Conversations Ongoing: Early Thoughts on American Religious History

These are some early themes and bullet points about American Religious History.

  • Just as American identity can be defined as an aversion to dominant power centers, relying on self-reliance and individuality, so can this be aligned with an anti-conformity to dominant religions. Whereas dissent can mean different lifestyles and goals, so can it mean different religions, sects, practices. This is a unique aspect of "Americanness" and should not be discounted.
  • Statistics of religious activity do not measure fierce dedication. By quantifying religious activity with numbers one does not get an accurate assessment of religious activity in America.
  • In the voluntary system competition between churches helps define goals, values, and identity, as well as differences. It also leads to a ranking within the country.
  • Identification with religious insiders and outsiders helps define roles within society and with each other.
  • The implementation of voluntary churches in America (not having a state backed denomination) did not collapse morality in America. It is also not the only way in which religion exists within a society, just the American way.
  • Early historical accounts and narratives of religion in America only focused on major sects and denomination, putting other denominations to the periphery.

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