REL 113: Religion in America

REL 113: Religion in America Spring 2010

Dr. Sarah Johnson Email: [email protected] Office Phone: 933-6163 Office Hours: Monday 2:30-3:30; Wednesday 2:30-3:30; Friday 9-9:50 and 2:30-3:30 and by appointment.

Course Description:

In this course, we will explore the history, development, and characteristics of religion in America from precontact to the present. Because I have designed this course to fulfill Gustavus’s theology requirement—one that stipulates the students should be encouraged to develop a “mature understanding of the Christian faith”—REL 113 will focus on the history of Christianity in America. Yet because the story of American Christianity involves encounters with other faith traditions, we will consider how various religious traditions have interacted and adapted in the American context.

I will teach this course chronologically with particular attention to two related themes. The first theme involves the tension between unity and diversity. The United States seal bears the motto E Pluribus Unum, variously translated as “many uniting into one” or “out of many, one.” Though such a slogan makes diversity and unity sound easily compatible, religious people have not always thought them or found them so. We will, therefore, pay careful attention to the various ways Americans have negotiated the reality of religious diversity and the desire for cultural unity. Second, we will consider major sources of religious diversity: migration and immigration. America is a land of people from elsewhere. Thus, we will consider the role religion has played as people have negotiated new cultural and religious contexts and as older immigrants have adapted to the presence of newer immigrants.

This course will also focus on thinking theologically. We will consider how religious Americans have made arguments about issues that matter deeply to them. We will explore the sources of authority they use and how they use those sources. Through our explorations, you will have the opportunity to think critically about your own religious and/or ethical convictions.

Books: These are available at the bookstore. All other readings will be available on Moodle.

Griffith, R. Marie. American Religions: A Documentary History. Butler, Jon et. al. Religion in American Life: A Short History. Lischer, Richard. Open Secrets: A Memoir of Faith and Discovery.

Course Goals:

By the end of this course, you should be able to: 1). Give an account of the history of Christianity in America. 2). Explain the tension between religious diversity and unity in American culture and the role of migration and immigration in American religious history.

1 3). Analyze religious arguments and explain how sources of religious authority are used in these arguments. 4). Read, analyze and synthesize primary and secondary texts critically and sympathetically. 5). Make an argument.

Class Format and Expectations

This class will be a mixture of lecture and discussion. Your attendance and careful preparation are crucial for the success of the course. I expect you to complete the assigned readings before you come to class (although I do not expect you to understand everything in them). I also expect you to contribute thoughtfully to class discussions. Please note: thoughtful contributions are not the same as right answers. Learning demands taking intellectual risks and trying new ideas. Our discussions will be enhanced as we help each other think through new and difficult ideas and as we respectfully engage ideas with which we disagree. Learning happens best with limited distractions. I expect you to be on time and you can expect me to dismiss you on time. Please turn off all cell phones, beepers, and any other devices that turn attention from our task. If you need to be accessible for reasons of child or elder care, please consult with me. Feel free to bring beverages to class (I know how important caffeine can be to college students), but I ask that you do not bring food unless you bring enough for everyone to eat. Your written work should be typed and double-spaced. Please use Times New Roman 12 point font (yes, I know what Courier New does to a page count) and 1 to 1.25 inch margins. Any written work should be written in formal prose and should observe conventional English grammar rules.

Assignments and Grading:

1. Attendance and Class Participation (5%): This class depends upon your attendance and engagement. You are allowed four absences for any reason. All absences after those four will be unexcused and will lower your final grade two percentage points. I suggest, therefore, that you reserve your absences for actual emergencies such as illness and appointments. If you have an extended illness or a family emergency, please speak with me as soon as possible. Attendance entails more than being physically present in the classroom. You need to attend to the class. I consider doing work for other courses, reading non-class material, surfing the internet, texting, and sleeping disrespectful to your colleagues and a sign that you are not attending to the course. If I see you doing anything of these during a class, I will mark you absent for the day. I also expect you to be on time to class. I know that emergencies occasionally arise. If you absolutely must come late, please enter unobtrusively as possible. If you are more than 10 minutes late, it will count as an absence. Repeated tardiness will result in a lowered grade.

