American Religious History
Mike Ervin

           American Religious History

American religious history is marked by vibrant diversity and complex interactions among various faiths from the colonial era to the late 20th century. This history reflects the dynamic interplay between religion, society, politics, and cultural change in the United States.

• Religious vitality and diversity: America has exhibited more religious vitality and diversity than other industrial nations, with religion influencing beliefs, worship, and everyday conduct. 1 2
• Colonial religious conflicts: Early European settlers from Spain, France, and England, along with Native Americans, experienced often hostile religious confrontations, including events like the Spanish Inquisition in America, the Mayflower pilgrims' strictness, and the Salem witch trials. 3 4
• Religion in nation-building: Religion played a central role in the American Revolution and Civil War, with combatants on both sides believing they were fulfilling divine will. It also influenced 19th-century reform movements such as abolition, temperance, and women's rights. 5 6
• Immigration and religious pluralism: The mid-19th century brought Catholic immigrants from Europe and Jewish immigrants, diversifying the religious landscape and facing Protestant intolerance and anti-Catholic hostility. 7 8
• Industrialization challenges: The rise of industrial cities and a working class prompted religious leaders to reconsider the relationship between virtue, prosperity, and divine favor, debating societal reform versus individual salvation. 9 10
• Scientific and archaeological discoveries:19th-century advances in science and archaeology challenged biblical authority, with evolution and comparative religion raising doubts about traditional religious narratives. 11 12
• Church-state relations: The 20th century saw continued tensions between religious freedom and church-state separation, with Supreme Court rulings banning school prayers and Bible readings, and cases involving minority religions testing constitutional boundaries. 13 14
• Religion and war: American religious responses to World Wars and the Cold War varied, with debates over just war and pacifism influenced by events like the Holocaust, shaping ongoing religious perspectives. 15 16
• Social revolutions and new religious movements: The 20th century's social upheavals involved religious leaders in civil rights and feminist movements, adaptations of fundamentalism to new media, and the rise of alternative spiritualities and immigrant religions enriching America's religious diversity. 17 18 ]