Topic: American Religious Experience
- What was “territorialism”? How did it shape religion and society in North America in the early colonial period? What long term effects of territorialism can still be seen in North America today?
- What populations did missionaries to North America try to reach, and what obstacles did these missionaries face?
- Why did American Catholics so strongly support the revolution?
- What did the American founders intend the relationship of religion and government to be? How does that compare to the relationship of religion to government today?
- Can an immigrant group adapt to American life without losing its identity? Give examples from past and present to support your response.
- How did religiously motivated civilians participate in the Civil War and its aftermath? What might be the role or responsibility of the Christians in war time today?
- Name several different ways in which anti-slavery people (blacks and whites) protested against slavery and/or sought to end it. How did religious belief inform their actions?
- What has been the role of religion in higher education? How has this changed since the mid-nineteenth century? What role, if any, do you think religion should play in higher education? What about the role in Elementary and High Schools? Should religion play or have any influence at all?
