American civil religion is a sociological theory that a nonsectarian religious faith exists within the United States with sacred symbols drawn from national history. Scholars have portrayed it as a common set of values that foster social and cultural integration. The ritualistic elements of ceremonial deism found in American ceremonies and presidential invocations of God can be seen as expressions of the American civil religion.
The concept goes back to the 19th century, but the current form of this theory was developed by sociologist Robert Bellah in 1967 in the article, "Civil Religion in America". According to Bellah, Americans embrace a common civil religion with certain fundamental beliefs, values, holidays, and rituals in parallel to, or independent of, their chosen religion.[1]
Bellah's article soon became the major focus at religious sociology conferences and numerous articles and books were written on the subject. Interest in the topic reached its peak with the American Bicentennial celebration in 1976.[2][3][4]
^Kaplan, Dana Evan (Aug 15, 2005). The Cambridge Companion to American Judaism. Cambridge University Press. p. 118. ISBN 978-0-521-82204-6.
^Meštrović, Stjepan G (1993). The Road from Paradise. University Press of Kentucky. p. 129. ISBN 978-0-8131-1827-7.
^Cristi, Marcela (2001). From Civil to Political Religion: The Intersection of Culture, Religion and Politics. Wilfrid Laurier University Press. ISBN 978-0-88920-368-6.
^Swatos, William H. (1998). Encyclopedia of Religion and Society. Rowman Altamira. p. 94. ISBN 978-0-7619-8956-1. The article caused an almost unprecedented burst of excitement among sociologists and other scholars of religion.
and 26 Related for: American civil religion information
Americancivilreligion is a sociological theory that a nonsectarian religious faith exists within the United States with sacred symbols drawn from national...
Civilreligion, also referred to as a civic religion, is the implicit religious values of a nation, as expressed through public rituals, symbols (such...
Religion in America or Americanreligion may refer to: Religion in North AmericaReligion in the United States of AmericaAmericancivilreligion, a sociological...
political religion, but various scholars have described features of political religion even in democracies, for instance Americancivilreligion as described...
The AmericanCivil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union ("the North")...
Native Americanreligions are the spiritual practices of the Native Americans in the United States. Ceremonial ways can vary widely and are based on the...
March ahead: African American churches and public policy in post-civil rights America. Stewart, Omer C. (1987). Peyote Religion: A History. Norman, Ok;...
and civil disobedience campaigns eventually secured new protections in federal law for the civil rights of all Americans. After the AmericanCivil War...
public spaces. Americancivilreligion Chinese folk religion Confucianism Shendao Confucian Academy Supreme Council for the Confucian Religion in Indonesia...
state religion (also called official religion) is a religion or creed officially endorsed by a sovereign state. A state with an official religion (also...
sometimes used by historians regarding the time from the end of the AmericanCivil War in 1865 to the when Superintendent of the Census, William Rush Merriam...
The AmericanCivil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit human rights organization founded in 1920. The organization strives "to defend and preserve...
between religion and the economic or social structure of society. Contemporary debates have centered on issues such as secularization, civilreligion, and...
Religion in politics covers various topics related to the effects of religion on politics. Religion has been claimed to be "the source of some of the...
Iranian religions), Indian religions, East Asian religions, African religions, Americanreligions, Oceanic religions, and classical Hellenistic religions. In...
Religion of black Americans refers to the religious and spiritual practices of African Americans. Historians generally agree that the religious life of...
A consensus of historians who address the origins of the AmericanCivil War agree that the preservation of the institution of slavery was the principal...
society of the United States. He argued that in effect there is an Americancivilreligion which is a nonsectarian faith with sacred symbols drawn from national...
Tyler Page, The American's Creed, United States portal List of U.S. national symbols AmericancivilreligionAmerican exceptionalism American nationalism...
Religion in the United States began with the religions and spiritual practices of Native Americans. Later, religion also played a role in the founding...
of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or...
Imperial Truth promoted strict state atheism until the Horus Heresy. Americancivilreligion Apotheosis Atenism Buddhist kingship Cult of personality Divine...
considerations, uninvolved with religion. Secularism is most commonly thought of as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state and may...
This is a timeline of the civil rights movement in the United States, a nonviolent mid-20th century freedom movement to gain legal equality and the enforcement...
the most prominent denomination in France, but has long lost the state religion status it held prior to the 1789 French Revolution and during various non-republican...