2. Tests and Final Exam (15% per unit test; 10% for final question): You will have three unit tests. Each test will be worth 15% of your final grade. Tests will contain a mixture of multiple choice and essays. I will give you a review sheet before each test. You will also have a “final question.” This question will ask you to make an argument about the course content. It will be due the day of the final exam. More information will follow.

2 3. Paper (20%): You will also write a 5-6 page paper (described below). Late papers will be graded down a third of a grade (an A becomes an A-; a B+ and B and so forth). Note: a paper is late if it is turned in any time after the time stipulated on the syllabus. Thus, at 5:01 p.m. a paper due at 5 p.m. is a “day” late. Please turn in final drafts to me by 5 p.m. the day they are due. There are two possible due dates for this paper. If you choose to write in the first group, the paper is due on March 26. You must sign up for a time to meet with me and some of your colleagues to discuss your thesis statement the week of March 8. If you write in the second group, your paper is due on April 30. You must sign up for a time to meet with me and some of the colleagues to discuss your thesis statement the week of April 12. If you fail to meet for a discussion of your thesis, you will lose a third of a grade off the final paper (and you will not be able to make up that third in the revision process). I encourage you to rewrite these papers for a higher grade. All rewrites are due no later than the day of the final exam. For more details on this assignment, see Appendix A.

4. Exploratory Writing Questions (15%): Every day that you have a reading assignment, you also have exploratory writing questions. I have designed the questions to focus your reading, to aid your synthesis of the material and to practice critical thinking. The first two EWQs are required. You must turn in an additional nine EWQs during the semester. You must turn in two EWQs for each section. Your EWQs should be 200 to 300 words, should answer all of the questions and should reference each primary document assigned for that day. You are welcome to refer to the reading in Religion in American Life in your EWQs but you do not need to do so. An answer that is only a paraphrase of Religion in American Life will not receive any credit. Although relatively informal, EWQ’s are still academic work and must adhere to the rules of academic integrity. I will grade journals on a 5 point scale. Grades are as follows: 4.5-5=All questions addressed; all documents addressed; answer reflects particular creativity and insight. 4-4.4=May be missing some question parts or documents; answer reflects solid engagement with the text. 3=Missing many question parts or documents and/or answer shows little engagement with text. 2=Answer has little engagement with text and only responds generally to question 0/1=Answer does not respond to question. You may rewrite a response graded at a 3 or lower for a grade no higher than a 4. Reading responses must be brought to class the day they are due. If you have last minute printer problems (always an issue with the dorm printers), please email your response before you come to class. NO LATE RESPONSES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

5. Lischer EWQ (5%): The EWQ on Richard Lischer’s Open Secrets is longer than others. It also allows you some creative expression. This EWQ is required for everyone and does not count as one of your additional nine EWQs.

Grading Rubric

A-range: Exceptionally strong work; a creative thesis, well-supported by evidence; insightful analysis; solid transitions; lucid prose; few, if any, problems with style, grammar or citations. A work shows sophistication far beyond the basic expectations for a 100 level class. Such work is possible but it is also rare.

3 B-range: Thorough work; a strong thesis not adequately supported by evidence or an overly-broad thesis adequately supported by evidence; solid analysis; serviceable prose; some problems with style, grammar or citations. B work exceeds expectations for a 100 level course. B work is work of which you should be proud!

C-range: Acceptable work; a broad thesis; a lack of evidence; reliance on generalizations rather than analysis; poor prose; poor grammar, style or citations. C work is the basic expectation for college-level.

D and F-range: Unacceptable work; fails to meet the requirements of the assignment.

Disability Services

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) work together to ensure “reasonable accommodation” and non-discrimination for students with disabilities in higher education. If you have a physical, psychiatric/emotional, medical, learning or attentional disability that may have an effect on your ability to complete assigned course work, please contact Laurie Bickett, Disability Services Coordinator, in the Advising Center. She will review your concerns and decide with you what accommodations are necessary. I will be happy to work with, upon your request for accommodation and receipt of documentation from the Disability Services Coordinator.

