HIST 3328

History of Religion in America

Fall 2020

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1:00 p.m.–1:50 p.m.

Dr. Mark Stoll
Office: HH 135	Office hours: Monday 2:00–3:00 p.m.; Friday, 9:30–10:30 a.m.; and by appointment
E-mail: Mark.Stoll@ttu.edu	Web: http://www.markstoll.net/	Tel.: (806) 834-6285

IMPORTANT COVID19 INFORMATION

“History of Religion in America” examines the ways that Americans have expressed and acted on religious belief from before Columbus until the present. The course investigates how religion has influenced (and been influenced by) society, ideas, economics, politics, gender relations, and many other historical factors. Through lecture, readings, and discussion, students will explore the sometimes strange and fascinating world of religion in America.

REQUIRED BOOKS

Allan Greer, Mohawk Saint: Catherine Tekakwitha and the Jesuits

Jon Butler, Awash in a Sea of Faith: Christianizing the American People, pp. 1-193 (on library reserve)

Ann Braude, Sisters and Saints: Women and American Religion

Heath W. Carter, Union Made: Working People and the Rise of Social Christianity in Chicago

Wallace D. Best, Passionately Human, No Less Divine: Religious Culture in the Black Churches of Chicago, 1915–1952

Randall J. Stephens, The Devil’s Music: How Christians Inspired, Condemned, and Embraced Rock 'n' Roll

ASSIGNMENTS

60% total: Three midterm examinations (13%) and a cumulative final examination (21%)
30% total: Six readings quizzes
10%: A 4–6 page analytical book review

Exams:

Exams will consist of short answers and an essay. Students will have an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of religious history as well as to engage issues raised in lectures and readings. Make-up exams will be given on the last Tuesday of classes only.

Proctorio information:

All students must review the syllabus and the requirements including the online terms and video testing requirements to determine if they wish to remain in the course. Enrollment in the course is an agreement to abide by and accept all terms. Any student may elect to drop or withdraw from this course before the end of the drop/add period.

Online exams and quizzes within this course may require online proctoring. Therefore, students will be required to have a webcam (USB or internal) with a microphone when taking an exam or quiz. Students understand that this remote recording device is purchased and controlled by the student and that recordings from any private residence must be done with the permission of any person residing in the residence. To avoid any concerns in this regard, students should select private spaces for the testing. The University library and other academic sites at the University offer secure private settings for recordings and students with concerns may discuss location of an appropriate space for the recordings with their instructor or advisor. Students must ensure that any recordings do not invade any third party privacy rights and accept all responsibility and liability for violations of any third party privacy concerns. Setup information will be provided prior to taking the proctored exam. For additional information about online proctoring, you can visit the online proctoring student FAQ.

Quizzes:

Quizzes will test students’ comprehension and understanding of the readings. Make-up quizzes will be given on the last Tuesday of classes only.

Paper:

Students will write an analytical book review on a book of their choice, drawn from the professor’s bibliography (excluding edited collections of essays or books required for the course). Papers must be between four and six pages in length, double spaced, with one-inch margins all around, in 12-point Times New Roman, with a cover sheet, and stapled in the upper lefthand corner. Grammar and punctuation must be correct. For links to online writing advice, see http://uwc.ttu.edu/Resources/default.asp. Also the University Writing Center (paid for by your fees!) would be happy to help you polish your writing. They can help you in person or via the Internet, and can be reached through their Website: http://uwc.ttu.edu/. No footnotes or bibliography is needed. Cite sources for quotations by putting the page number(s) in parentheses after the quotation marks and before any punctuation, thusly: (p. 57).

Click here for an abridged version of the Bibliography of American Religious history.

Instructions for the analytical book review: For this review, students will select a book on religious history from the bibliography of American religious history on the professor’s Website. There is a full bibliography here http://www.markstoll.net/Bibliographies/US/Religious.htm and an abridged one here http://www.markstoll.net/HIST3328/2017/Short_bib.htm.Students may select a book not on the bibliography if the professor approves it. The book review will have three sections:

• A short summary (not a table of contents or outline) of the book’s contents. This should not take more than a paragraph or two.

• An explanation of the book’s thesis, with a discussion of how the author has supported the thesis. You can often find a statement of the book’s thesis in its preface, introduction, or conclusion. Reread these sections after you finish your book. (Ask the professor, if you have any doubts. Many students miss or confuse the thesis!)

• Most important, an analysis of the book, including how successful it is (or is not!) in supporting its thesis, what the author’s bias (that is, its point of view) is, whether it agrees or disagrees with other class material, how it might be improved, how well it is written, and whether you agree with the book’s conclusions. Would you recommend it to others? Give examples to support each point of your analysis.

Late Papers: The professor accepts late papers, but deducts 5 points from the paper grade for each weekday they are late. Papers handed in after the beginning of class period on the day they are due are already late. No computer excuses accepted; give yourself extra time for last-minute disasters like printer problems, etc.

