith or theology, right or wrong,
but about history.  I try to provide a 5 minute description of basic
religious beliefs where appropriate before moving in to the historic
situations.  So far, that has created a classroom atmosphere where students
at least listen to historical consequences.  Not the best of approaches, so
I am hoping for some expert guidance here.
In the U.S. sequence, I intentionally request additional discussion about
religion to take place with me after class, or outside the classroom.
Possibly because I teach topical course, such as the Civil War course and
the Native American history course as reading and discussion seminars, I
approach religion in a different way in these smaller classes. Students
read what people themselves say about their experiences, which opens
discussion into the role of religion as it affects the way people approach
or solve problems.  I have found more confrontational situations arise in
these classes, until students understand that I am not expecting them to
believe what they are reading, only to recognize that another culture or
person in time believes what they have written, and that these beliefs
affect their actions.  As an historian, I do not feel I am an expert about
the various theologies, and try to show students the kinds of questions I
ask historically, as opposed to the kinds of questions that I might ask if
I were seriously studying that religion.
So, what kinds of questions do you pose?  What kinds of responses do you
get?  How can we keep the study of religion in a respectful historic
discussion?  How do you diffuse "flash points", or guarantee that the
classroom remains respectful to all viewpoints?

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 4 Dec 2001 09:24:37 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Jane Rothstein 
Subject:      Re: Opening Statement
Mime-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

Hello & thank you for a thought-provoking opening statement.

As a beginning instructor (I'm a doctoral student), I'm interested in
hearing from participants in the forum about their experiences in teaching
on American religion in the context of the U.S. history survey or other
"topics" courses, aside from a course in American religious history.

I'm thinking of John McGreevy's essay on religious studies and American
history in the recent anthology, _The Challenge of American History_, ed.
Louis Masur, in which he notes the divergence between the rich scholarship
on American religion and the relative neglect of religion by other U.S.
historians, particularly for the post-1865 period.  I'm guessing that
McGreevy's observations don't really hold true for the participants on this
list!  So, I'm interested to hear how you incorporate/deal with issues such
as American religious diversity, religious practice and experience, the role
of religion(s) in post-1865 popular culture, conflict within and among
religious groups, and "secularization" in your courses (again, aside from a
course specifically on American religion).

Looking forward to the conversation,
Jane

Jane Rothstein,
Ph.D. Candidate
Department of History and
Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies
New York University
jr231@nyu.edu
jane_rothstein@mindspring.com

"Racing between mysticism and revolution..."
                     -- Phil Ochs

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 4 Dec 2001 05:44:15 EST
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         CATSTEP16@AOL.COM
Subject:      Re: (no subject)
MIME-Version: 1.0
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              boundary="part1_b9.17d28af5.293e02ff_boundary"

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Arlene,
What a very interesting subject to read about, are you familiar with any
books that offer answers to the acceptance of slavery?
I would be very interested in reading about how all of the various religions
have affected women in creating their defined roles.
Thank you!
Cathy
Union Carpenter

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Arlene,

What a very interesting subject to read about, are you familiar with any books that offer answers to the acceptance of slavery?

I would be very interested in reading about how all of the various religions have affected women in creating their defined roles.

Thank you!

Cathy

Union Carpenter

--part1_b9.17d28af5.293e02ff_boundary--

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Mon, 3 Dec 2001 20:59:04 -0500
Reply-To:     kablen@rcn.com
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         "kablen@rcn.com" 
Subject:      Re: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman
Content-Transfer-Encoding: Quoted-Printable
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

All:

I am looking forward to a productive discussion here.

My class is just starting to learn about American Imperialism of the late 1800's, so I would really like to discuss the r=
ole of religion in that- "Christianizing the natives" and that sort of thing.  Religion in American foreign policy as  pe=
rhaps a broader topic.

As a high school teacher, we have a lot of religious issues that come up- "pray around the flag day" and that sort of thi=
ng.  As a social studies teacher I also walk a fine line on this issue.  I have certainly done things that have tread upo=
n some people's religious beliefs.  I have been accused of violating the separation of church and state and undermining t=
he American system of justice!  We have to listen to debates about posting the ten commandments in the hallways, keeping =
evolution out of biology books, complaints about what songs the choir sings (or doesn't sing) at "Xmas" and all of that s=
ort of thing.

All of this, I guess, is just part of the continuing story of American history.

Len Rabinowitz
Ashland High School
Ashland, MA

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Ellen Noonan enoonan@GC.CUNY.EDU
Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2001 18:25:02 -0500
To: RELIGIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman


Welcome All, to the HistoryMatters forum on teaching religion in
American history. To open our conversation, I=92ll toss out three issues
that interest me and look forward to receiving others that speak to your
concerns and to those of your students.

Heading my list is how we should tackle teaching this subject to
students from increasingly diverse religious backgrounds. Most of my
students at the University of Delaware have been raised as
Protestants, Catholics, Mormons, or Jews, but a there=92s steadily
growing minority who have been brought up in the faiths of Islam,
Buddhism, and Hinduism, as well as a sprinkling of others who would
identify themselves as adherents to Native American religious
traditions or Wiccan groups, or some form of "New Age" spirituality.
Then there those who have had no religious upbringing or
affiliation=97I=92d guess about a quarter of my students fit that description.
If that profile typifies most of your classes, we=92re confronting "a mixed
multitude," which means that  the first challenge (and opportunity) that
we face as teachers is imparting a common ground of essential
knowledge about the varieties of religious belief, ritual, and
experience, past and present.

But what counts as "essential knowledge"? What=92s your sense of the
"canonical wisdom," the stuff that=92s absolutely got to be covered? And
what are the best ways to make that knowledge accessible to
students of richly diverse religious backgrounds and beliefs? What
have you found to be proven strategies to get those differences
working for us, as educators?

Having a common ground of knowledge will help to foster a productive
and civil discourse in the classroom, discussions that invite all voices
and contributions. But it=92s equally important to assure students (to say
nothing of parents and school adminstrators) that teaching (and
learning) about the role of religion in American history does not mean
preaching in the behalf of any particular religion. If we=92re to have any
credibility with our students (in any educational setting, but especially
in the public schools) we=92ve got to leave our own religious convictions
at the door of the classroom and model for our students ways of
understanding and discussing religion as an academic subject.
Ideally, we should be able to approach the study of religion in
American life with the same dispassion, objectivity, and
open-endedness that we=92d bring to sorting out the merits of the
debate over the Constitution between the Federalists and the
Anti-Federalists or the causes of the Civil War. So let=92s talk about how
best to keep our convictions to ourselves=97and how to cool down any
students eager to proselytize for their faiths=97when class discussions
heat up.