Writing Center

I recommend taking advantage of our Writing Center. At the Writing Center, you’ll work with a peer tutor one-on-one: you can talk frankly about your writing concerns and receive on- the-spot feedback. The Writing Center is not a proofreading service; rather, it is a peer teaching facility that helps you to clarify your thinking, structure your papers, develop evidence, hone your style, and practice self-editing skills. Call x6027 for hours and location, or long on to www.gustauvs.edu/writingcenter. You can make appointments online. The Writing Center has on staff a part-time tutor with professional training in ELL and multilingual instruction. ELL and multilingual students can schedule work with this tutor, Katy Young, by contacting her via email at [email protected].

Academic Integrity

As Gustavus students, you have signed the following honor code: “As a community of scholars, the faculty and students of Gustavus Adolphus College have formulated an academic honesty policy and honor code system, which is printed in the Academic Bulletin and the Gustavus Guide. As a student at Gustavus Adolphus College I agree to uphold the honor code. This means that I will abide by the academic honesty policy, and abide by decisions of the joint student/faculty Honor Board.”

Any instance of academic dishonesty in this class will result in a “0” for the assignment and will be reported to the Academic Dean. A second instance of academic dishonesty will result in failing the course.

H1N1/Influenza Notice

4 In the case of an outbreak of H1N1 or other forms of influenza, I reserve the right to adjust the course schedule and assignments. The information we currently have suggests that people with H1N1 are contagious for at least a week. Should you contract H1N1, please contact me via email or phone. Do not come to class and do not come to my office to prove that you are sick. We will work out alternative ways for you to participate in the course.

Closing Note

A final note. Please feel free to discuss any issues pertaining to this class—personal or academic—with me. That is what I am here for. I look forward to getting to know each of you this semester.

Calendar of Lectures and Assignments

Note: The Moodle site for this course is REL 113-all. The Moodle site for your section will also appear on your Moodle screen, but I will not post readings on it. Reading on Moodle are marked with an (M)

Prologue

February 8 Class Introduction

February 10 Religion in Public Reading Assignment: Inauguration Prayers by Robinson, Warren and Lowery. *EWQ: 1. What similarities and differences do you see among the prayers? 2. What do these prayers suggest about Americans’ perceptions of the relationship between God and the United States? 3. Do you think it appropriate to have prayers at a government event such as an inauguration? Why or why not?

February 12 Course Vocabulary Reading Assignment: RAL 1-20; ELCA Statement of Faith, Apostle’s Creed, Nicene Creed *EWQ: 1. How do these documents define and/or describe God? 2. According to these documents, what is the human problem and what is the divine answer to that problem? 3. According to these documents, how do Christians know what to believe? 4. What questions do you have after reading these documents?

Section One: Establishing Christianity and Encountering Diversity

February 15 The European Background Reading Assignment: Bradford, Chapter One of “Of Plymouth” (AR, 3-6) EWQ: 1. According to Bradford, what was wrong with the religious situation in England? 2. What does the Bradford text tell you about the relationship between church and state in 16th and 17th century England?

February 17 Native American and European Contact

5 Reading Assignment: RAL 21-28 (ending with “…toward Christian conversion); 91-100 (Ending with “…survival into modern times.”) Sublimis Deus (AR, 2-3); Rowlandson, “Narrative…” (AR, 63-65; 70-73); Penn, “Letter…” (AR, 73-75) EWQ: 1. What similar attitudes toward Native Americans do you find in these documents? 2. How do the documents differ? 3. How might you account for those differences?

February 19 Anglicans in Virginia and Race Reading Assignment: RAL 62-68 (Starting with “Religion fared”); Godwin (M); Woodmason, “Let All…” (AR, 109-115) EWQ: 1. What do these documents reveal about the actual (rather than the desired) state of religion in Virginia? 2. What do these documents reveal about how clergy wanted Anglicanism to be practiced in Virginia?

February 22 Puritans in New England Reading Assignment: RAL 47-62 (Ending with “pursuing the Civil War.”); Winthrop, “Model” (AR, 16-19); Mather, “Sleeping” (AR, 19-23) EWQ: 1. How do Winthrop and Mather describe the relationship between God and New England Puritans? 2. Are there differences between these two documents? 3. How might you account for these differences?

February 24 Quakers and the Experiment with Religious Toleration Reading Assignment: RAL 80-82 (Starting with “The period from…” and ending with “…they had for the previous half century.”); Woolman, “Journal” (AR, 127-136); Benezet and Jackson (M) EWQ: 1. What do these documents reveal about Quaker relationships with their non-Quaker neighbors? 2. Based on these documents, do you think that religious convictions impeded Quakers’ ability to be good citizens and/or good businesspeople?

