Church, state, and race
Book Description
In this thought-provoking examination of American religious history, Ryan P. Jordan reveals how conversations about religious freedom became deeply intertwined with questions of race and belonging during America's formative centuries. Spanning the period from 1750 to 1900, this scholarly work uncovers the complex ways that discussions of church-state separation often centered on whether certain ethnic and racial groups possessed the capacity to exercise religious liberty responsibly.
Jordan demonstrates how Anglo-Protestant leaders frequently expressed concern that communities outside the mainstream might threaten the delicate balance of America's republican experiment. These anxieties led to persistent calls for various forms of cultural assimilation, pressuring diverse groups to conform to established Protestant norms of religious expression and practice.
Rather than presenting religious liberty as an inevitable march toward greater freedom, this book challenges readers to examine the exclusionary and sometimes violent foundations underlying America's secular ideals. Jordan's analysis exposes the racial boundaries that shaped religious freedom discourse and influenced broader aspects of American political culture.
For those seeking to understand how spiritual and political power intersected in early America, this work offers valuable insights into the gap between democratic ideals and historical realities. The book invites readers to reconsider assumptions about religious tolerance and recognize how concepts of freedom have been selectively applied throughout American history.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~5 hours)
📄 Length: 187 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore United states, religion
- ✓ Explore Race
- ✓ Explore Church and state, united states
- ✓ Explore Christianity
- ✓ Explore Freedom of religion
- ✓ Explore Church and state
- ✓ Explore Race relations
- ✓ Explore United states, race relations
