Religion in the United States Religious liberty 宗教自由 Three main faiths 三大宗教信仰 — Protestants 新教 — Catholics 天主教 — Jews 犹太教 Religious Diversity 宗教的多元化 American characteristics of Religion 美国的

宗教特点

“WASP” culture

“WASP”, which stands for “White Anglo-Saxon Protestants”, is believed to be the basis of the mainstream culture of the United States.

盎格鲁撒克逊白人新教文化被认为是美国主流文化的基础。

Early American religions Lutherans from Germany 路德派教徒 The Dutch Reformed Church flourished in New York and

New Jersey 在纽约及新泽西洲兴旺的荷兰改革派教徒 Presbyterians came from Scotland 长老会教徒 Huguenots from France 胡格诺派教徒 Congregationalists 公理会教友 Although the Church of England was an established chur

ch in several colonies, Protestants lived side by side in relative harmony. 英国国教虽然在几个殖民地是官立教会，但新教各派都能和平相处。

Religious Liberty The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United

States forbade the new federal government to give special favors to any religion or to hinder the free practice, or exercise, of religion.

The government supports all religions. The United States have no state-supported religion. In

this way, diversity of religious belief political injustice or disaffection.

American courts have become more sensitive in recent years to the rights of people who do not believe in any God or religion.

Protestant religion and republican forms of government, they felt, went hand in hand (agreeable).

The Great Awakening The Great Awakening of the 1740s, a “revi

val” movement which sought to breathe new feeling and strength into religion, cut across the lines of Protestants religious groups, or denominations.

18 世纪 40 年代的宗教大复兴运动力图把新的感觉和新的力量注入北美各殖民地人民的宗教信仰中去。这次“复兴”运动打破了新教各派的界限。

The Protestants Main denominations of the protestant

church 新教的主要教派 the Baptists– white and black 浸礼教派 the Methodists 卫理公派教徒 Diversity of protestants 新教派别 Other small denominations 小教派

The Catholics The largest single religious group Anti-Catholic prejudices In American history, the Catholics

were discriminated against. Anti-Catholics prejudice was so strong that, on a few occasions, it broke out in mob violence.

Catholic education

The Jews The condition of Jewish posterity --Usually, Jewish children attended public

school. --The children of the immigrants moved

rapidly into professions and into American universities, where many became intellectual leaders.

--Many remained religiously observant. Their religious practice Anti-discriminations

Religious Diversity

experimental tradition small sects and cults social disputes pastors

Experimental tradition Many religious communities ( 宗教团体 )

and secular utopias ( 世俗的乌托邦组织 ) ，experiments in new forms of social living ( 试验新的生活方式的团体 ),were founded in 18th and 19th century America. Many small sects （教派） and cults( 信徒 ) appear in American society all the time.

Social disputes Questions reflect continuing conflicts in American life. When a 1973 Supreme Court decision made abortion legal

in America, many Catholics were shocked. Many evangelical Protestants and Orthodox Jews also objected. 1973 年，美国最高法院宣布堕胎合法，许多天主教徒对次裁决感到震惊。天主教、新教中的原教旨意主义派以及正统犹太教都反对堕胎。

Yet more liberal Protestant and Jewish clergymen joined non-believers in maintaining that abortion is a basic right in a pluralistic, or religiously varied, society. 自由清教徒和犹太教牧师加入到信仰者之列，坚持认为流产是妇女的一项基本权利。

American Character of Religion Some phenomena in American religion are

uniquely American. Different religions live together. Strong religious beliefs Independence of churches