Blog #3 Connections

        My father is a Presbyterian Protestant, and his religious beliefs reflect some common themes in American religious history. The denominationalism, postpluralism, moralism, and revivalism are some characteristics in Protestantism's code, cultus, and creed that shape the structure of American religion. By definition, denominationalism means dividing one religion into different groups or sects of thought. Over the past centuries, Christianity has been divided into numerous denominations, such as Evangelicalism, Presbyterianism, Lutheranism, and Pentecostalism. According to the history of Christianity in America, denominationalism was generally accepted and assumed to be the proper organizational embodiment of the Christianity during 1850 to 1860. [1] The prevalence of denominational Protestantism formed a virtual identification of American religion in 19th-century. Many new religions emerged from Roman Catholicism and became denominations, a voluntary society of gathered members, meanwhile shaping the framework for American Protestantism. In addition, the theology of denominationalism implies ideas about "religious liberty" and "democratic equality" in American society, which "congress could make no law either establishing a religion or prohibiting its "free exercise." [2] With the religious freedom, the "free churches" had given up coercive power and had assumed the responsibility collectively to define and inculcate the population the basic beliefs necessary for the being and well being of the democratic society in America. [3] My father's church belongs to denominational families in Christianity, and the rest two denominations are individual denominations and ecclesiastical families.

         However, Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy do not agree with the term-denominationalism, which it is a Protestant concept in Christianity. Therefore, coalitions or combinations of different religious creeds, codes, and cultus existed in American religious history.  During nineteenth-century, Jewish cultus was influenced by Protestantism in America, which Jews changed Sabbth for a period Sunday services. Furthermore, Protestant denominations took shape as forms of American Judaism. [4] Due to diversity of people, religious beliefs, styles of worship, and codes, religions in America interacted with one another, and especially Protestant codes and cultus had affected American religious styles. For example, my father's church encourages theological diversity among believers unlike many other conservative Presbyterian churches.

            Moralism is a vital code in Protestantism, and the idea gradually had a strong impact in American society. America's core culture was primarily formed by seventeenth- and eighteenth- century settlers who founded American society. Moreover, the central elements of the culture were consisted of a variety of religious beliefs, such as Protestant values and moralism, Christian religion. [5] The moralism and beliefs of Protestantism integrated into American culture, which plays a role in antislavery and women's rights movement. Women could be ordained to the ministry in many Presbyterian churches. In addition, American political values were embodied moralism and moral creeds. In 1979, Jerry Falwell announced the formation of a national political organization of Bible-believing Americans called the Moral Majority. [6] The Moral Majority involved in many political activities, including national media campaigns and supporting particular candidates in elections until late 1980s.

            Referring to history of Presbyterianism, it was triggered to separate ideas from Calvinism during the first decade of nineteenth-century. Due to doctrinal and organizational differences and disagreement on the "new measure" of the revivalist Charles G. Finney, Presbyterians preferred to divide the Church rather than perpetuate heresy and discord. [7] Hence, the church was split to two new denominations. The Old School Presbyterians preserved traditional Calvinism and opposed revivalism, promoted a rigorous Christianity. [8] The New School Presbyterians wished to evangelize the nation, to convert the sinful, and to raise the country's moral level. [9] My father moved to United States in 1996, and his religious beliefs and practices had been influenced by American culture and society, which tends to the new condition of voluntarism. He does desire that individuals pray for God or work through to conversion, but he believes people should be voluntary to form or have faiths. 

            In summary, my father's religious history illustrates some common themes in American religion.  There is no specific religion that can describe American religion, but some codes, creeds, and cultus of my father's religion shape the mainstream of American religious history. In addition, the religious liberty, democratic equality, and church-state separation form new conditions of American religion, which also challenges traditional religious beliefs.

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      1. Sidney E. Mead, "American Protestantism Since the Civil War. I. From Denominationalism to Americanism" in Journal of Religion, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1956), 1-16. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1200745 (accessed September 5, 2013).

             2.  Catherine L. Albanese, "The Public, the Civil, and the Culture of the Center" in American Religions & Religion, (Wadsworth: Cengage Learning, 1999), 275-301.

       3. Sidney E. Mead, "American Protestantism Since the Civil War. I. From Denominationalism to Americanism" in Journal of Religion, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1956), 1-16. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1200745 (accessed September 5, 2013).

            4. Catherine L. Albanese, "The Public, the Civil, and the Culture of the Center" in American Religions & Religion, (Wadsworth: Cengage Learning, 1999), 275-301.

            5. Samuel P. Huntington,  Who are We?: The Challenges to America's National Identity. (Simon & Schuster, 2005), 40.

            6.  Susan F. Harding, "American Protestant Moralism and the Secular Imagination: From Temperance to the Moral Majority," in Social Research, (The New School, 2009), 1277-1306. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40972214 (accessed September 5, 2013).

            7. Robert W. Doherty, "Social Bases For The Presbyterian Schism of 1837-1838 The Philadelphia Case" in Journal of Social History, (Oxford University Press, 2013), 72-79. http://jsh.oxfordjournals.org/content/current (accessed September 5, 2013).

              8. Robert W. Doherty, 72-79.