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The Religious History of America: The Heart of the American Story from Colonial Times to Today

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It is somewhat of an historical anomaly that the United States, one of very few major nations in history to be founded on principles of separation of church and state, should have as part of its central cultural, social and political history a prominent strand of religion. This book, `The Religious History of America', by Gaustad and Schmidt, gives a fairly balanced look at the different strands of religious development in the United States divided into four primary time-periods: the Colonial times; the Revolutionary War to the Civil War; Post Civil War to World War II; and World War II to the present. These are broad divisions of American history that are fairly standard (religious history or not).

This text was originally written by Edwin Scott Gaustad in 1966; this edition was revised by one of Gaustad's students, Leigh Schmidt, in 2002. The authors address the issue of overkill in certain historical themes from the start - referencing a pop song, they make the case that seeing the beginnings of American religious history as a New England/Puritan event is biased at best - there was a much older settlement in Florida, St. Augustine, but as it was both outside the original thirteen colonies and not a Protestant settlement, it tends to be set aside in favour of the mainstream Protestant origins. Orthodox, Jewish, and other religious beginnings similarly are given a second-class status by `traditional' history timelines and narratives. Of course, this is to say nothing of Native American religious traditions, or the continuation/adaptation of African religious traditions among the slave populations in the colonies and states.

The chapters on beginnings thus start with an overview of the state of Native American religions immediately prior to the era of colonisation, as well as the various Mediterranean expeditions (primarily Spanish, but also some Portuguese) into the islands and interior of the Americas. French expeditions north (into Canadian lands) and south (Louisiana) are included here. After this, the Anglican and English establishments in the developing coastal thirteen colonies are discussed in detail, including official Anglican (Church of England settlements), as well as dissident groups (of which the Puritans were but one such group). Different colonies took on different religious complexions; some colonies had `official' religions, but enforcement of uniformity of practice was often beyond the scope of authorities even in the smaller colonies. Before long, the Eastern seaboard of North America was a rich collection of diverse communities, including most major Protestant groups from Europe.

It is a common idea that the `founding fathers' of the nation were all religious men; in fact, there was great diversity among them, as was true of the rest of the nation, and even those nominally attached to one tradition had significant variances from their traditions - for example, Thomas Jefferson was officially an Anglican, the established church of Virginia colony, but his worship practices and beliefs were vastly different from the official line. The idea of separation of church and state, now a sacrosanct idea enshrined in the Constitution, was by no means a given among the revolutionary leaders (Patrick Henry argued strongly for Christianity, if not Anglicanism, to be continued as the official and state-supported faith). The American revolution, in a sense, demoted Anglicanism, and set up other denominations to also take on new prominence and independence. Methodism, which had been an internal movement of the Anglicans, now expressed their independence in dramatic ways. Expansion to the West often carried religious culture of communities to different locations, which included utopian experiments (New Harmony, Shakers, etc.) and new denominational forms (the Disciples of Christ forming out of the Presbyterian church is a good example of this).

Against the backdrop of this growing nation and growing Christendom (both in terms of sheer size as well as diversity) was the issue of slavery, which divided communities, denominations, and even families before finally splitting the nation into Civil War. The efforts of the Abolitionists are often highlighted in history, while the complicity of religious leaders and denominational authorities in accepting the institution of slavery is often downplayed; Gaustad and Schmidt do address the issue here.

The final two sections look at the every growing diversity of religious expression in America, as well as the formation and decline of various mainstream elements. Urbanisation led to a new national ethos, and as the current generation becomes the first generation in the history of America where more people live in cities than rural areas, the changes are only just beginning. Immigration throughout the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries brought new traditions, as well as new variants of older traditions; Jewish communities often had a further element of ethnicity in synagogues, and the split between Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist is largely an American-fueled experience. Divisions along racial lines in denominations were solidified in many ways, with several Christian denominations and other religious groups attending to the needs of African Americans. Influences from Asian religions also began to take hold in urban society, as well as home-grown religious institutions such as the Christian Science movement.

Also prominent in the final section of the text is the political side in modern society with regard to religion. The Civil Rights Movement, the increasing concern for church/state separation issues, issues regarding gender, sexuality, and the continuing use of religion as a political weapon are discussed. Movements toward union and reunion in Christian denominations, ecumenical and interfaith cooperation, and shifting patterns of belief and practice are discussed in forward-thinking terms, looking toward a new century (and new millennium) more diverse than ever.

At the end of each primary section, the authors have listed in narrative form suggested readings, arranged topically as well as by methodology and focus. The authors also include a general bibliography (listing recent websites in addition to book titles), and a useful index. Broad and accessible, this text is comprehensive without being oppressive in detail or tone, and a good primer for student and interested lay-reader alike.

This revision of 'The Religious History of America' by Gaustad and Schmidt is a wonderful and balanced overview of the religious history of the U.S.A., as the title claims. The first review here is very through so I will be brief. These two professors of religion discuss the cultural, political, and economic influences that helped shaped religion in America throughout its history.

The book starts with the state of Native American religions before the first colonist set foot on the land. And then properly shows that the first colonies were Catholic and established by Spain and Portugal. The oldest city in the U.S.A. is the Spanish Settlement of Saint Augustine in Florida. It also covers the early expeditions of the French in both the north and south regions of North America. It was only later that the Anglican and English settlements that we learn about in our history textbooks started to form in what we would later call the thirteen colonies.

The book then covers topics that include the Puritans in New England, separation of church and state, slavery, the growth of the church in the twentieth century, and the effect that war has on religion. You will read of how the growth of such a great diversity of religion came to be in the U.S.A. This is a very interesting read. This book also has an extensive bibliography for further reading and a good index. This is the book I would choose if I had to teach an introductory course in religious history in America.

