America's Religions: From Their Origins to the Twenty-first CenturyA classroom perennial and comprehensive guide, America's Religions lays out the background, beliefs, practices, and leaders of the nation's religious movements and denominations. The fourth edition, thoroughly revised and updated by Peter W. Williams, draws on the latest scholarship. In addition to reconsidering the history of America's mainline faiths, it delves into contemporary issues like religion's impact on politics and commerce; the increasingly high profile of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam; Mormonism's entry into the mainstream; and battles over gay marriage and ordination. |
From inside the book
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Page 16
... secular” event but rather one surrounded with ritual or ceremonially developed as a constant reminder of the cosmic significance of the particular act. Perhaps the saying of grace before meals, now largely abandoned in homes where ...
... secular” event but rather one surrounded with ritual or ceremonially developed as a constant reminder of the cosmic significance of the particular act. Perhaps the saying of grace before meals, now largely abandoned in homes where ...
Page 18
... secular millennium of peace and prosperity here on Earth. This sense of time is by no means universal, and in fact is quite recent in the course of human history. Far more typical of the world's peoples is an experience of time as an ...
... secular millennium of peace and prosperity here on Earth. This sense of time is by no means universal, and in fact is quite recent in the course of human history. Far more typical of the world's peoples is an experience of time as an ...
Page 34
... secular viewpoint, kosher food has the virtue of being free of many controversial chemical additives widely used today and is also obtained through a humane method of slaughtering animals. Another traditional Jewish role is that of ...
... secular viewpoint, kosher food has the virtue of being free of many controversial chemical additives widely used today and is also obtained through a humane method of slaughtering animals. Another traditional Jewish role is that of ...
Page 37
... secular as well as religious life, Jewish children felt excluded from the gentile world that seemed to explode yearly in caroling, gift buying and giving, and the rest of the interwoven commercial, festive, and sacred observances that ...
... secular as well as religious life, Jewish children felt excluded from the gentile world that seemed to explode yearly in caroling, gift buying and giving, and the rest of the interwoven commercial, festive, and sacred observances that ...
Page 38
... secular divorces when necessary, Jewish law allows for religious divorce, or get, under certain circumstances. Although funeral practices differ among contemporary Jews, tradition calls for a simple burial in white linen garments in a ...
... secular divorces when necessary, Jewish law allows for religious divorce, or get, under certain circumstances. Although funeral practices differ among contemporary Jews, tradition calls for a simple burial in white linen garments in a ...
Contents
1 | |
13 | |
Early America Europeans Colonials and Traditional Peoples before the Revolution | 105 |
Houses of Worship From Old World to New | 165 |
Religious Community Formation in the New Republic | 177 |
The End of the Frontier and the Rise of the CIty | 243 |
American Judaism | 329 |
The Twentieth Century and Beyond Further Encounters with Modernity and Pluralism | 343 |
Culture Wars and Great Awakenings | 519 |
Further Reading | 539 |
Index | 551 |
Other editions - View all
America's Religions: From Their Origins to the Twenty-first Century Peter W. Williams Limited preview - 2002 |
America's Religions: From Their Origins to the Twenty-first Century Peter W. Williams Limited preview - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
active African American American Jews American religious Anglican Baptist became began belief bishop broader Buddhism Catholic Church Catholicism Christian Civil clergy colonial Congregationalists congregations conservative contemporary context continued culture decades denominations developed distinctive divine early emerged emphasis England English Episcopal Church Episcopalians especially established ethnic European evangelical example followers German God’s groups Hebrew holiness human immigration Indian institutional Irish American Islam issues Jesus Jewish Jews Judaism later liberal liturgical Luther Lutheran mainline major megachurches membership Methodist moral Mormon movement Muslims Native Native American nineteenth century one’s organized origins Orthodox pentecostal political popular practice Presbyterian priests Protestant Protestantism Puritan radical realm Reformed religion result revival ritual role Roman Catholic sacraments schools scripture Second Great Awakening secular Seminary social Social Gospel society South southern spiritual teaching themes theological tion traditional twentieth century Unitarian United urban variety Vatican Vatican II women worship