Religion1 英美文化课件.ppt

Introduction The U.S. is a religious country 86% of Americans say they believe in God 44% claim they are born-again or evangelical Christians 46% attend church every week or almost every week 63% think that religion can answer all or most of today’s problems 68% claim that they are a member of a local church Distinctive Features of American Religion(1) Freedom of Religion Toleration “Freedom to differ sis not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom.…if there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official , high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion, or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. ” Distinctive Features of American Religion(2) Diversity Pluralism Roman Catholics Eastern Orthodox Protestants Judaism Islam Buddhism and Hinduism ……. Distinctive Features of American Religion(3) The secularization of religion The United States is “at once the most religious and the most secular of nations”. Many religious people hold the same beliefs as secular, non-religious people do. Three Main Faiths(1) Catholicism: Pope----the supreme head the church is the one true church with knowledge of religious and moral law Christ is the bridge between God and man St. Peter was singled out by Jesus Position in society Adaptation to American society Three Main Faiths(2) Protestantism ----belief: ----puritan’s heritage highly conscious of superiority of England restless pilgrimage towards their goals a sense of covenant ----challenges from development of science ---- Liberal Protestantism ---- The Social Gospel ---- Fundamentalists Three Main Faiths(3) Judaism ---- Belief: Old Testament is the source of religious practices and Code of Conduct ---- Reform Judaism ---- Orthodox