Plagiarism: Using text written by someone else (even in a close paraphrase) without clear and unambiguous acknowledgment is academic dishonesty and will result in an “F” for the course.

ATTENDANCE

The professor will take roll at the beginning of each class. Students with a perfect attendance record will receive three bonus points on their final grades. Students with more than two absences will receive one point off their final grades for each absence over two. The instructor will accept excuses in cases of true need as documented appropriately.

HIST 3328 Course Schedule
Fall 2020

August
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
23	24 Introduction: What is religion?	25	26 Religions of Native America	27	28 The Evolution of European Religion	29
30	31 The Evolution of European Religion, cont.

September
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1	2 The Reformation	3	4 Rise of English Puritanism	5
6	7 Labor Day No class	8	9 Quiz: Greer, Mohawk Saint	10	11 Puritan New England	12
13	14 Puritan New England, cont.	15	16 Troubles in New England	17	18 The Great Awakening	19
20	21 Quiz: Butler, Awash in a Sea of Faith	22	23 EXAMINATION #1	24	25 Establishment and Diversity	26
27	28 Enlightenment and Religion	29	30 Religion and Revolution

October
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				1	2 Religion in the New Nation	3
4	5 The Second Great Awakening	6 Quiz: Braude, Sisters and Saints	7	8	9 The Second Great Awakening	10
11	12 The Second Great Awakening in the North	13	14 EXAMINATION #2	15	16 Mormonism	17
18	19 Quiz: Carter, Union Made	20	21 Unitarianism and Transcendentalism	22	23 Religion and the Civil War	24
25	26 Religion and the Civil War, cont.	27	28 Science and Protestantism	29	30 Science and Protestantism; Catholicism in the nineteenth century	31

November
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
1	2 Quiz: Best, Passionately Human, No Less Divine	3	4 Catholicism in the nineteenth century	5	6 EXAMINATION #3	7
8	9 Catholicism and Protestants Liberal Protestantism	10	11 Social Gospel and Progressivism	12	13 Fundamentalism	14
15	16 Fundamentalism	17	18 Religion between the World Wars	19	20 Quiz: Stephens, The Devil’s Music	21
22	23 Jews in America	24	25 Thanksgiving Break--No class	26	27 Thanksgiving Break--No class	28
29	30 Churches in the Fifties and Sixties Book review due

December
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1 All Make‑Up Exams and Quizzes, All Day	2 Sixties and Seventies: Transformation of Popular Religion; Conservative Turn in American Religion	3	4	5
6	7	8 FINAL 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Note: "Religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Texas Tax Code §11.20. A student who intends to observe a religious holy day should make that intention known in writing to the instructor prior to the absence. A student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious holy day shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after the absence. A student who is excused under this provision may not be penalized for the absence; however, the instructor may respond appropriately if the student fails to complete the assignment satisfactorily. See University Standard Operating Procedure 34.19.

Note: Any student who, because of a disability, may require special arrangements in order to meet the course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make any necessary arrangements. Students should present appropriate verification from Student Disability Services during the instructor’s office hours. Please note: instructors are not allowed to provide classroom accommodations to a student until appropriate verification from Student Disability Services has been provided. For additional information, please contact Student Disability Services in West Hall or call 806-742-2405.

TTU Statement of Academic Integrity (OP 34.12):

• Academic integrity is taking responsibility for one’s own work, being individually accountable, and demonstrating intellectual honesty and ethical behavior. Academic integrity is a personal choice to abide by the standards of intellectual honesty and responsibility. Because education is a shared effort to achieve learning through the exchange of ideas, students, faculty, and staff have the collective responsibility to build mutual trust and respect.  Ethical behavior and independent thought are essential for the highest level of academic achievement, which then must be measured. Academic achievement includes scholarship, teaching and learning, all of which are shared endeavors. Grades are a device used to quantify the successful accumulation of knowledge through learning. Adhering to the standards of academic integrity ensures that grades are earned honestly and gives added value to the entire educational process. Academic integrity is the foundation upon which students, faculty, and staff build their educational and professional careers.
• Students are responsible for understanding the principles and policies regarding academic integrity at Texas Tech University, and abide by them in all class and/or course work at the University. Academic misconduct violations are outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. The University policies and procedures regarding academic integrity can be found in the Student Handbook.  The Student Handbook and the Code of Student Conduct can be found online at www.ttu.edu/studenthandbook.
• It is the aim of the faculty of Texas Tech University to foster a spirit of complete honesty and high standard of integrity. The attempt of students to present as their own any work not honestly performed is regarded by the faculty and administration as a most serious offence and renders the offenders liable to serious consequences, possibly suspension.
• Academic or “Scholastic” dishonesty includes, but it not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, misrepresenting facts, and any act designed to give unfair academic advantage to the student (such as, but not limited to, submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor) or the attempt to commit such an act.

    The professor reserves the right to change this syllabus at his discretion. Changes will be announced in class and posted on the class Webpages. © 2020 Mark R. Stoll. All rights reserved.