February 26 The “Great Awakening” Reading Assignment: RAL 110 and 119-128 (Starting with “Revivalism among evangelical…”); Chauncy, “Seasonable (AR, 102-109) EWQ: 1. Summarize Chauncy’s position on the revivals (also known as the “Great Awakening”). 2. What is the rationale for his position?

March 1 Disestablishing American Religion Reading Assignment: RAL 132-149; Jefferson, “A Bill” (AR, 150-152); Madison, “Memorial” (AR, 152-156) EWQ: 1. How do Jefferson and Madison describe the proper relationship between religion and the public square? 2. On what basis do they make their cases? Do they use the same reasoning? 3. Do you find their position and their logic compelling? Why or why not?

March 3 Disestablishing American Religion Cont.

March 5 Putting Together the Themes Assignment: Bring questions from preceding lectures, discussions and readings to class.

6 March 8 Exam One

Section Two: Protecting and Contesting Evangelical Protestant Power

March 10 The Second Great Awakening Reading Assignment: RAL 171-183; Finney, “Memoirs” (AR, 189-196); Lee, “Life” (AR, 197- 204) EWQ: 1. How are these two conversion narratives similar? 2. Do they challenge, change or confirm your understanding of conversion?

March 12 Evangelical Hegemony Reading Assignment: RAL 185-198; de Tocqueville, “Democracy” (AR, 247-255); Schaff, “America” (AR, 263-268) EWQ: 1. Summarize Schaff and de Toqueville’s description of American religion. 2. Do you think that these descriptions remain valid?

March 15 The Mormon Challenge Reading Assignment: RAL 203-210 (Starting with “The Mormons…”); Smith, “Articles” and “Revelation” (AR, 164-172) EWQ: 1. What might nineteenth-century Americans have found compelling about the Mormon faith, as outlined in these documents? 2. What might nineteenth-century Americans have found problematic or distasteful about the Mormon faith, as outlined in these documents?

March 17 Catholic-Evangelical Encounters Reading Assignment: RAL 246-259; de Tocqueville, “Democracy” (AR, 245-247); Seton, “Letters” (AR, 183-189) EWQ: 1. Based upon these documents, why do you think the Catholic faith was attractive to some people? 2. Based upon these documents, what would you guess were some of the Protestant criticisms of Catholicism?

March 19 Lutherans—The “Other” Protestants Reading Assignment: RAL 284-285 (Starting with “Memories of the past…”); Schmucker (M) EWQ: 1. What does Schmucker argue about the role of the Lutheran confessions in religious life? 2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of his argument?

March 22 African American Religion Reading Assignment: RAL 223-229 (Starting with “Yet Lazarus…”); Jones (M) EWQ: 1. How does Jones relate the experience of the Israelites to the experience of American slaves? 2. Why do you think Jones made his argument in the way that he did?

March 24 The Slavery Debate Reading Assignment: Douglass, “Narrative” (AR, 213-220); Grimke, “Appeal” (AR, 220-235); Armstrong, “Christian Doctrine” (AR, 239-244) EWQ: 1. How do Douglass and Grimke make their arguments against slavery? 2. What strategies does Armstrong use to argue for slavery? 3. Which argument do you think was most compelling in the nineteenth-century? Why?

7 March 26 The Slavery Debate Continued.

April 7 The Civil War and American Religion Reading Assignment: RAL 231-243; Lincoln (M); Ryland, Moss, Higginson and Barton (M) EWQ: According to the authors of these documents, what was the role of religion and/or the role of God in the Civil War?

April 9 Varieties of Protestant Liberalism Reading Assignment: RAL 268-272 (Starting with “In the late nineteenth…”); Rauschenbusch, “Theology,” (AR, 309-321) EWQ: 1. How does Raushenbusch’s social gospel differ from nineteenth-century evangelical theology? 2. What do you think about his version of the Christian gospel?

April 12 Putting Together the Themes Assignment: Bring questions from preceding lectures, discussions and readings to class.