(I=92m guessing that some home-school and private school teachers
might dispute the point above, to which I say, "Fire away: Here=92s an
ideal forum.")

Finally, I=92d like to cast our discussions about the role of religion in
American history in the broadest perspective. My experience in the
classroom has taught me that even with a little instruction in theology
and the differences among major world religions and/or Christian
denominations, students can easily become fascinated with the
venerable subjects of American religious history=97the beliefs and
practices that distinguish Puritans from Anglicans, Catholics from
Protestants, liberals from evangelicals, Orthodox Jews from Reformed
Jews, followers of the Nation of Islam from other African-American
Muslims. And they are as easily engaged when invited to wonder
about why people in a particular place and time, given the play of
economic, political, and cultural influences, were drawn toward (to
give only a few examples) evangelical Christianity or Fundamentalism
or Pentecostalism or radical forms of Islam. All of that is good, but it
can get even better.

Here=92s how I see it: we can make the academic study of religion even
more meaningful for our students by conveying to them the
uncommon power that religious beliefs and loyalties have exerted in
shaping crucial passages in the American past and present. Whether
you applaud or deplore that influence, its historical importance is
beyond dispute, and its sway makes the United States (at least since
the nineteenth century) singular among the nations of the West. So
our responsibility is to give our students the learning and the tools to
appreciate and analyze the impact of religion on every aspect the
American experience, even the most seemingly "secular" episodes.

The possibilities are endless, but listed below are a few of my
favorites, and I=92d like to know yours:

*the influence of Catholic missionaries in sustaining the French
presence in North America until the end of the Seven Years=92 War.
(Was it the proselytizing of the Jesuits and other Catholic orders
among the Indians that made the contest for a continent between the
French and the British a cliffhanger?)

*the importance of religion in mobilizing popular support for the
American Revolution (Was this war for colonial liberation perceived by
the rebels not only as a political and constitutional crisis but also as a
holy war?)

*the role of Native American religions in shaping Indian military
resistance to white expansion during the early national period (Were
native revitalization movements the key to native mobilization?)

*the impact of Christianity on antebellum black communities, North
and South. (Did the incorporation of Christian teachings into
African-American systems of belief encourage or retard the opposition
to slavery among African Americans, both free and enslaved?)

*the influence of evangelical Christianity on white women of all
classes during the nineteenth century (To what extent did it inspire
and enforce Victorian ideals of domesticity? Or, conversely, did it
midwive of the women=92s rights movement?)

*the contributions of Fundamentalists to the rise of a mass
entertainment culture of the twentieth century (Were they the makings
of radio=97and, if so, to what extent did they colonize all the other
popular forms that followed?)

*the force of the Christian Right in American politics since the 1970s
(Who are these folks and to what extent have they shaped and
continue to influence elections and public policy?)

 Having said my piece to get our conversation started, I=92m set to listen
and learn. Tell me what you think about any of the above or what items
you=92d like to add to our agenda, and I=92ll do my best to respond and to
keep our discussion flowing. What better way for us all to celebrate the
end of classes and the luxury of having some time to indulge the life of
the mind?

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources=
 for teaching U.S. History.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
mail2web - Check your email from the web at
http://mail2web.com/ .

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 4 Dec 2001 15:55:03 EST
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Arlene Colvin 
Subject:      Re: (no subject)
MIME-Version: 1.0
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              boundary="part1_127.8429086.293e9227_boundary"

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Cathy,

I am certainly no expert (I am not a teacher and don't teach a class.  I work
for city government. :-)) but I think a book called "Bible Defence of
Slavery" by Josiah Priest is a good start.  It was published in the 1850's so
you can probably find it in the library.

I found a website that has a good chronology on this issue.  Go to:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_slav.htm

The women's issue is another good one.  I don't have any specific references
on this issue, but as I come across information in my readings, I will let
you know.

Thanks for writing!

--part1_127.8429086.293e9227_boundary
Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Cathy,



I am certainly no expert (I am not a teacher and don't teach a class.  I work for city government. :-)) but I think a book called "Bible Defence of Slavery" by Josiah Priest is a good start.  It was published in the 1850's so you can probably find it in the library.



I found a website that has a good chronology on this issue.  Go to:



http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_slav.htm



The women's issue is another good one.  I don't have any specific references on this issue, but as I come across information in my readings, I will let you know.



Thanks for writing!

--part1_127.8429086.293e9227_boundary--

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 4 Dec 2001 14:55:32 -0700
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         "Mary C. Canzoneri" 
Subject:      Re: THANKS:(no subject)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
              boundary="------------59DF53B5C143B7E89A53A94B"

--------------59DF53B5C143B7E89A53A94B
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Thanks Arlene, I teach U.S. History and Women's History and will try to
fuse this into the ideology of enslavement and the subordination of
women.   Thanks,   Mary

Arlene Colvin wrote:

> Cathy,
>
> I am certainly no expert (I am not a teacher and don't teach a class.
> I work for city government. :-)) but I think a book called "Bible
> Defence of Slavery" by Josiah Priest is a good start.  It was
> published in the 1850's so you can probably find it in the library.
>
> I found a website that has a good chronology on this issue.  Go to:
>
> http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_slav.htm
>
> The women's issue is another good one.  I don't have any specific
> references on this issue, but as I come across information in my
> readings, I will let you know.
>
> Thanks for writing!

--------------59DF53B5C143B7E89A53A94B
Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit



Thanks Arlene, I teach U.S. History and Women's History and will try to
fuse this into the ideology of enslavement and the subordination of women.  
Thanks,   Mary
Arlene Colvin wrote:
Cathy,
I am certainly no expert
(I am not a teacher and don't teach a class.  I work for city government.
:-)) but I think a book called "Bible Defence of Slavery" by Josiah Priest
is a good start.  It was published in the 1850's so you can probably
find it in the library.
I found a website that has
a good chronology on this issue.  Go to:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_slav.htm
The women's issue is another
good one.  I don't have any specific references on this issue, but
as I come across information in my readings, I will let you know.
Thanks for writing!


--------------59DF53B5C143B7E89A53A94B--

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 5 Dec 2001 14:32:49 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Joseph Starrs 
Subject:      Re: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman
Comments: To: kablen@rcn.com
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I think the following areas might serve, at least in part,  "essential
knowledge" when it comes to teaching religion in American history.
1)  A more in-depth examination into the faith of founding fathers.  What
were the differences of the various denominations?  Jeffersons work on
religious liberty.
What denominations settled what areas? Amish in Pennsylvania, Catholics in
Maryland,  Mormons in Utah...

2) An honest look at those denominations that faced rigorous persecution.
(how many students know about the numerous burnings of Catholic Churches and
the widespread influence of the Know Nothing party?  What might the West
look like had the Mormons not been part of the picture?

