Survey of Religion in Survey of Religion in AmericaAmerica

• ED 301ED 301– Phil Kaiser-ParlettePhil Kaiser-Parlette– Kurt RauschKurt Rausch– Kevin HillKevin Hill

Lesson forReligious Lesson forReligious ToleranceTolerance

• Intended for grades 10 - 12Intended for grades 10 - 12

Objective:Objective:

• To inform students of the religious To inform students of the religious diversity of Americadiversity of America

• To help develop tolerance towards all To help develop tolerance towards all religionsreligions

Required Materials:Required Materials:

• Pen or pencilPen or pencil

• PaperPaper

• An open mindAn open mind

• Willingness to answer and ask Willingness to answer and ask questionsquestions

Major Religions of America:Major Religions of America:

• ChristianityChristianity

• JudaismJudaism

• IslamIslam

• Non-religiousNon-religious

ChristianityChristianity

• Estimated 225 million U.S. population Estimated 225 million U.S. population (76%)(76%)

• Many different denominations (and Many different denominations (and sub-denominations) including:sub-denominations) including:– CatholicismCatholicism– ProtestantProtestant– MormonMormon

ChristianityChristianity

• Belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of Belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and died for mankind’s sins and God and died for mankind’s sins and was resurrected.was resurrected.

• Primary origins from many sections Primary origins from many sections of Europeof Europe

• Place of worship called a churchPlace of worship called a church

• Holy book called the BibleHoly book called the Bible

JudaismJudaism

• Roughly 4 million U.S. residentsRoughly 4 million U.S. residents

• World’s first major monotheistic religionWorld’s first major monotheistic religion

• Origins with Abraham, roughly around 1800 Origins with Abraham, roughly around 1800 BCBC

• Holy Book called the TorahHoly Book called the Torah

• Despite relatively small population, possess Despite relatively small population, possess great influence over American foreign policy, great influence over American foreign policy, specifically with regards to Israelspecifically with regards to Israel

• Place of worship called the synagoguePlace of worship called the synagogue

IslamIslam

• Belief in Mohammad as the final Belief in Mohammad as the final ProphetProphet

• Holy book called the Qur’anHoly book called the Qur’an

• Roughly 1.5 million U.S. residentsRoughly 1.5 million U.S. residents

• Place of worship called a mosquePlace of worship called a mosque

Other major religions in Other major religions in AmericaAmerica

• Non-religious/Secular: 39 millionNon-religious/Secular: 39 million– AgnosticismAgnosticism– AtheismAtheism– DeismDeism– HumanismHumanism

Other major religionsOther major religions

• BuddhismBuddhism– 1.5 million U.S. residents1.5 million U.S. residents– Origins in southeast AsiaOrigins in southeast Asia

Other major religionsOther major religions

• HinduismHinduism– Roughly 1 million U.S. residentsRoughly 1 million U.S. residents– Origins in IndiaOrigins in India– Some holy books:Some holy books:

•Bhagavad GitaBhagavad Gita

•Upanishads Upanishads

Issues with Religion in Issues with Religion in AmericaAmerica

• ConstitutionConstitution– 11stst Amendment Amendment

•Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses:Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses:– ““Congress shall make no law respecting an Congress shall make no law respecting an

establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof “exercise thereof “

Supreme Court CasesSupreme Court Cases

• Engle v. Vitale (1962)Engle v. Vitale (1962)– Mandatory prayer in school Mandatory prayer in school

unconstitutionalunconstitutional

• Lemon v. KurtzmanLemon v. Kurtzman– Three criteria for determining degree of Three criteria for determining degree of

involvement of religion with schoolsinvolvement of religion with schools

• Employment Division v. SmithEmployment Division v. Smith

Religious ConflictsReligious Conflicts

• Protestants v. CatholicsProtestants v. Catholics– Mistrust of Catholics through American Mistrust of Catholics through American

history until relatively recentlyhistory until relatively recently– Foreign conflicts such as Northern Ireland Foreign conflicts such as Northern Ireland

can touch home, taking the form of protestscan touch home, taking the form of protests

• Post 9-11 Fear of MuslimsPost 9-11 Fear of Muslims

• Tensions between Israel and Palestine Tensions between Israel and Palestine affects U.S. foreign policyaffects U.S. foreign policy

Student ActivitiesStudent Activities

• Listen to religious speakers from Listen to religious speakers from various religionsvarious religions

Student ActivitiesStudent Activities

• Do a comparison/contrast paper on Do a comparison/contrast paper on the belief systems and practices of the belief systems and practices of two religionstwo religions

Student ActivitiesStudent Activities

• Visit different religious sites (i.e. Visit different religious sites (i.e. Catholic and/or Protestant churches, Catholic and/or Protestant churches, Jewish synagogue, Islamic mosque, Jewish synagogue, Islamic mosque, etc) etc)

Student ActivitiesStudent Activities

• Try to participate in a religious Try to participate in a religious holiday/event of which you are holiday/event of which you are unfamiliar withunfamiliar with

Student ActivitiesStudent Activities

• Do a report on the religious Do a report on the religious persecution (in America) of a persecution (in America) of a particular religion or denominationparticular religion or denomination

WebsitesWebsites

• http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htmhttp://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm– Official Vatican websiteOfficial Vatican website

• http://www.isna.net/http://www.isna.net/– Website of Islamic group and their Website of Islamic group and their

efforts to support educationefforts to support education

• http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.hthttp://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#religionsml#religions– Population figures of religious groups in Population figures of religious groups in

U.S.U.S.

WebsitesWebsites

• http://www.cftech.com/BrainBank/http://www.cftech.com/BrainBank/OTHERREFERENCE/RELIGION/OTHERREFERENCE/RELIGION/HolyBooks.htmlHolyBooks.html– Brief information on a number of holy Brief information on a number of holy

books books

• http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/freeexercise.htmprojects/ftrials/conlaw/freeexercise.htm– Website detailing the free exercise clause Website detailing the free exercise clause

and Supreme Court cases involving itand Supreme Court cases involving it

Sources of InformationSources of Information

• 1. 1. http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.hthttp://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#religionsml#religions

• 2. http://www.jewfaq.org/origins.htm2. http://www.jewfaq.org/origins.htm

• 3. 3. http://www.llrx.com/features/christmhttp://www.llrx.com/features/christmas.htmas.htm

Sources of InformationSources of Information

• 4. 4. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projhttp://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/freeexercise.htmects/ftrials/conlaw/freeexercise.htm

• 5. 5. http://www.cftech.com/BrainBank/OThttp://www.cftech.com/BrainBank/OTHERREFERENCE/RELIGION/HolyBooksHERREFERENCE/RELIGION/HolyBooks.html.html