April 14 Exam Two

Section Three: Repositioning, Responding and Reacting

April 16 The American Melting Pot? Reading Assignment: RAL 309-321; Clarke, “Ten Religions” (AR, 397-402);Vivekananda, “Farewell” (AR, 410-411) EWQ: 1. How do Clarke’s and Vivekananda’s descriptions of the relationship between Christianity and other religions differ? 2. Whose vision do you find most compelling? Why?

April 19 Judaism in America Reading Assignment: RAL 219-223 (Starting with “Jews too…” and ending with “…breathe free.”); Pittsburgh Platform (AR, 321-323); Heschel, “God in Search” (AR, 434-437; 446-447) EWQ: 1. How do these documents differ in their understanding of what constitutes the essence of Judaism (think about what each says about the law)? 2. Which of these understandings of law is most compelling to you? Why?

April 21 Fracturing Protestant Hegemony: The Evolution Case Study Reading Assignment: RAL 323-329 (Ending with “…toward Christian unity.”); Hodge (M); Abbot (M); Bryan (M) EWQ: 1. Briefly summarize each writer’s position on the relationship between evolution and Christianity. 2. All three authors are Christians. Why do they have such different understandings of the relationship between evolution and Christianity? 3. What do you think about the argument presented for and against evolution in these documents?

April 23 Mid-Century Changes Reading Assignment: RAL 334-349 (Starting with “Although American…” and ending with “(Ending with “…liberty and justice for all.”); Niebuhr, “Irony” (AR, 424-426; 432-434) EWQ: 1. Summarize Niebuhr’s argument by answering this question: what is the irony of American History? 2. What is religious about Niebuhr’s argument?

8 April 26 Mid-Century Changes Reading Assignment: RAL 363-367 (Starting with “American Catholics…” and ending with “… disaster of American Catholicism.”); Day (M); Vatican II Documents (M) EWQ: 1. How do the writers of these documents think Catholics should interact with the larger culture? 2. What do these documents suggest about how Catholic status had changed since the nineteenth-century?

April 28 Backdrop of Civil Rights Reading Assignment: Clark (M); Brady (M) EWQ: 1. What is Clark’s thesis and how does he make his case? 2. What is Brady’s thesis and how does he make his case? 3. What are the most significant differences in their understanding of race and America’s racial problem? Do these documents have any points of overlap?

April 30 Early Civil Rights Movement Reading Assignment: RAL 350-355; King, “Letter” (AR, 502-514) EWQ: 1. How does King justify his actions in Birmingham? 2. Why do you think that he chooses the justifications that he does?

May 3 Civil Rights: Black Power Reading Assignment: RAL 368-375 (Starting with “The road to Civil Rights…”) King (M); Malcolm X (M) EWQ: 1. How do King and Malcolm X portray the United States? 2. How did King and Malcolm X define racism? 3. How did you respond to these documents?

May 5 Rise of the New Right Reading Assignment: RAL 395-408; Hopkins (M); Schaeffer (M) EWQ: 1. How do these documents describe the role of Christianity in political and social issues? 2. Evaluate the arguments. What are their strengths and weaknesses?

May 7 New Immigrants, Old Faiths and New Reading Assignment: RAL 409-416 (Ending with “We are all Americans.”) Rodriquez, “Childhood” (M); Kurien, “Hindus’ Adjustments” (M); Star-Tribune “New Immigrants” (M). EWQ: 1. What common themes do you see in these pieces about the “new immigrants”? 2. What similarities do you see between these immigrant experiences and immigrant experiences we have studied previously? 3. What differences do you see between these immigrant experiences and immigrant experiences we have studies previously?

May 10 Lischer Discussion Reading Assignment: Lischer, Open Secrets *EWQ (500 word minimum): Option 1-- Pretend that you are a member of the New Cana congregation a few years after Lischer leaves. You are reflecting on his tenure in your church. What would you write about him (you can choose the form—a journal entry, a letter to a friend, a tribute in a newsletter or whatever makes sense to you). Option 2—You are in charge of giving advice to the pastor who follows Lischer in New Cana. What would you say? What would you encourage the next pastor to do differently? What would you suggest the next pastor do the same? Again, you may choose the form for your response.

