GOVT 329 Religiosity in American Exceptionalism.pdf

Religiosity in American Exceptionalism:

Annotated Bibliography

Elizabeth J. Davis

GOVT 329: American Exceptionalism

February 14th, 2019

Bane, Mary Jo. 2011. “Social Conscience and Politics in the United States of America:

Reflections.” International Journal of Public Theology 5, no. 3 (July):353-365.

https://doi.org/10.1163/156973211X581588

Mary Jo Bane is a professor of Public Policy and Management at the Harvard Kennedy

School. Professor Bane discusses not only the economic exceptionalism of America but also the

uniqueness of American religiosity. She states the absence of a national established church makes

it possible for Americans to live a religious life that is vibrant and diverse. The principle of

religious freedom allows the individual to live a voluntarily religious life that is rooted in a self-

directed and individual choice. Not only does she discuss the history of American religiosity but

she talks about the current state of American religiosity. In comparison to Europeans, Americans

are more likely to identify with a religious denomination. This is something that is still

prominent in America today and continues to have a strong presence since the creation of this

nation.

Brekus, Catherine A. 2018. “Contested Words: History, America, Religion.” William & Mary

Quarterly 75, no.1 (January): 3-36. https://doi.org/10.5309/willmaryquar.75.1.0003

Catherine Brekus is a professor of the History of Religion in America at Harvard Divinity

School. In this article, she provides her expertise on the history of religion in America. She

discusses the various debates modern historians have had about the early American religion. In

addition to those debates, she discusses how historians have looked beyond the religious

viewpoints of the Founders. Interestingly, it was not just the Founders who believed the

government should not have the power to coerce a particular religious belief but also the

ordinary farmers and goodwives. These ordinary individuals also fought for toleration and

religious freedom. Brekus also points out the religious differences between the colonies, and how

this uniqueness also laid a foundation for the principle of religious freedom.

Gingrich, Newt, and Vince Haley. 2011. A Nation Like No Other: Why American Exceptionalism

Matters. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Pub.

American politician and author, Newt Gingrich, combines his expertise of American

politics and writing into this book. This book, tells the true story of America’s history and

conservative principles that make up American exceptionalism. One of these historic and

unprecedented principles is based on religion. Gingrich discusses the importance of knowing

why the Founders embraced individual rights, which at the time was an unprecedented approach.

America was the first nation to base its fundamental organizing principle on God-given

individual rights and human equality. For this reason, America was the exception, denoting the

phrase American exceptionalism. Gingrich discusses the role of religiosity prior to the

Declaration of Independence, after America’s independence, throughout wars, and how the

principle of religiosity led to the equality of all men and women. He concludes his book with a

discussion on America’s current state of exceptionalism along with the impacting factors and

issues of modern religious freedoms.

Krason, Stephen. 2013. “Our Founding Fathers, Religion, and Religious Liberty.” The Catholic

Social Science Review 18 (October): 241-248.

https://doi.org/10.5840/cssr20131826

Stephen Krason describes the various ways the Founders wanted to include religion into

the new American experiment. He provides quotes from various Founders who identified either

as deists or orthodoxies, displaying the important role religion played on the foundation of the

new America. Although the Founders may have had different perspectives on the role of religion

within their own lives, Krason explains the Founders believed religion was indispensable for the

morality and self-government of the new republic. Krason outlines various stages throughout the

history of the nation’s founding and compares the role of religion during each stage. Krason

concludes with comparing religiosity in the Founding era to modern times, where religiosity has

decreased and the threats to religious liberty have increased.

Margolis, Michele F. 2018. “How Politics Affects Religion: Partisanship, Socialization, and

Religiosity in America.” Journal of Politics 80, no. 1 (January): 30-42.

https://doi.org./10.1086/694688

This article focuses on the relationship between politics and religion, specifically how

one affects the other. The author states for some individuals, partisan identities may influence

religious choices and vice versa. She discusses how these elements relate to American politics. In

America, the Republican Party has been more aligned with religious values and groups, whereas

the Democratic Party over the past four decades, has been connected more with morally liberal

positions and less religious organizations. The author also discusses moral issues that have been

in the spotlight in America, abortion and gay marriage. She discusses the years leading up to the

2004 election and afterward because it was a prominent time for these issues. These particular

issues have brought forth more spotlight and recognition not only in the link between religion

and politics but also the division among party lines and Americans.

Murray, Charles. 2013. American Exceptionalism: An Experiment in History. Washington D.C.:

AEI Press.

In this book, Dr. Charles Murray displays his wealth of knowledge about American

exceptionalism. He explains exactly what exceptionalism is and what it should not be portrayed

as. The term exceptional is meant to not imply American superiority or excellence. The term

exceptionalism is described as: like no other, the first of its kind, and unprecedented. Dr. Murray

outlines four specific traits that have made America exceptional: industriousness, egalitarianism,

religiosity, and community life. Religiosity was a unique and unprecedented trait because only a

few of the Founders were traditionally devout but they all agreed religion was necessary to the

success of the new American experiment. Dr. Murray outlines religiosity through the beginning

of the new America to current America. Although Americans still profess a belief in God and

attend church more than Europeans, there is a stark contrast from the nineteenth century America

to the twenty-first century secularized America.

Nweke, K. Chinedu. 2018. “Between Religiosity and Spirituality: Christianity and the

Reemergence of the Immanetist Spiritualties.” Theology Today 75, no. 2 (August):

233-246. https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1177/0040573618783423

K. Chinedu Nweke, a Roman Catholic Priest provides his experience in religious studies

in explaining what spirituality and religiosity means. He discusses the difficulty in truly defining

spirituality and religiosity, especially since the cultural revolution of the 1960s. Prior to the

cultural revolution, the two terms were considered synonymous. However, he states there is an

increasing religiosity shift taking place in the West, because more people identify as being

spiritual but not religious. Nweke explains for one to have religiosity, he or she must have a

strong belief in God. The most profound explanation Nweke provides about religiosity is: a

concretized approach to unite with God. In addition to this explanation, he adds religiosity is the

public worship and belief that one outwards to God. Most all, Nweke describes religiosity is also

recognizing God is the authority over all and He is the ultimate judge.

Porterfield, Amanda. 2018. “Reading the Bible with the Founding Fathers.” Journal of Church &

State 60, no. 2 (Spring): 350-351. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcs/csy011

This article focuses on the biblical language commonly used by the Founding Fathers.

Porterfield discusses the differences between the Founders’ theological opinions. Despite

differences in faith, there still remains a strong history of the Founders using biblical language.

Within the article, she discusses the work of various scholars who found many of America’s first

politicians’ and leaders’ political speeches and political sermons were embedded with biblical

references. She states the Founders’ religious-based efforts were dependent for a morally

righteous nation.

Bibliography