Presents lively, research-based essays by premier social scientists on the positive and negative roles of religious groups in American public life.

Religious groups constitute a large part of America's voluntary sector, yet relatively few works have investigated them broadly. This collection of essays investigates the public roles of religious congregations and associations. With contributions by premier social scientists, the work gets to the bottom of how effective--or ineffective--religious groups are in offering social services, fostering community life, and creating discussion of social issues such as homosexuality and welfare reform. Arguing that religious groups experience many of the same constraints and opportunities as nonreligious associations, the book's new assessment of religious groups' public roles goes beyond pessimists' fears that these groups promote culture wars, as well as optimists' expectations that religious groups are always good for society. Touching on themes as old as the American republic, this work brings into focus an urgent, current discussion that will be of great interest to students of religion and society, public religion, civil society, or religion and politics, as well as to religious leaders and policymakers.

"Pews, Prayers, and Participation: Religion and Civic Responsibility in America" offers a fresh approach to key questions about what role religion plays in fostering civic responsibility in contemporary American society. In the course of their study the authors examine whether an individual exhibits a diminished, a privatized, a public, or an integrated form of religious expression, based on the individual's level of participation in both the public (worship) or private (prayer) dimensions of religious life. They question whether the privatization of religious life is counterproductive to engagement in public life, and they show that religion does indeed play a significant role in fostering civic responsibility across each of its particular facets.--From publisher description.

"A fresh and exceedingly well-balanced account of religious-political connections in the early republic. It has much to offer for those who debate religious-political connections in the late twentieth century". -- Mark A. Noll, author of Religion and American Politics. "This keenly revisionist analysis enriches our understanding of the period. It deserves a wide readership". -- John B. Boles, author of The Great Revival, 1787-1805.

A New York Times Book Review New and Noteworthy Book Washington State Book Award Winner Silver Nautilus Book Award Winner “This collection of essays exhorts Americans to love the nation they have by becoming the nation they want.” —The Washington Post What does it mean to be an engaged American in today’s divided political landscape, and how do we restore hope in our country? In a collection of “civic sermons” delivered at gatherings around the nation, popular advocate for active citizenship Eric Liu takes on these thorny questions and provides inspiration and solace in a time of anger, fear, and dismay over the state of the Union. Here are 19 stirring explorations of current and timeless topics about democracy, liberty, equal justice, and powerful citizenship. This book will energize you to get involved, in ways both large and small, to help rebuild a country that you’re proud to call home. Become America will challenge you to rehumanize our politics and rekindle a spirit of love in civic life.

The long battle between exclusionary and inclusive versions of the American story Was America founded as a Christian nation or a secular democracy? Neither, argues Philip Gorski in American Covenant. What the founders envisioned was a prophetic republic that would weave together the ethical vision of the Hebrew prophets and the Western political heritage of civic republicanism. In this eye-opening book, Gorski shows why this civil religious tradition is now in peril—and with it the American experiment. American Covenant traces the history of prophetic republicanism from the Puritan era to today, providing insightful portraits of figures ranging from John Winthrop and W.E.B. Du Bois to Jerry Falwell, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama. Featuring a new preface by the author, this incisive book demonstrates how half a century of culture war has drowned out the quieter voices of the vital center, and demonstrates that if we are to rebuild that center, we must recover the civil religious tradition on which the republic was founded.

Draws on three national surveys on religion, as well as research conducted by congregations across the United States, to examine the profound impact it has had on American life and how religious attitudes have changed in recent decades.