University of Maryland, College Park
Spring 2014
Faith and Values in the Public Square:
The Role of Religion and Belief in Political Life
D. Paul Monteiro
Tuesdays
6:00PM – 8:30PM
Francis Scott Key Hall 0119
From the earliest days of our nation the debate over the proper role and scope of faith in
public life has marked the development of our democracy. From English settlers seeking a
greater ability to practice their faith freely, social movements to eradicate the institution of
slavery, enact temperance laws, advocate for gender and racial equality, the rhetoric and
mobilization born out of sincerely held values have consistently been brought into the
public square. Yet few things have also proven as divisive as the invocation of religious
beliefs when advocating on public policies that affect all quarters of our pluralistic society.
In recent decades the role of religious groups and advocacy organizations has evolved even
as demographic shifts have dramatically changed the religious landscape. The rise of the
“religious right” in the 1970’s saw an elevation of the debate over abortion and
contraception as part of a broader effort to promote a value set that included the rejection
of non-confirming lifestyles. In more recent times the nation has also seen the growth of
progressive voices within mainline Protestant denominations that have attempted to
expand that value set to include issues such as climate change, hunger, immigration reform,
LGBT equality, and other pressing societal questions. As these shifts have occurred our
polity has expanded with newer voices entering the national debate. Muslims, Hindus,
Jains, Sikhs have grown increasingly active in seeking to have a proverbial “seat at the
table” – each with their own set of priorities that overlap and diverge from the concerns of
larger faith communities. Another major development has been the growth of the secular
humanist community often referred to “the rise of the ‘nones,’” a reference to the growing
class of Americans who ascribe to no particular faith tradition at all yet certainly possess a
value set grounded in morality.
The goal of this class is to develop the students' ability to understand the various values
frames that are invoked in current debates on public policy issues and also to provide
background material and tools to inform their judgments about public life. Our aim is to
provoke a better understanding of the value sets employed by various faith-based public
policy advocates that may differ from our own.
The central questions of this seminar are:
1. What were the political, cultural, and social forces that shaped the role of religion in
the public square throughout the history of the United States?
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2. How has the role of religion in public life changed over the course of American
history?
3. How has the First Amendment been interpreted by various courts over time?
4. How have various constituencies worked to secure a more influential voice in the
national dialogue or advance their policy priorities?
5. How has religion shaped – or been shaped by – the political climate in the United
States?
6. What do the broad contours of the American religious landscape look like today?
7. What are emerging trends of that landscape and how are they shaping new
realities?
Assignments include:
There will be several in-class presentations that will emphasize public speaking and
constructive argumentation. PowerPoint presentations and debate with your classmates
are a central part of seminar. We will also have a limited number of writing assignments.
You will also have the opportunity to participate in one collaborative research project with
other members of the seminar.
Assignments and grade breakdown (see p. 2 for details)
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Class participation: 25%
Two in-class presentations based on assigned readings: 10% (5% each)
Reaction papers: 25%
Participation in online discussion: 15%
Class Presentation based on primary and secondary sources: 25%
Course Materials
Excerpts from selected texts will also be assigned throughout the semester and
posted to CANVAS including:
Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People (Yale University Press,
1972)
Luke Bretheron, Christianity and Contemporary Politics (Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010)
Willis Jenkins, Ecologies of Grace: Environmental Ethics and Christian Theology (New York:
Oxford University Press, 2008)
Martin Luther King, Jr. A Testament of Hope, James Washington, ed. (Harper: San
Francisco, 1986)
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David Kuo, Tempting Faith (New York: Free Press, 2006)
Randall Packard, The Making of a Tropical Disease: A Short History of Malaria (Baltimore:
The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007)
Ray Suarez, The Faith Vote: The Politics of Faith in America (Harper Collins, 2006)
Assignment Details and Deadlines
Leading discussion: Each student will take responsibility for presenting readings in 2
different classes. Presentations should summarize the main points of the reading, discuss
the author’s methodology, and assess the argument (did the author succeed in proving
his/her points, etc.?). Presentations should conclude by relating the reading with others
assigned for the week’s unit and raising questions for further discussion. Presenters for
each week should coordinate with one another.