3)  I think a good chunk should be spent on the role of the radical
abolitionists and their denunciations of many of the churches for not taking
a harder line on slavery.  Teachers might compare and contrast the religious
elements of pro-slavery apologists like George Fitzhugh, versus the
religious elements in Harriet Beecher Stowe and William Lloyd Garrisons
writings.  Why not a "top 25" of the most influential American religious
leaders.




> -----Original Message-----
> From: kablen@rcn.com [SMTP:kablen@RCN.COM]
> Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 8:59 PM
> To:   RELIGIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> Subject:      Re: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman
>
> All:
>
> I am looking forward to a productive discussion here.
>
> My class is just starting to learn about American Imperialism of the late
> 1800's, so I would really like to discuss the role of religion in that-
> "Christianizing the natives" and that sort of thing.  Religion in American
> foreign policy as  perhaps a broader topic.
>
> As a high school teacher, we have a lot of religious issues that come up-
> "pray around the flag day" and that sort of thing.  As a social studies
> teacher I also walk a fine line on this issue.  I have certainly done
> things that have tread upon some people's religious beliefs.  I have been
> accused of violating the separation of church and state and undermining
> the American system of justice!  We have to listen to debates about
> posting the ten commandments in the hallways, keeping evolution out of
> biology books, complaints about what songs the choir sings (or doesn't
> sing) at "Xmas" and all of that sort of thing.
>
> All of this, I guess, is just part of the continuing story of American
> history.
>
> Len Rabinowitz
> Ashland High School
> Ashland, MA
>
> Original Message:
> -----------------
> From: Ellen Noonan enoonan@GC.CUNY.EDU
> Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2001 18:25:02 -0500
> To: RELIGIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> Subject: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman
>
>
> Welcome All, to the HistoryMatters forum on teaching religion in
> American history. To open our conversation, I'll toss out three issues
> that interest me and look forward to receiving others that speak to your
> concerns and to those of your students.
>
> Heading my list is how we should tackle teaching this subject to
> students from increasingly diverse religious backgrounds. Most of my
> students at the University of Delaware have been raised as
> Protestants, Catholics, Mormons, or Jews, but a there's steadily
> growing minority who have been brought up in the faiths of Islam,
> Buddhism, and Hinduism, as well as a sprinkling of others who would
> identify themselves as adherents to Native American religious
> traditions or Wiccan groups, or some form of "New Age" spirituality.
> Then there those who have had no religious upbringing or
> affiliation-I'd guess about a quarter of my students fit that description.
> If that profile typifies most of your classes, we're confronting "a mixed
> multitude," which means that  the first challenge (and opportunity) that
> we face as teachers is imparting a common ground of essential
> knowledge about the varieties of religious belief, ritual, and
> experience, past and present.
>
> But what counts as "essential knowledge"? What's your sense of the
> "canonical wisdom," the stuff that's absolutely got to be covered? And
> what are the best ways to make that knowledge accessible to
> students of richly diverse religious backgrounds and beliefs? What
> have you found to be proven strategies to get those differences
> working for us, as educators?
>
> Having a common ground of knowledge will help to foster a productive
> and civil discourse in the classroom, discussions that invite all voices
> and contributions. But it's equally important to assure students (to say
> nothing of parents and school adminstrators) that teaching (and
> learning) about the role of religion in American history does not mean
> preaching in the behalf of any particular religion. If we're to have any
> credibility with our students (in any educational setting, but especially
> in the public schools) we've got to leave our own religious convictions
> at the door of the classroom and model for our students ways of
> understanding and discussing religion as an academic subject.
> Ideally, we should be able to approach the study of religion in
> American life with the same dispassion, objectivity, and
> open-endedness that we'd bring to sorting out the merits of the
> debate over the Constitution between the Federalists and the
> Anti-Federalists or the causes of the Civil War. So let's talk about how
> best to keep our convictions to ourselves-and how to cool down any
> students eager to proselytize for their faiths-when class discussions
> heat up.
>
> (I'm guessing that some home-school and private school teachers
> might dispute the point above, to which I say, "Fire away: Here's an
> ideal forum.")
>
> Finally, I'd like to cast our discussions about the role of religion in
> American history in the broadest perspective. My experience in the
> classroom has taught me that even with a little instruction in theology
> and the differences among major world religions and/or Christian
> denominations, students can easily become fascinated with the
> venerable subjects of American religious history-the beliefs and
> practices that distinguish Puritans from Anglicans, Catholics from
> Protestants, liberals from evangelicals, Orthodox Jews from Reformed
> Jews, followers of the Nation of Islam from other African-American
> Muslims. And they are as easily engaged when invited to wonder
> about why people in a particular place and time, given the play of
> economic, political, and cultural influences, were drawn toward (to
> give only a few examples) evangelical Christianity or Fundamentalism
> or Pentecostalism or radical forms of Islam. All of that is good, but it
> can get even better.
>
> Here's how I see it: we can make the academic study of religion even
> more meaningful for our students by conveying to them the
> uncommon power that religious beliefs and loyalties have exerted in
> shaping crucial passages in the American past and present. Whether
> you applaud or deplore that influence, its historical importance is
> beyond dispute, and its sway makes the United States (at least since
> the nineteenth century) singular among the nations of the West. So
> our responsibility is to give our students the learning and the tools to
> appreciate and analyze the impact of religion on every aspect the
> American experience, even the most seemingly "secular" episodes.
>
> The possibilities are endless, but listed below are a few of my
> favorites, and I'd like to know yours:
>
> *the influence of Catholic missionaries in sustaining the French
> presence in North America until the end of the Seven Years' War.
> (Was it the proselytizing of the Jesuits and other Catholic orders
> among the Indians that made the contest for a continent between the
> French and the British a cliffhanger?)
>
> *the importance of religion in mobilizing popular support for the
> American Revolution (Was this war for colonial liberation perceived by
> the rebels not only as a political and constitutional crisis but also as a
> holy war?)
>
> *the role of Native American religions in shaping Indian military
> resistance to white expansion during the early national period (Were
> native revitalization movements the key to native mobilization?)
>
> *the impact of Christianity on antebellum black communities, North
> and South. (Did the incorporation of Christian teachings into
> African-American systems of belief encourage or retard the opposition
> to slavery among African Americans, both free and enslaved?)
>
> *the influence of evangelical Christianity on white women of all
> classes during the nineteenth century (To what extent did it inspire
> and enforce Victorian ideals of domesticity? Or, conversely, did it
> midwive of the women's rights movement?)
>
> *the contributions of Fundamentalists to the rise of a mass
> entertainment culture of the twentieth century (Were they the makings
> of radio-and, if so, to what extent did they colonize all the other
> popular forms that followed?)
>
> *the force of the Christian Right in American politics since the 1970s
> (Who are these folks and to what extent have they shaped and
> continue to influence elections and public policy?)
>
>  Having said my piece to get our conversation started, I'm set to listen
> and learn. Tell me what you think about any of the above or what items
> you'd like to add to our agenda, and I'll do my best to respond and to
> keep our discussion flowing. What better way for us all to celebrate the
> end of classes and the luxury of having some time to indulge the life of
> the mind?
>
> This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at
> http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S.
> History.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> mail2web - Check your email from the web at
> http://mail2web.com/ .
>
> This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at
> http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S.
> History.