May 12 Current Questions: Gender and Sexuality

9 Reading Assignment: RAL 416-426 (Starting with “Another challenge to racism…”; UCC (M) LCMS (M) EWQ: 1. How do these documents differ in their interpretations of biblical passages? 2. Why do they come to the conclusions that they do?

May 14 Current Questions: Muslim/Christian Relations Reading Assignment: Graham, “Name” (AR, 602-605); CAIR, “Letter” (AR, 605-606); Rodriguez, “Danger” (AR, 606-609) EWQ: 1. Are there points of agreement in these documents? 2. What, in your opinion, are the most important differences among these documents? 3. Do you think that the opinions in these documents can be reconciled?

May 17 Current Question: Muslim/Christian Relations Continued

May 19 Review For Final Exam

Final Exam: To Be Scheduled by Registrar’s Office. You must take the exam on the assigned day unless you have three exams on the assigned day. Please schedule your vacation plans accordingly.

10 REL 113 Paper Assignment Spring 2010

Assignment: A 5-6 page thesis-driven essay in which you compare and contrast either Hauerwas/Willimon’s and Cole’s articles about war and killing or Meileander’s and Stortz’s articles about homosexuality. A successful essay will accurately summarize, analyze, and evaluate the two articles. In other words, a successful essay will indicate what the articles say about the topic, how and why the authors make their cases, and the strengths and weaknesses each article has.

Purpose: Complicated issues abound in our society—as do people who behave as if all positions other than their own are malicious and stupid. This assignment invites you to take seriously two positions on a controversial issue and to do the hard work of understanding those positions and their logic before engaging in thoughtful, albeit critical, evaluation of them. The point of this assignment is not to make you think that all positions are equally valid or equally well-made. Rather, the point is to help you consider divergent perspectives both sympathetically and critically.

Audience: Write for my mother. My mother is a thoughtful, well-read woman. She does not have a formal theological education, but is a lifelong church member. She has also spent a lot of time talking to her theologically educated daughter about important theological topics. She has not read the articles you are discussing but knows about the debates surrounding war and homosexuality in the church. Thus, you do not need to explain basic theological terms such as “sin” or “resurrection.” You will, however, need to explain how your authors use such terms because she has not read the articles. She is a sympathetic yet critical reader, meaning that she is willing to be convinced but demands good evidence and logic. Finally, she reared an academic daughter and read all of my papers in graduate school (true story) so appreciates the importance of proper citations.

Nuts and Bolts: Your paper must be 5-6 pages, 12 point Times New Roman font. Use 1 to 1.25 inch margins and double-space. You do not need a title page. Put your name on the first page, center a title (yes, you do need one) and begin. Use Chicago/Turabian style for your citations.

The bibliographic information is: Cole, Darrell. “Good Wars,” First Things October 2001, 27-31. Hauerwas, Stanley and William H. Willimon. The Truth About God: The Ten Commandments in Christian Life. Nashville: Abingdon, 1999. Meilaender, Gilbert. Things That Count: Essays Moral and Theological. Wilmington: ISI Books, 2000. Stortz, Martha Ellen. “Rethinking Christian Sexuality: Baptized into the Bible of Christ.” In Faithful Conversation: Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality, edited by James M. Childs Jr., 59-79. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2003.

Elements of a Successful Paper: 1. An opening paragraph that introduces the articles, authors, and topic.

11 2. A thesis statement (probably in your opening paragraph) that indicates what you will be arguing about the articles. Your thesis does not necessarily need to argue that one article is better than the other but does need to indicate your analysis and evaluation of the articles. Note the differences among the following thesis statements (written about two fictional articles about women’s ordination):

a. Wright and Piper’s articles on whether women should be ordained have significant similarities and differences (a poor thesis statement because it is a statement of fact rather than an argument that must be demonstrated).

b. While N.T. Wright believes that women should be ordained, John Piper believes that the Bible specifically prohibits female pastors (a true statement but one that only summarizes the main arguments and does not indicate the writer’s analysis or evaluation.)

c. While both N.T. Wright and John Piper use biblical evidence to back their opposing views on women’s ordination, Wright’s argument best accounts for the Bible’s overall messages of gender equality and of vocation based on spiritual gifts (a thesis that summarizes the positions, indicates how the authors defend those positions and lays out the essay writer’s evaluative argument).