Reaction papers: Each week students will submit a brief (2-3 pp.) paper responding to the
materials covered during the prior week and advocating a well-reasoned position based on
the issues raised during class discussion. These are due by midnight on the following
Monday to dmonteir@umd.edu
Online Discussion: There is no shortage of current developments on the role of faith and
values in public life. Pieces for discussion will be posted on a weekly basis and solicit
feedback from students. You are encouraged to share articles and/or provide links to
websites as well. We will spend a portion of each class discussing these items.
Class Presentation: At the end of the semester each student will share a robust presentation
on an issue or concept related to the course theme that you select in consultation with me.
You are expected to delve deeper into your chosen topic and outline its historical
development, key elements, the current state of play in the courts or other public arenas,
and any contemporary implications on policy. You should also take a position on the topic
based on your research and your own well-informed opinions.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Grades for all written work will be based on the quality of writing as well as the content.
The main criteria will be the use of sources (both primary and secondary), originality of
interpretation, and coherence of the argument. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and
sentence and paragraph construction, as well as the use of proper documentation, will also
be evaluated. Citations should follow the rules of the Chicago Manual of Style, which may be
found on the library Website’s “Reference Shelf” under Chicago/Turabian Notes:
http://www.lib.umd.edu/ues/guides/citing-chicago
If you need assistance with any aspect of paper writing, please go to the Writing Center,
TLF 0125: http://www.english.umd.edu/programs/WritCenter/
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The University’s Code of Academic Integrity will be strictly enforced in this course. If
you are not familiar with its terms, please go to:
http://www.studenthonorcouncil.umd.edu/code.html#honor_pledge.
Instances of plagiarism will be reported and penalized, according to the following
definition: http://www.life.umd.edu/grad/MLfsc/plagiarism.pdf
Syllabus
Jan. 27
Course Introduction
Feb. 3
Religion in Early American Life
Alexis DeToqueville, Democracy in America; pp. 42-49, 299-313
Jon Meacham, American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of
a Nation; Chapter 2 pp. 37-63
Feb. 10
Religion in Early American Life
Maryland Toleration Act
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Meacham, Chapter 3 pp. 64-113
Feb. 17
Religion in Early American Life
Barry Hankins, The Second Great Awakening and the Transcendentalists; pp. 122
What Does the Constitution Say About Religion in the Public Square?
Erwin Chemerinsky, Constitutional Law (Aspen University Publishers, 2011)
Feb. 24
Exploring the First Amendment
Hankins; pp. 85-108
The Latter Day Saints Experience: Utah War, 1857-1858
Mar. 3
Faith and the Civil War
Meacham, pp. 114-152
Mar. 10
Faith and the Civil War
Meacham, pp. 114-152
Mar. 17
Spring Break
Mar. 24
Faith and the Civil War
Ahlstrom, pp. 648-670, 715-730
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Mar. 31
Social Justice Movements: Immigration, Temperance
Ahlstrom, pp. 785-802
Apr. 7
Social Justice Movements: Immigration, Temperance
Ahlstrom, pp. 842-856, 867-872
Apr. 14
Science & Religion: Creationism vs. Evolution
Video: American Experience, “Monkey Trial”
Establishment & Free Exercise Clauses
Sherbert v. Verner (1963)
Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)
Employment Division v. Smith (1990)
Lee v. Weisman (1992)
Establishment & Free Exercise Clauses
Board of Education of the Westside Community Schools v. Mergens (1990)
Church of Lukum Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah (1993)
Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow (2004)
Hosanna Tabor Evangelical Church and School v. EEOC (2012)
Apr. 21
Establishment & Free Exercise Clauses
Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow (2004)
National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012)
Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. (2014)
Apr. 28
Religious Forces in American Politics – The Rise of the Religious Right
Putnam & Campbell: American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us,
pp. 91-120
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Ray Suarez, The Holy Vote: The Politics of Faith in America
May 5
Future Trends – the Role of Faith in an Increasingly Diverse America
Wajahat Ali, Eli Clifton, Matthew Duss, “Fear, Inc. – The Roots of the
Islamophobia Network in America” (2011)
Guest Speaker: Haris Tarin, Muslim Public Affairs Council
May 12
Last Day of Class