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=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 5 Dec 2001 12:55:35 EST
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Funmi Kennedy 
Subject:      Re: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman
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Peace:

I would like to add one more.

"The impact of African religions on the American community both North and
South America during slavery, the reconstruction,  and the modern day
versions. Allow us to talk about how the practices of religions such as
Youraba and Akan impacted not only the African American communiites but also
white America. What steps were taken to disregard, minimize and discredit
them as vital religions with significant impact.

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Peace:



I would like to add one more.



"The impact of African religions on the American community both North and South America during slavery, the reconstruction,  and the modern day versions. Allow us to talk about how the practices of religions such as Youraba and Akan impacted not only the African American communiites but also white America. What steps were taken to disregard, minimize and discredit them as vital religions with significant impact.

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Date:         Wed, 5 Dec 2001 14:40:01 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Joseph Starrs 
Subject:      Re: (no subject)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain

I mentioned him earlier but George Fitzhugh's Sociology for the South
written in 1857 gives more than you'll ever want to read from the
pro-slavery angle.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Arlene Colvin [SMTP:Lenecol@AOL.COM]
> Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 8:13 PM
> To:   RELIGIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> Subject:      (no subject)
>
> I think your subjects are good.  I would be interested in discussing as
> well the influence of religion on white America, from colonial times to
> the civil war,  as it relates to its acceptance of slavery as an
> institution.

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=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 5 Dec 2001 15:06:07 -0500
Reply-To:     cpitton@ae21.org
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Charity Pitton 
Subject:      Teaching both sides of the religious coin
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I have found that what most helps my students start thinking about the effect of religion on the path of the United States is to look at how various
religious groups viewed issues in contradictory ways. It keeps them from falling into the trap of the easy answer: "X is the effect religion had on
American history." It also helps them relate to historical periods a little better when they realize that arguments about beliefs are not new to today's
society, but rather something that has existed from the time humans could speak. (These are high school students.)

Joseph Starrs wrote:

> 3)  I think a good chunk should be spent on the role of the radical
> abolitionists and their denunciations of many of the churches for not taking
> a harder line on slavery.  Teachers might compare and contrast the religious
> elements of pro-slavery apologists like George Fitzhugh, versus the
> religious elements in Harriet Beecher Stowe and William Lloyd Garrisons
> writings.  Why not a "top 25" of the most influential American religious
> leaders.
>

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=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 6 Dec 2001 07:49:58 -0600
Reply-To:     Samuel Pearson 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Samuel Pearson 
Subject:      Re: Teaching both sides of the religious coin
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As a specialist in religious history (primarily but not exclusively
American) who struggles not to talk about the relationship of religions to
every topic in a survey American history course, I've enjoyed the discussion
immensely.  Charity Pitton's call for teaching both sides is well taken.

Even from colonial times America had religions, not religion.  We were lucky
to get separation only because New Englanders could not endure an Anglican
establishment and Anglicans could not endure an eroded Puritan
establishment.  The subsequent history is of multiplying religious forces
and institutions.  I would argue that religion and culture are intimately
related and that the multiplication of religions was the first clear sign of
multiculturalism in America.

That said, there is no single role or influence of religion in
slavery/abolition or in anything else.  Americans, arguing on religious
grounds, both supported and opposed slavery from the beginning to the end.
Ditto every public issue.  The sharp cleavages among religious groups today
on abortion rights, ethnic profiling in the name of fighting terrorism,
etc., etc. is absolutely nothing new.

Samuel C. Pearson
Professor Emeritus of Historical Studies
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
tel. (314) 725-0470 (home)
e-mail:  spearso@siue.edu
website:  http://www.siue.edu/~spearso

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=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 6 Dec 2001 10:46:30 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         wmcg 
Subject:      socially disinterested religion
Mime-version: 1.0
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              boundary="MS_Mac_OE_3090480391_22236_MIME_Part"

> THIS MESSAGE IS IN MIME FORMAT. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.

--MS_Mac_OE_3090480391_22236_MIME_Part
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
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Dear Fellow Participants,

It seems that a majority of comments have suggested that the teaching of th=
e
history of religion in America should focus on the abolition of slavery and
its aftermath or to related social issues.  Religion would then be a
sideshow to what the historian really considered important - i.e., various
social struggles.

Let us suppose, however, that religion is essentially an individual=B9s searc=
h
for God.  There are communities of people who do this.  They have a history=
.
 However, to tell that story in a coherent way would pose problems since
religious traditions are diverse.

To try to resolve this problem, I am suggesting that, for some people,
religion leads to social activism; but for some, it does not.  And some
straddle both positions.

Take the example of fundamentalist Christians waiting for the last days and
Jesus=B9 Second Coming.  These people basically want to be morally prepared s=
o
that they will be among those who will be with Jesus after the apocalyptic
event.  At the same time, such a view leads to the belief that we are livin=
g
in evil times, with the anti-Christ lurking somewhere; and who knows what
institution or person that might be?  So the fixation on Jesus=B9 Second
Coming has social and political implications even though the essential
consideration is an individual=B9s own attitude toward Jesus.

Religion is also, of course, a kind of culture associated with various
ethnic groups.  The stuggles of these groups for a share of the American pi=
e
could touch upon religion.  This is opposed to religion as a philosophy
which all types of persons are equally equipped to pursue.  Please let your
history of religion include the socially disinterested pursuits of those in
the latter camp.


William McGaughey



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Content-type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1"
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Dear Fellow Participants,



It seems that a majority of comments have suggested that the teaching of th=
e history of religion in America should focus on the abolition of slavery an=
d its aftermath or to related social issues.  Religion would then be a =
sideshow to what the historian really considered important - i.e., various s=
ocial struggles.



Let us suppose, however, that religion is essentially an individual=B9s searc=
h for God.  There are communities of people who do this.  They hav=
e a history.  However, to tell that story in a coherent way would pose =
problems since religious traditions are diverse.



To try to resolve this problem, I am suggesting that, for some people, reli=
gion leads to social activism; but for some, it does not.  And some str=
addle both positions. 



