The Importance Of Religious Diversity In The United States

Improved Essays
The United States has the widest religious diversity in the world; however, there are no other religions which have as many important meanings as Christianity in terms of the history of this country. According to the research by Pew Research Center in 2014, more than 70% of the population identify themselves as Christians (Wormald, Benjamin). American people and their ancestors have developed this country in the name of God since the first group of settlers colonized in this New World. Their enthusiastic faith and effort pioneered the way of America to be the most powerful country in just four centuries. The earliest colonial leaders such as John Smith and William Bradford recorded their experiences of survival and how their faith spiritually

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    In, “Native American Religious Liberty: Five Hundred Years After Columbus,” by Walter R. Echo-Hawk, he writes about the religious oppression of native americans. According to Echo-Hawk, United States settlers used religion to justify the Indian Removal Act. He writes that, “a basic goal of federal Indian policy was to convert the “savage” Indians into Christian citizens…” (Echo-Hawk 277). This drove the white settlers to implement different laws that banned Native American religious practice.…

    • 1350 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Decent Essays

    “The Godless Constitution” illustrates how the Constitution created a secular state. The author states an argument upon the idea of “separation and church”. The argument relates to the point that the creation of a godless constitution was not an act of irreverence, rather it was an act of confidence in religion. The founders of this nation wanted to regard the mixing and politics. Therefore, government matters is not neutral in religious and moral matters.…

    • 495 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Great Essays

    Judeo-Christian Theory

    • 1963 Words
    • 8 Pages

    America is an intriguing nation with several unique ethnicities, backgrounds, and religions throughout the fifty states. Regardless of the above statement more than a few people have questioned if America is or is not a Christian Nation. Depending on a person’s individual stance on the matter, they usually correspond to one of two generalistic theories about America. Theory one: America was founded by agnostics, deists, and atheists as a non-religious nation with little to no Christian heritage. These people point to the establishment clause of the Constitution or the Treaty of Tripoli as proof of a Non-Christian America.…

    • 1963 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? The United States of America, from the nation’s inception to the modern era, has undeniably been influenced by Christianity and its various sects; however, the question remains as to whether or not the country was founded as a Christian nation. The Founding Fathers each exhibited different religious beliefs that helped forge their positions as they forged America. Furthermore, the Founding Fathers did not intend for the country to be a Christian nation, but desired it to be a nation guided by Christian principles, which is evident in George Washington’s emphasis on nationalism, Thomas Jefferson’s desire for the separation between the Church and the State, and John Adams’s desire for religion to promote moral and virtuous citizens.…

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Since the dawn of time, every major civilization has had religion or a certain set of beliefs shape how that collective grows, thrives, lives, or dies. In its infancy years, the New World colonies were certainly not an exception. Religion can either be a center of unity or an area of disagreement between enemies. For the European populace, religion was just that; a disagreement on what to believe that spurred groups to migrate to the new world to avoid persecution and to worship in peace. What the community believed and how they combined those beliefs with the governing body, shaped the lives of every person living in the New World.…

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In the article, “Walking the talk: Reflections from a Community-Focused Dialogue Series” the plan is to implement a Days of Dialogue which is an intergroup dialogue series that facilitates specific conflicts. The dialogue encourages guidelines and community involvement. • Discusses the importance of intergroup dialogue and focuses on changing communities by creating environments where they can engage in dialogues about community issues. • Intergroup dialogue allows for social interaction with peers and facilitators. It is a tool to help people feel at ease with discussing social issues in a group setting which can be a way of community empowerment.…

    • 746 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Eighteen percent of people think of themselves as religious people but they don’t practice the religion. Religion has always been the core of the American society (Laderman). Religion has its conflicts with the society in which it’s being practiced. Americans still believe in God but they surely do not agree about how to define and understand God (Laderman).…

    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The influence religion had on government proves that since the people of America are profoundly Christian, so is the nation. The similar Christian beliefs that occurred post-Revolution, provided America with a civil religion. This civil religion impacted the people, which influenced the culture, which was expressed in government. The effects of post- revolution Christianity can be seen when studying the early American…

    • 468 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Religious tolerance and acceptance has been a staple of the American belief system since the colonial era. Many colonists were seeking religious solace and safety from persecution when they migrated to the New World. These factors have always been important to followers of various factions of Christianity, who fled their countries to escape the tyranny of the Catholic church. The promise of religious freedom was so important to early American citizens that they even felt the need to write it into the United States Constitution. The first amendment guarantees that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (U.S. Constitution).…

    • 527 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Early American Religion

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Effect of Religion in the Early United States Religion has been a part of America from the start. Years before the country was even born people used the land in North America to escape strict religious laws and regulations in England. Religion had much to do with the shaping of the United States, and not always in the best way. Puritans were a religious group that sought to purify the Church of England (Foner Give me liberty! :…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Christianity Influence

    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Christianity’s Influence on the United States of America. “National allegiances were determined by the faith of the monarch, and nations might move from on church to the other as a result of dynastic change of conquest.” (Marsden, 99) Before the United States was recognized as a country, the land attracted Europeans. These Europeans arrived in the new world to seek religious freedom away from their perspective countries. Many of these Europeans were Christians, but of different branches of the religion with similar ideals.…

    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Religion could be found in every corner of the world. It dictates what we eat, how we look, what we do or don’t do, and the morals we believe. For a lot of us religion is a big part of our lives and this could be seen in our government. Since the birth of the United States, religion has played a big part in our society, lawmaking, and culture. The U.S is a Christian based country and its morals have dictated a lot of laws.…

    • 1438 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In my life so far I’ve been exposed to various religions. My encounters have granted me the privilege to learn and understand each religion independently. What puzzled me the most was coming across a religion that wasn’t identified as a “religion” by a believer. In this chapter of Religion Pluralism, I wish to challenge those who are Christians to first take a step back and reanalyze the definition of religion. In order to obtain a more concise and understanding of religions and their values, I believe that redefining religion in itself would be necessary.…

    • 873 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This quote from Ezra Stiles Projects the Future of Christianity in America illustrated the American’s understand that they were the chosen one. The revolution would see to it that the state rise to its truest potential, thrive and nurture under the provisioning of God .and his blessings. Religion gave the people a sense of confidence. When we look forward and see this country increased to forty or fifty millions, while we see all the religious sets increased into respectable bodies, we shall doubtless find the united body of the Congressional, consociated, and Presbyterian churches making an equal figure with any two of them...…

    • 558 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Perhaps like no time in history before, religious differences are having a major impact on a global scale. From differing beliefs on marriage and abortion, to intolerance of different faiths, religion is a major cause of suffering and strife in our world. However, this need not be the case. Throughout history, there have been numerous societies where a variety of religions have existed side-by-side in mutual respect and toleration. Parthian, Roman, Greek, and Muslim empires all tolerated and accepted multiple faiths within their borders.…

    • 1536 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays