The Boisi Center Papers on
Religion in the United States
The Boisi Center for Religion and American
promote or denigrate any religion, or to promote
Public Life is a research institute at Boston
religious belief over against secularism. Rather,
College
these papers are provided as a means of better
committed
to
fostering
scholarly
discussion about the role of religion in the
informing
the
international,
interfaith
contemporary United States. To this end, the Boisi
discussion—both scholarly and popular—about
Center hosted two four-week seminars on the
the role of religion in the United States. While the
topic in 2002 and 2003 for Muslim scholars from
initial impetus for these papers was the questions
seventeen different nations, most of which were
we received from visiting Muslim scholars, we
predominantly Muslim. During these seminars,
hope they will be useful to anyone who desires an
we at the Boisi Center learned how perplexing the
introduction to the status of religion in the United
peculiarly American relationship among religion,
States. We invite all who read them to share them
government, and society can be. Our seminar
with colleagues and friends and to contact us at
participants had many questions about religious
the Boisi Center with comments and reactions.
pluralism, the separation of church and state, the
basic principles of Christianity, and the different
The four papers collected here may be read
forms Christian religious practice take in this
sequentially for a comprehensive overview of
country. They expressed an interest in a basic
religion in the United States, or they may be read
written introduction to these topics, and we are
individually for information about a specific topic.
pleased to provide such an introduction in the four
papers collected here.
The first paper, “Religious Pluralism in the
United States,” outlines the development and
The Boisi Center Papers on Religion in the
current status of religion in the United States,
United States were written with the generous
addressing the competing images of the United
support of a grant from the Carnegie Corporation
States as both a Christian enclave and a secular
of New York. Neither the Boisi Center nor the
nation.
Carnegie Corporation seeks in its work to
complex role in the founding of the United States
This
paper
describes
Christianity’s
as well as how other religions—especially
history, development, and current relevance to
Judaism, Islam, and Mormonism—have gained
American society.
acceptance as part of the American religious
The fourth paper, “Religious Practice in the
landscape.
United States,” describes how Americans practice
The second paper, “Separation of Church and
their faith, concentrating on the diverse American
State,” gives an account of the history and current
expressions of Christianity. By sketching some of
controversies over religious disestablishment in
the behaviors and attitudes demonstrated by
the
explains
how
the
various American Christians, this paper offers the
of
American
reader a sense of how Christian faith influences
government—particularly its federal system and
the daily lives of believers. Where possible, the
its separation of powers—has led to a complex and
paper includes comparative discussions of other
dynamic
religious traditions as well.
United
constitutional
States.
It
structure
relationship between
the
religion
and
government; and in surveying some of the most
important legal cases dealing with religion, the
With these papers, the Boisi Center hopes to
paper provides an overview of the status of
provide the reader with a primer on how
religious freedom in the United States.
religion—especially Christianity—functions in
the
United
States. While
the
papers
are
Despite the vast diversity of religious traditions in
introductory in nature and are necessarily brief,
the United States today, Christianity remains
they contain suggestions for further reading to
America’s predominant religion. The third paper,
encourage interested persons to explore these
“Basics of Christian Theology,” provides an
topics in greater depth. An expanded list of further
overview of the basic tenets of the Christian faith.
readings will be published on the Center’s website
It gives an historical overview of the development
(www.bc.edu/boisi) as well. We sincerely hope that
of Christianity from its origins and outlines some
this project will promote respectful and well-
of the primary Christian beliefs. In doing so, it
informed dialogue among people of different
explains some of the major differences among
faiths and nationalities, thereby advancing the
contemporary Christian churches. The paper thus
global common good.
offers an understanding of Christianity’s complex