Take the example of fundamentalist Christians waiting for the last days and=
 Jesus=B9 Second Coming.  These people basically want to be morally prepa=
red so that they will be among those who will be with Jesus after the apocal=
yptic event.  At the same time, such a view leads to the belief that we=
 are living in evil times, with the anti-Christ lurking somewhere; and who k=
nows what institution or person that might be?  So the fixation on Jesu=
s=B9 Second Coming has social and political implications even though the essen=
tial consideration is an individual=B9s own attitude toward Jesus.



Religion is also, of course, a kind of culture associated with various ethn=
ic groups.  The stuggles of these groups for a share of the American pi=
e could touch upon religion.  This is opposed to religion as a philosop=
hy which all types of persons are equally equipped to pursue.  Please l=
et your history of religion include the socially disinterested pursuits of t=
hose in the latter camp.





William McGaughey









--MS_Mac_OE_3090480391_22236_MIME_Part--

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 6 Dec 2001 11:40:22 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Leslie Kesler 
Subject:      Re: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

As a museum professional, I have a slightly different set of issues and
challenges.  As one of the team members preparing for a new chronological
exhibit on North Carolina history, I'm currently grappling with the best
ways to teach about religion in the concrete medium of a museum exhibition.
How can I use artifacts, images, and environments to effectively communicate
about beliefs and ideas?  We have some ideas, but it's certainly not as
straightforward as showing how people harvested pine resin to produce naval
stores.

Since a large part of our constituency is teachers and students, I'm
interested in educators' perspective about how museums can supplement what's
happening in the classroom.  What have you encountered in other places that
really worked (or didn't work)?

And of course, working at a public institution, I also must take care to
distinguish between teaching about religion and promoting specific religious
beliefs.  To some of our visitors, merely including a religious topic in an
exhibit (as we have done with topics ranging from Buddhism to faith healing)
implies an institutional endorsement.

Leslie M. Kesler
Curator of Political and Socioeconomic History
North Carolina Museum of History
4650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4650
(919) 715-0200, ext. 206
lkesler@moh.dcr.state.nc.us

visit our website at http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/

My opinions as expressed in this message may not represent the policy of my
agency.

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=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 6 Dec 2001 10:56:49 -0600
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         John Fea 
Subject:      Material Aspects of American Religion
In-Reply-To:  <31F857F4D197D3119AC900805F0DF86C42F95F@moh.dcr.state.nc.us>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII

Leslie:

This is a good question that historians have only recently of
American religion begun to think seriously about.  For a helpful
place to start your investigation of material religion, you
should definitely check out the web page of the Material History
of American Religion Project at http://www.materialreligion.org/

John Fea



-----------------------------------------
John Fea
Lilly Fellows Program
Lecturer, Department of History
Linwood House
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Email: John.Fea@valpo.edu
219-464-5353 (Tel)
219-464-5496 (Fax)

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=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 6 Dec 2001 12:09:00 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         "Samuel Barham (sdebar@msn.com)" 
Subject:      book on colonial period

[THIS MESSAGE IS FROM SAMUEL BARHAM sdebar@msn.com]

A book to add to the reading list:

IN THE MATTER OF COLOR

Race & The American Legal Process: The Colonial Period by Judge A.
Leon Higginbotham, Jr.

This book documents the Colonial Laws regarding Bonded and
Indentured Servants, Native Americans, Free and Enslaved Africans. It
also documents the sentiments of the various Church Denominations
regarding Slavery and how in the beginning Slaves were "Manumitted"
(freed) if they became Christian.  As time passed these types of Laws
were repealed.

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=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 6 Dec 2001 20:31:37 -0800
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         "Anthony J. Silva" 
Subject:      The Uses of Religion in American History
In-Reply-To:  
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

 From Anthony J. Silva 

Christine Heyrman's opening statement and several responses to it
suggested various roles and uses of religion in U.S. History,
including  missionaries; the American Revolution; the Civil War;
black communities; pro- and anti-slvery issues;  women;  and hate
groups such as the KKK.  We mght include the economic use of
religion. Stuart D. Brandes, AMERICAN WELFARE CAPITALISM, offers an
example of the use of religion in the corporate world when railroads
sought to avoid the repitition of the violent strikes of 1877

"by improving their workers' general conditions.  Accordingly,
railroad YMCAs provided more than just food and shelter.  They also
privided . . . Bible classes and religious meetings.  The underlying
theory was that well-housed, well-fed, clean, properly educated
Christians do not strike, or at least were less likely to than those
with different life-styles."

Anthony J. Silva, member
National Coalition of Independent Scholars

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=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2001 11:49:15 -0800
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Michael Clardy 
Subject:      Re: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Thank you for taking the time to initiate this discussion.  I looking
forward to reading people's remarks.

I would like to comment on one of the remarks that were made in the
"Religion in U.S. History" piece.
You said "Ideally, we should be able to approach the study of religion
inAmerican life with the same dispassion, objectivity, andopen-endedness
that we’d bring to sorting out the merits of thedebate over the Constitution
between the Federalists and theAnti-Federalists or the causes of the Civil
War."

I would take to task any one that said they are presenting something that is
so intregral to who we are, like religion, in an objective, dispassionate
manner.  People who have grown up in the United States were emersed in a
culture (popular and dominant) that has its roots in religiously dominated
societies.  Therefore, I would argue that being American sugguest a fair
amount of connection to religious rituals and traditions (i.e. holidays,
language, ("oh my god", Jesus Christ!, television programing)

I believe it is impossible to subvert personal bias on such a passionate
issue.  Therefore, I would suggest that people acknowledge their bias up
front.  Students know when we are being honest.  They also know when
teachers are toting the party line.  Being honest on such emotionally
charged issues gives teachers more credibility.

I believe that taking this approach also helps students and teachers
identify the dominant culture's "cultural invisibility".  Unpacking this set
of misconceptions is a great way to increase access to the channels of
power.  When more students feel empowered, there might me less resistance
and unease about religion being discussed and a powerful, cultural factor in
our history.

