QUESTIONS TO ANSWER

1) Do many Americans believe in God? 2) Whats the most popular religion in US? 3) Do Americans have official national Religion? 4) How has religion shaped American values?
Parlin Pardede

Religious Pluralism
Jewish 2% No Religion*) Other 10% Christian 10%

Islam Other 2% religions 2%

Individual Right to practice his religion

Protestant 50%

Catholic 24%

*) Atheist or Agnostics

ANGLICAN CHURCH PURITAN CHURCH

Pope & Priest are Spiritual Fathers of people who (1) told what was right or wrong and (2) granted forgiveness for sins

All individuals
stand alone before God (1) Everyone is solely responsible for his/her relationship with God, and (2) seeks forgiveness directly from God

PROTESTANTISM IN USA

Baptist

Lutheran

Methodist

Episcopalian

Presbyterian

Church of Christ

The Lutherans & Episcopalians have a rather formal service.

The church of gods service is rather informal & greatly displays emotion. The Methodists & Episcopalians have a strong central organization. The Congregationalists' individual church is relatively independent.

COVERS 200 DENOMINATIONS DUE TO DIFFER-ENCES IN RITUAL, LANGU-AGE, ORGANIZATIONAL MATTER, ETC.

PROTESTANT

Differences in theology are related to the method and time of baptism, gods trinity or one entity, and interpretations of biblical passage.
Some churches use their native languages; others use English.

6/25/2011


SEPARATION OF STATE & CHURCH

The government encourages religions, and religious elements are present in the conduct of her affairs. On American currency, IN GOD WE TRUST is printed. All congress sessions are opened with prayer. But there is no state religion. Though the presidents ever held office up to now are Christians, they come from various denominations.
Public school do not teach religion; prayer at public school was banned in 1960. Church schools do not receive any public funds. Though some groups openly demonstrate their religious convictions, for most Americans it is a personal matter not usually discussed in daily conversation.
Parlin Pardede 7

SELF IMPROVEMENT
Natural Sinfullness of Human Nature

Encourage a strong and restless desire for self improvement in religious, moral and daily life.
Bulk number of self-help books Educational institutions offer extension classes, night classes, correspondence courses, televised courses, and on-line courses so that everyone have access for more education. Non-formal educations (workshops, seminars, or training) are widely available for those who want improve themselves. The belief in God help those who help themselves

Individuals should ask for Gods guidance, forgiveness & grace

PURITAN WORK-ETHIC
MATERIAL SUCCESS
Material success was a sign of gods favor: successful person were among gods chosen thus, work is accepted a duty
To succeed necessitates hard work Americans typically admire a person who gets right to work on a task, works efficiently, and completes the task timely and meets high standards of quality.

PURITAN WORKETHIC

HARD WORK

SELFDISCIPLINE

VOLUNTEERISM & HUMANITARIANISM

Americans voluntary act (not just wait for the government programs) to improve society, such as: parent-teacher organizations in elementary and secondary schools Community service clubs which raise money for worthy causes organizations of families that play host to foreign students, clean-up, paint-up, fix-up campaigns to beautify communities organizations working to preserve wilderness areas Habitat for Humanity builds houses for poor people Ect.

Improving oneself necessitates helping others.

Most churches today concern more with the contemporary social problems than with individual sin. Thus, American religious thinking is turned toward improving the world of here and now (by serving other persons) and less toward winning salvation in the next world through repentance.

Protestant-Catholic-Jewish Nation turns to multiple religions nation. Protestant ; Catholic , Other/None, Moslem .

Appearance of religious expressive individualism or the switching of faith from a denomination to another, or one faith to another, or picking and choosing among the beliefs.

Emergence of new religious organizational structures to meet special purpose/ethnic groups.

Movement toward new spirituality among youths (who prefer to be spiritual than religious) by exploring the beliefs of several religions.