This book gives a good overview of the Religious history of America during most of the book but it begins to falter near the end. The authors completely leave out the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. As the authro writes about more recent events, a bias seems to creap in. The activities of the religious left have a tone of approval while the activites of the religious right are written with a tone of disapproval.

The author knows his subject and knows how to write as well. Sometimes in academia that is not the case. I have purchased other books by Gaustad. I have found them all to be quality, comprehensive and comprehendable. Enjoyable reads.

Very good book that gives a general overview of America's religious history. Beginning from the first European explorers and settlers upon the New World and ending with the great mass of plurality of religious faith and spirituality that makes America distinct from the rest of the world. Shows both the good and bad religion has played on the American landscape. Has a lot of great historical pictures and illustrations as well. This book comes highly recommended for both the casual reader and/or the academic student.

As one who has always been very interested in the American religious experience, as well as having minored in Religious Studies during my undergraduate years, I have long wanted to read this book. For whatever reason, I kept putting it off. That is until a few weeks ago when I decided it was high time I ordered a copy, and I do not regret the purchase one bit. This book, a revised and expanded edition of Edwin Gaustad's work of same name originally published in 1966, provides a thorough insight into the evolution of religious belief and practice throughout American history and its impact on the developing culture.

Gaustad and Leigh Schmidt's book (Schmidt having been a student of Gaustad's) is subtitled "The Heart of the American Story from Colonial Times to Today," and for good reason. Surely, it covers a lot of ground, from the early religious practices of Native Americans in the pre-colonial era to the entangling of religion (Christianity, in particular) with political activity over the last thirty years or so, and just about everywhere in between. But the way I look at it, the key word in the subtitle is "story." The book reads more like a novel (in terms of style and structure, that is, not content) as opposed to a traditional history text. I found this to be beneficial to my understanding of the events described, and this feature can no doubt make the book more accessible to those not familiar with the subject. That being said, the text is replete with names and dates to remind the reader that it is indeed a book of historical studies. To further simplify the digestion of the material the book is divided into four distinct sections, each representing a determinate period of history. Over one hundred captioned photographs, many from the Library of Congress, are present as well.

I would say that, of all eighteen chapters, the following are my favorites:
Chapter 10, "Immigration and Diversity," much of which discusses the difficulties facing various religious groups in light of ethnic, racial, and gender considerations.
Chapter 13, "Growth and Schism," part of which addresses the subdivision of many major denominations into smaller ones and the struggle between "fundamentalism" and "modernism."
And Chapter 16, "The Courts, the Schools, the Streets," highlighting the various Supreme Court cases dealing with religious issues. These include not only the well-known cases such as Roe v. Wade (abortion) and Engel v. Vitale (school prayer), but also perhaps lesser known ones such as Everson v. Board of Education, which dealt with children being reimbursed for riding public buses to parochial schools.

My only criticism of Gaustad and Schmidt's work is that it focuses almost exclusively on Catholic and Protestant developments, and to a lesser extent issues pertaining to Judaism. However, very little attention is paid to religions such as Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism in the context of our history. Surely Christians and Jews have comprised and today comprise the bulk of those in the United States who are religious, but a deeper examination of other faith groups aside from half of the last chapter (and a few scattered sentences otherwise) would have been desired. Of course, no book can give a 100% comprehensive examination of the subject being studied, and to this end the authors provide an extensive list of recommended supplemental readings between each section of the book. This is greatly beneficial to those who wish to further pursue the concepts that are covered.

Overall, I strongly recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in American religious history. As another reviewer named Michael Evans stated, "it ties the idea of separation of church and state in well and gives a good description as to the reason for religious freedom." I could not agree more. The concept of church-state separation, although not explicitly stated as such in the Constitution (and mentioned in one form or another in more sources than just Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists; you'll have to read the book to see what I mean), is deeply entrenched in our cultural history, and I believe we are all the better for it because it allows each sphere to flourish unencumbered by the other. (And, for the little it may be worth to you, the review reader, I say all of this as a man faithful and committed to the Christian faith.)

I'm reading this book for a masters level class. It is surprisingly interesting to read. It provides a brief overview of American religious history beginning with Native American beliefs. The book is heavy on names and dates so it makes a great textbook. It ties the idea of separation of Church and state in well and gives a good description as to the reason for religious freedom.
There is one thing this book needs .... electronic version! I bought it used because it was a textbook and nether the writer or the publisher receive a thing when this is done. I will sell it just because it is paper and I don't keep many paper books any more. I would have gladly paid the price for a Kindle version because of the search-ability of that format. I would love to have this book as a resource in my library but paper just does not allow the quick reference that electronic books provide.
This book is worth the read even if you are not required to do so for a class. History lovers will enjoy it.

Gaustad and Schmidt weave a gigantic tapestry of stories, heroes, movements, and culture wars, over the whole history of American religious life. A lot of Americans feel their country's history reveals the journey of God's people no less than the history of ancient Israel. And why not? Like that ancient history book, this one captures an epic series of running arguments between revolutionaries, imperialists, feminists, racists, egalitarians, ethnic purists, universalists, legalists, holy rollers or apocalyptic fanatics, all upholding their visions of justice, truth, and beauty. The story Gaustad and Schmidt present meets the literalist criteria of truth, because all those voices really spoke. The book provides a grand overview of the discussion, that helps us choose which voices will shape our lives.

--author of Correcting Jesus

This book is a text for my church history class. It presents detailed information of the development of church structure from the earliest colonial days. It is interesting to learn how the denominations influenced certain colonies and the strife between the Church of England and the 'upstart' separatist groups. Very interesting!!

Just what I needed for my class that required this textbook and was even cheaper than any other site. It was delivered early and was in perfect condition!