Mike Clardy
>From: Ellen Noonan 
>Reply-To: "Religion in U.S. History" 
>To: RELIGIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
>Subject: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman
>Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2001 18:25:02 -0500
>
>Welcome All, to the HistoryMatters forum on teaching religion in
>American history. To open our conversation, I’ll toss out three issues
>that interest me and look forward to receiving others that speak to your
>concerns and to those of your students.
>
>Heading my list is how we should tackle teaching this subject to
>students from increasingly diverse religious backgrounds. Most of my
>students at the University of Delaware have been raised as
>Protestants, Catholics, Mormons, or Jews, but a there’s steadily
>growing minority who have been brought up in the faiths of Islam,
>Buddhism, and Hinduism, as well as a sprinkling of others who would
>identify themselves as adherents to Native American religious
>traditions or Wiccan groups, or some form of "New Age" spirituality.
>Then there those who have had no religious upbringing or
>affiliation—I’d guess about a quarter of my students fit that description.
>If that profile typifies most of your classes, we’re confronting "a mixed
>multitude," which means that  the first challenge (and opportunity) that
>we face as teachers is imparting a common ground of essential
>knowledge about the varieties of religious belief, ritual, and
>experience, past and present.
>
>But what counts as "essential knowledge"? What’s your sense of the
>"canonical wisdom," the stuff that’s absolutely got to be covered? And
>what are the best ways to make that knowledge accessible to
>students of richly diverse religious backgrounds and beliefs? What
>have you found to be proven strategies to get those differences
>working for us, as educators?
>
>Having a common ground of knowledge will help to foster a productive
>and civil discourse in the classroom, discussions that invite all voices
>and contributions. But it’s equally important to assure students (to say
>nothing of parents and school adminstrators) that teaching (and
>learning) about the role of religion in American history does not mean
>preaching in the behalf of any particular religion. If we’re to have any
>credibility with our students (in any educational setting, but especially
>in the public schools) we’ve got to leave our own religious convictions
>at the door of the classroom and model for our students ways of
>understanding and discussing religion as an academic subject.
>Ideally, we should be able to approach the study of religion in
>American life with the same dispassion, objectivity, and
>open-endedness that we’d bring to sorting out the merits of the
>debate over the Constitution between the Federalists and the
>Anti-Federalists or the causes of the Civil War. So let’s talk about how
>best to keep our convictions to ourselves—and how to cool down any
>students eager to proselytize for their faiths—when class discussions
>heat up.
>
>(I’m guessing that some home-school and private school teachers
>might dispute the point above, to which I say, "Fire away: Here’s an
>ideal forum.")
>
>Finally, I’d like to cast our discussions about the role of religion in
>American history in the broadest perspective. My experience in the
>classroom has taught me that even with a little instruction in theology
>and the differences among major world religions and/or Christian
>denominations, students can easily become fascinated with the
>venerable subjects of American religious history—the beliefs and
>practices that distinguish Puritans from Anglicans, Catholics from
>Protestants, liberals from evangelicals, Orthodox Jews from Reformed
>Jews, followers of the Nation of Islam from other African-American
>Muslims. And they are as easily engaged when invited to wonder
>about why people in a particular place and time, given the play of
>economic, political, and cultural influences, were drawn toward (to
>give only a few examples) evangelical Christianity or Fundamentalism
>or Pentecostalism or radical forms of Islam. All of that is good, but it
>can get even better.
>
>Here’s how I see it: we can make the academic study of religion even
>more meaningful for our students by conveying to them the
>uncommon power that religious beliefs and loyalties have exerted in
>shaping crucial passages in the American past and present. Whether
>you applaud or deplore that influence, its historical importance is
>beyond dispute, and its sway makes the United States (at least since
>the nineteenth century) singular among the nations of the West. So
>our responsibility is to give our students the learning and the tools to
>appreciate and analyze the impact of religion on every aspect the
>American experience, even the most seemingly "secular" episodes.
>
>The possibilities are endless, but listed below are a few of my
>favorites, and I’d like to know yours:
>
>*the influence of Catholic missionaries in sustaining the French
>presence in North America until the end of the Seven Years’ War.
>(Was it the proselytizing of the Jesuits and other Catholic orders
>among the Indians that made the contest for a continent between the
>French and the British a cliffhanger?)
>
>*the importance of religion in mobilizing popular support for the
>American Revolution (Was this war for colonial liberation perceived by
>the rebels not only as a political and constitutional crisis but also as a
>holy war?)
>
>*the role of Native American religions in shaping Indian military
>resistance to white expansion during the early national period (Were
>native revitalization movements the key to native mobilization?)
>
>*the impact of Christianity on antebellum black communities, North
>and South. (Did the incorporation of Christian teachings into
>African-American systems of belief encourage or retard the opposition
>to slavery among African Americans, both free and enslaved?)
>
>*the influence of evangelical Christianity on white women of all
>classes during the nineteenth century (To what extent did it inspire
>and enforce Victorian ideals of domesticity? Or, conversely, did it
>midwive of the women’s rights movement?)
>
>*the contributions of Fundamentalists to the rise of a mass
>entertainment culture of the twentieth century (Were they the makings
>of radio—and, if so, to what extent did they colonize all the other
>popular forms that followed?)
>
>*the force of the Christian Right in American politics since the 1970s
>(Who are these folks and to what extent have they shaped and
>continue to influence elections and public policy?)
>
>  Having said my piece to get our conversation started, I’m set to listen
>and learn. Tell me what you think about any of the above or what items
>you’d like to add to our agenda, and I’ll do my best to respond and to
>keep our discussion flowing. What better way for us all to celebrate the
>end of classes and the luxury of having some time to indulge the life of
>the mind?
>
>This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at
>http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.


_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2001 16:15:55 -0800
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         "John R Huff, Jr." 
Subject:      Re: RELIGIONFORUM Digest - 5 Dec 2001 to 6 Dec 2001 (#2001-4)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

I would like to thank Christine Heyrman for her contribution to this
Forum.
She is a most informed scholar. Her book" Southern Cross" is a pleasure
to read.
I  might add that if I am not mistaken, she studied with the eminent
American historian, Edmund Morgan. I had the pleasure many years ago of
compiling material on Dr. Morgan. You had an excellent mentor. It is most
apparent in your books and other publications. Take a look at her New
England study too. Superb!

My Best Regards.

John R. Huff Jr.
Denton, Texas
The University of North Texas
Alumni Family.

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2001 17:38:25 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Christine Heyrman 
Organization: University of Delaware
Subject:      Re: Material Aspects of American Religion
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi Leslie Kesler and John Fea--John, thanks for your great referral
below--Leslie, you might also want to check out the recent work of
Colleen McDannell. Her books are a great place to begin the material
culture study of American Christianity. For the English Protestant
tradition, I'd recommend Eamon Duffy, THE STRIPPING OF THE
ALTARS.--Christine

John Fea wrote:
>
> Leslie:
>
> This is a good question that historians have only recently of
> American religion begun to think seriously about.  For a helpful
> place to start your investigation of material religion, you
> should definitely check out the web page of the Material History
> of American Religion Project at http://www.materialreligion.org/
>
> John Fea
>
> -----------------------------------------
> John Fea
> Lilly Fellows Program
> Lecturer, Department of History
> Linwood House
> Valparaiso University
> Valparaiso, IN 46383
> Email: John.Fea@valpo.edu
> 219-464-5353 (Tel)
> 219-464-5496 (Fax)
>
> This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2001 18:05:11 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Christine Heyrman 
Organization: University of Delaware
Subject:      Re: RELIGIONFORUM Digest - 5 Dec 2001 to 6 Dec 2001 (#2001-4)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Wow!--Thanks, John. (The check is in the mail...)--Christine

