CHRISTIANITY IN AMERICA, 2009-2010
AMERICAN GOSPEL, CH. 4, IMPERFECT THOUGH WE ARE
MR. DOERRER AND MR. GIESKE
VOCABULARY
1. Franklin Roosevelt
2. Eleanor Roosevelt
3. Fr. Charles Coughlin
4. Winston Churchill
5. Axis Powers
6. Overlord
7. Harry Truman
8. Judeo-Christian
9. Lyndon Johnson
OBJECTIVES
1. Describe Franklin Roosevelt’s religion. How did he describe himself? What was he careful about?
2. What impact did his religion have on his speeches as president?
3. What was he looking for from the American people and their public religion?
4. The book states that Roosevelt had no intellectual qualms about his beliefs. What does that mean? What
did Roosevelt and the Peters family believe in?
5. How did Roosevelt respond to the question about possible Jewish ancestors?
6. How does the author explain/view America’s failure to oppose Hitlerism before WWII got started?
7. What was the hope of the Founding Fathers when they made our system and its freedoms?
8. What did Reinhold Niebuhr say about American utopianism? Do we have some of that in our own time?
9. In the long quote by Niebuhr, what does he say about our social system and society? Is he positive or
negative about it? What does he say about the Nazis?
10. According to the Atlantic Charter, why were Britain and America opposing the Axis Powers?
11. What was Roosevelt’s reaction to the Sunday service that was held?
12. What did the Reverend Welles say was America’s greatest sin at this point? Why did he compare Americans
to the priest and the Levite in the Good Samaritan story?
13. What did Welles say was necessary of Americans before they could reasonably ask God for victory?
14. What did Roosevelt tell the Soviet official Maxim Litvinov about his religion?
15. Why did Litvinov want to avoid a clause about religious freedom in the United Nations Declaration? What
did Roosevelt say about Jefferson’s principle of religious freedom?
16. According to Frances Perkins, how did Roosevelt’s religion affect his belief in the possibilities of mankind?
17. What was FDR’s reaction to the idea of a prayer for the enemy? Why?
18. Why was Roosevelt composing a prayer on the first weekend of June, 1944? In his prayer what did he say
was the reason our soldiers fought?
19. How did Americans respond on Tuesday, June 6, 1944?
20. What were Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms?
21. What was Truman’s reaction to becoming the president?
22. Summarize how Justice Hugo Black described what he called the “wall of separation between Church and
State.”
23. A thought question: What would have prompted the American Government to make “In God We Trust” the
national motto and add “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance?
24. Why did Eisenhower think that it was hopeless to explain the United States (and our government) to a Red
Army officer? What did Eisenhower understand about our Founding?
25. What did Eisenhower tell the Muslim people when he visited the new Islamic Center in Washington?
26. What was the reaction from some people when Kennedy ran for president? What did he tell the journalists
after the Wisconsin primary?
27. What kind of America did Kennedy say he believed in during his speech in Houston?
28. In his inaugural address, how did Kennedy distinguish between the US and the Soviet Union?
29. How did Kennedy respond to the Supreme Court’s decision that struck down an official prayer in schools?
30. How does your book’s author respond to Billy Graham’s question about “Why should the majority be so
severely penalized by the protests of a handful?”
31. According to John Lewis, what kept King and his followers going?
32. What happened on Bloody Sunday?
33. What was President Johnson’s reaction to Bloody Sunday?
34. To what cause was Johnson calling all Americans in his speech about civil rights? What did he say of God’s
favor and God’s will?
35. Why did Johnson say “We will guard against violence?” What do you think of Lyndon Johnson’s actions in
this crisis?
CLASS CALENDAR
Fri. Dec. 4, Take test for Communion of Immigrants, Ch. 4; get objectives for American Gospel, Ch. 4.
Mon. Dec. 7. Class work day on A. G. Ch. 4
Tues. Dec. 8. Shortened Periods. Class work day on A.G. Ch. 4.
Wed. Dec. 9. Discussion day for A.G. Ch. 4. Christmas Concert, 7:00 PM
Thurs. Dec. 10. Delayed Start Day. Classes start at 10:30; run 26 minutes. Discussion wrap up day.
Fri. Dec. 11. Test day. Get material for Communion of Immigrants, Ch. 5.