3. A summary and analysis of each article’s argument. Note that you need both a summary and an analysis (they may be separate sections or you may intertwine them). A summary indicates what an author wrote. An analysis considers how an author or authors made an argument. What sources of authority do they rely on? What evidence do they bring to defend their assertions? What counterarguments do they consider? How do they rebut those arguments?

4. An evaluation in which you give your assessment of each article’s argument. Remember that you do not need to say that one article is superior to another (although you certainly may). You must indicate the strengths and weaknesses of the articles. Know too that you can disagree with a position and still find an argument strong. Likewise, you can agree with a position and find an argument weak.

5. A conclusion in which you summarize your argument and then answer the “so what” question. What do these articles tell us about the state of a serious question in American religion? What do you think scholars should consider that these writers have not? What have you learned about one of these complicated issues?

Writing Process

I suggest the following steps in your writing process:

12 1. Read the articles for comprehension. Look up any words you do not recognize in a dictionary. Look up theological terms in a theological dictionary, such as The Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms (Reference Section BR95. M378 1996). Look up unknown names in encyclopedias of Christian theology or history such as the Companion Encyclopedia of Theology (Reference Section BR118. C66 1995).

a. You may be tempted to think that the articles are too difficult because you see unfamiliar words or encounter unfamiliar concepts. That does not mean that the articles are too difficult but, rather, that they are challenging. When you read in college, you should expect to look up words and concepts.

2. Read the articles analytically. How do they authors make their arguments? I suggest marking up your articles. You might, for example, underline assertions in one color and underline evidence in another. Look at the sources of authority to which the authors appeal. Four common types of authority in Christian writing are scripture, tradition (what authorities in the church, such as earlier theologians, have said about a topic), experience (both the experience of individual people and the experience of the church) and reason. Analyze how the authors use these types of authority and which authority or authorities they consider most authoritative. You should also look for counterarguments. Do the authors acknowledge other points of view? How do they respond to them?

3. Begin to compare the articles. Comparing the articles is a helpful step in analysis because you see what perspectives and ideas authors could have engaged but did not. You can also see how different authors use sources of authority.

4. Evaluate the articles. Your evaluation should focus upon how well the authors made their arguments. Note that your evaluation is a somewhat, although not entirely, subjective exercise and demands considerable intellectual maturity on your part. In an evaluation, you both need to acknowledge how well an author made on argument on his or her own terms and you need to explain why you do or do not find those terms compelling. In other words, if an author makes an argument based entirely upon scripture and makes that case well, you need to say so. You also, however, need to decide if you think scripture is a sufficient authority for the argument. Whatever you decide, you must defend your decision. Just as you would criticize an author for asserting a position without evidence or a defense, your own writing can be criticized for asserting a position without evidence or a defense.

5. Consider how you are going to organize your paper. Remember that your paper needs to demonstrate your thesis. There should not be long sections of summary or explanation that do not directly relate to your thesis.

6. Write a draft.

13 7. Read the draft with the same critical eye you read the articles. Is your argument logical? Does it demonstrate your thesis? Does each paragraph have a topic sentence and do paragraphs build upon each other? If you cannot tell, try these two exercises: First, in the margins of your paper, summarize the point of each paragraph in 3-4 words. If you paragraph has more than one major point, you need to refocus. If you repeat the same summary, you need to work on making a new point with each paragraph. If your summaries do not build on each other, you need to work on the structure of your argument. Second, make an outline using your thesis statement and the first/topic sentence of each paragraph (the topic sentence is often, but not always, the first sentence of a paragraph). You should be able to discern the basic structure of your argument using your thesis statement and topic sentences. Again, check for a logical structure.

8. Revise. Note that revising does not mean correcting spelling errors. Revising means reworking the paper.

9. Reread.

10. Have a good editor who will tell you the truth read the paper.

11. Revise.

12. Reread.

Note that this process is not one you can do the night before the assignment is due. Good writing takes time.

14 Honor Code

In accordance with Gustavus’s policy on academic integrity, I ask that you sign and return the following statement. By so doing, you commit yourself to academic integrity on all assignments and assessments in this class.

“On my honor, I pledge that I will not give, receive or tolerate others’ use of unauthorized aid in completing the work for REL 113.”

(Signed)______

(Printed Name)______

(Date)______