"John R Huff, Jr." wrote:
>
> I would like to thank Christine Heyrman for her contribution to this
> Forum.
> She is a most informed scholar. Her book" Southern Cross" is a pleasure
> to read.
> I  might add that if I am not mistaken, she studied with the eminent
> American historian, Edmund Morgan. I had the pleasure many years ago of
> compiling material on Dr. Morgan. You had an excellent mentor. It is most
> apparent in your books and other publications. Take a look at her New
> England study too. Superb!
>
> My Best Regards.
>
> John R. Huff Jr.
> Denton, Texas
> The University of North Texas
> Alumni Family.
>
> This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2001 21:40:39 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Christine Heyrman 
Organization: University of Delaware
Subject:      Religion and the American History Survey
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi All--

        I've been chewing over your responses and hope to touch (at least) on
all of them over the weekend. But for starters, let me take up Jane
Rothstein's invitation for suggestions about how best to incorporate
religious history into a survey course in American history. One of my
strategies in the first half of the U.S. survey is to give a lecture
contrasting Puritan and Quaker modes of child-rearing in the colonial
period, one emphasizing the ways in which each groups' distinctive
theological views shaped the ways that they raised their kids. The best
source here is Barry Levy's book, THE QUAKERS AND AMERICAN DOMESTICITY,
which contends (to simplify greatly) that the Quakers pioneered gentler,
non-coercive modes of child-reading and (essentially) popularized
romantic love and companionate marriage--in contrast to the more
repressive, patriarchal Puritans who broke the wills of their children
and favored marriages arranged by parents. To be sure, Levy's contrast
is a bit overdrawn (and the best corrective would be to read Edmund
Morgan's classic, THE PURITAN FAMILY). Even so, Levy's point is well
taken, and it's the best way that I've found to bring home to my
students (most of whom are late adolescents) the unexpected ways that
religious beliefs can shape the most intimate kinds of
relationships--those between parents and children. It's all the better
that this tack focuses the students' attention on a topic that's still
so close to their personal experiences--i.e., familial relationships and
practices related to child-rearing and maritial choices. And it can also
be easily adapted to the latter half of the survey by (for example)
contrasting Fundamentalist modes of raising children with those of
liberal mainline Christians or secular families.

        Let me know, Jane (and all our participants) how this possibility
strikes you. If you'd like, I can hum a few more bars on the same
subject. I've found that it works much better than merely lecturing on
the main theological differences between Puritanism and Quakerism by
vividly illustrating how those differences cashed out in private
lives.--Christine

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2001 21:56:17 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Christine Heyrman 
Organization: University of Delaware
Subject:      When Religion Doesn't Matter in American History
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi All,

        I'm indebted to Samuel Pearson for raising this point for our
consideration, specifically in the context of the nineteenth-century
evangelical response to slavery. As he reminds us, antebellum
evangelicals covered the spectrum in their attitudes slavery, ranging
from the most rabid defenders of that institution to the most outspoken
abolitionists, and every possible position in between.

        As he suggests and I agree, here's a wonderful opportunity to remind of
our students of the sheer complexity of religion as an historical agent.
(And other examples could be multiplied: Think, for example, of the
variety of late twentieth-century evangelical responses to the
conservative political program of the Christian Right--embraced by some
evangelicals who see it as essential to a full Christian testimony, but
loathed by others, who think that their churches can only be corruupted
by dabbling in politics.)

        Many thanks, Samuel, for opening up our discussion to consider this
perspective on the multivalency of religous belief. I'd like to hear
more thoughts on this matter.--Christine

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2001 22:07:05 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Christine Heyrman 
Organization: University of Delaware
Subject:      Antebellum Evangelicals and Slavery
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi All,

        Since we're in the neighborhood, let me respond to the input from
Joseph Starrs and many others about this topic. I really like Joseph's
idea of playing off abolitionist Yankees (Harriet Beecher Stowe, William
Lloyd Garrison) against proslavery southerners like George Fitzhugh. My
experience is that primary sources are the best for bringing beginning
history students into any topic, and another resource that I'd suggest
for the proslavery argument is an anthology of original sources by Drew
Gilpin Faust, THE IDEOLOGY OF SLAVERY (1981). If you feel the need to
get up to speed with the religious debate over slavery in general, let
me also recommend James D. Essig, THE BONDS OF WICKEDNESS: AMERICAN
EVANGELICALS AND SLAVERY, 1770-1808 (1980); Anne Loveland, SOUTHERN
EVANGELICALS AND THE SOCIAL ORDER, 1800-1860 (1980); Robert Abzug,
COSMOS CRUMBLING: AMERICAN REFROM AND THE RELIGIOUS IMAGINATION; and
Bertram Wyatt-Brown, LEWIS TAPPAN AND THE EVANGELICAL WAR AGAINST
SLAVERY (1969).

        Thanks again, Joseph, for your terrific suggestion of how to guide
students into this important topic.--Christine

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2001 22:33:07 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Christine Heyrman 
Organization: University of Delaware
Subject:      Throwing the Skunk on the Table?
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi All--

        Here's a crucial(and vexed) point of pedagogy that Michael Clardy
proposes for our agenda: If we're teaching the history of religion in
the United States, do we owe it to our students to disclose our private
religious convictions? If I understand you correctly, Michael, your
contention is that no one can be truly objective and dispassionate on
this matter, so the best and most professional way of proceeding is to
come clean with your classes about your own your own point of view--as I
would say, less elegantly, "to throw the skunk on the table."

        I've thought a lot about this issue, but before I start throwing my
ideas on the table (to say nothing of my skunks), I'd like to invite
responses from other historymatters participants. Just so as not to
cramp anyone's style.

        This is a really choice matter for debate: I can't wait to hear what
you guys have got to say on the subject. Thanks, Michael, for your
dynamite contribution!

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. History.
=========================================================================
Date:         Sat, 8 Dec 2001 08:40:20 -0500
Reply-To:     "Religion in U.S. History" 
Sender:       "Religion in U.S. History" 
From:         Samuel Barham 
Subject:      Re: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
              boundary="----=_NextPart_001_0000_01C17FC3.F87D5C40"

------=_NextPart_001_0000_01C17FC3.F87D5C40
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Two More Books for the reading list:

GOD OF THE OPPRESSED: by James H. Cone. =20
(The title should speak for itself)

THE CORNEL WEST READER:  Cornel West (Editor)
Cornel West is regarded as one of the imminent Black Theologians in the U=
.S., If you want to read about Christian perspectives on politics, music =
etc., please consider this one.

Thanks =20

----- Original Message -----
From: Ellen Noonan
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 7:18 PM
To: RELIGIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Opening Statement from Christine Heyrman

Welcome All, to the HistoryMatters forum on teaching religion in
American history. To open our conversation, I=E2=80=99ll toss out three i=
ssues
that interest me and look forward to receiving others that speak to your
concerns and to those of your students.

Heading my list is how we should tackle teaching this subject to
students from increasingly diverse religious backgrounds. Most of my
students at the University of Delaware have been raised as
Protestants, Catholics, Mormons, or Jews, but a there=E2=80=99s steadily
growing minority who have been brought up in the faiths of Islam,
Buddhism, and Hinduism, as well as a sprinkling of others who would
identify themselves as adherents to Native American religious
traditions or Wiccan groups, or some form of "New Age" spirituality.
Then there those who have had no religious upbringing or
affiliation=E2=80=94I=E2=80=99d guess about a quarter of my students fit =
that description.
If that profile typifies most of your classes, we=E2=80=99re confronting =
"a mixed
multitude," which means that  the first challenge (and opportunity) that
we face as teachers is imparting a common ground of essential
knowledge about the varieties of religious belief, ritual, and
experience, past and present.

But what counts as "essential knowledge"? What=E2=80=99s your sense of th=
e
"canonical wisdom," the stuff that=E2=80=99s absolutely got to be covered=
? And
what are the best ways to make that knowledge accessible to
students of richly diverse religious backgrounds and beliefs? What
have you found to be proven strategies to get those differences
working for us, as educators?

Having a common ground of knowledge will help to foster a productive
and civil discourse in the classroom, discussions that invite all voices
and contributions. But it=E2=80=99s equally important to assure students =
(to say
nothing of parents and school adminstrators) that teaching (and
learning) about the role of religion in American history does not mean
preaching in the behalf of any particular religion. If we=E2=80=99re to h=
ave any
credibility with our students (in any educational setting, but especially
in the public schools) we=E2=80=99ve got to leave our own religious convi=
ctions
at the door of the classroom and model for our students ways of
understanding and discussing religion as an academic subject.
Ideally, we should be able to approach the study of religion in
American life with the same dispassion, objectivity, and
open-endedness that we=E2=80=99d bring to sorting out the merits of the
debate over the Constitution between the Federalists and the
Anti-Federalists or the causes of the Civil War. So let=E2=80=99s talk ab=
out how
best to keep our convictions to ourselves=E2=80=94and how to cool down an=
y
students eager to proselytize for their faiths=E2=80=94when class discuss=
ions
heat up.

(I=E2=80=99m guessing that some home-school and private school teachers
might dispute the point above, to which I say, "Fire away: Here=E2=80=99s=
 an
ideal forum.")

Finally, I=E2=80=99d like to cast our discussions about the role of relig=
ion in
American history in the broadest perspective. My experience in the
classroom has taught me that even with a little instruction in theology
and the differences among major world religions and/or Christian
denominations, students can easily become fascinated with the
venerable subjects of American religious history=E2=80=94the beliefs and
practices that distinguish Puritans from Anglicans, Catholics from
Protestants, liberals from evangelicals, Orthodox Jews from Reformed
Jews, followers of the Nation of Islam from other African-American
Muslims. And they are as easily engaged when invited to wonder
about why people in a particular place and time, given the play of
economic, political, and cultural influences, were drawn toward (to
give only a few examples) evangelical Christianity or Fundamentalism
or Pentecostalism or radical forms of Islam. All of that is good, but it
can get even better.

Here=E2=80=99s how I see it: we can make the academic study of religion e=
ven
more meaningful for our students by conveying to them the
uncommon power that religious beliefs and loyalties have exerted in
shaping crucial passages in the American past and present. Whether
you applaud or deplore that influence, its historical importance is
beyond dispute, and its sway makes the United States (at least since
the nineteenth century) singular among the nations of the West. So
our responsibility is to give our students the learning and the tools to
appreciate and analyze the impact of religion on every aspect the
American experience, even the most seemingly "secular" episodes.

The possibilities are endless, but listed below are a few of my
favorites, and I=E2=80=99d like to know yours:

*the influence of Catholic missionaries in sustaining the French
presence in North America until the end of the Seven Years=E2=80=99 War.
(Was it the proselytizing of the Jesuits and other Catholic orders
among the Indians that made the contest for a continent between the
French and the British a cliffhanger?)

*the importance of religion in mobilizing popular support for the
American Revolution (Was this war for colonial liberation perceived by
the rebels not only as a political and constitutional crisis but also as =
a
holy war?)

*the role of Native American religions in shaping Indian military
resistance to white expansion during the early national period (Were
native revitalization movements the key to native mobilization?)

*the impact of Christianity on antebellum black communities, North
and South. (Did the incorporation of Christian teachings into
African-American systems of belief encourage or retard the opposition
to slavery among African Americans, both free and enslaved?)

*the influence of evangelical Christianity on white women of all
classes during the nineteenth century (To what extent did it inspire
and enforce Victorian ideals of domesticity? Or, conversely, did it
midwive of the women=E2=80=99s rights movement?)

*the contributions of Fundamentalists to the rise of a mass
entertainment culture of the twentieth century (Were they the makings
of radio=E2=80=94and, if so, to what extent did they colonize all the oth=
er
popular forms that followed?)

*the force of the Christian Right in American politics since the 1970s
(Who are these folks and to what extent have they shaped and
continue to influence elections and public policy?)

Having said my piece to get our conversation started, I=E2=80=99m set to =
listen
and learn. Tell me what you think about any of the above or what items
you=E2=80=99d like to add to our agenda, and I=E2=80=99ll do my best to r=
espond and to
keep our discussion flowing. What better way for us all to celebrate the
end of classes and the luxury of having some time to indulge the life of
the mind?

This forum is sponsored by History Matters--please visit our Web site at =
http://historymatters.gmu.edu for more resources for teaching U.S. Histor=
y.

------=_NextPart_001_0000_01C17FC3.F87D5C40
Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Two More Books=
 for the reading list:
 
 
 
GOD OF THE OPPRESSED:=
 by James H. Cone. 
 
(The title should speak for itself)
 =
 
 
THE CORNEL WEST READER:  Cornel West (Editor)=
 
Cornel West is regarded as one of the imminent Black Theologi=
ans in the U.S., If you want to read about Christian perspectives on=
 politics, music etc., please consider this one.
 
 
 =
Thanks 
 
 
 
 
----- Original =
Message -----
 
From: Ellen Noonan
 
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 7:18 PM
 
To: RELIGIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
 Subject: Opening Statement from Chri=
stine Heyrman