The Broken Covenant: American Civil Religion in Time of TrialThis Second Edition represents Bellah's summation of his views on civil religion in America. In his 1967 classic essay "Civil Rights in America," Bellah argued that the religious dimensions of American society—as distinct from its churches—has its own integrity and required "the same care in understanding that any religion." This edition includes his 1978 article "Religion and the Legitimation of the American Republic," and a new Preface. |
Contents
I Americas Myth of Origin | 1 |
II America as a Chosen People | 36 |
III Salvation and Success in America | 61 |
IV Nativism and Cultural Pluralism in America | 87 |
V The American Taboo on Socialism | 112 |
VI The Birth of New American Myths | 139 |
Religion and the Legitimation of the American Republic | 164 |
Notes | 189 |
Common terms and phrases
19th century Ameri American civil religion American culture American republic American Revolution American society Anglo-Saxon become beginning biblical Broken Covenant called Christian church citizens classic colonial conception Constitution corruption Cotton Mather covenant critical democratic despotism dominance early economic Erikson ethnic groups European experience expressed external covenant F. O. Matthiessen Franklin freedom genuine human Ibid ideal ideology imaginative immigrants Indians individual inner institutions intellectuals interpretation Jefferson Jonathan Edwards land liberal liberty ligion Mather meaning Melville ment moral movement mythic national community never paradise perhaps Perry Miller political present problems Protestant public theology Puritan R. W. B. Lewis radical reform regime religious republican revival Revolution revolutionary role seems self-interest sense slavery social socialist soul spiritual success survive symbols things thought tion tional Tocqueville tradition turn understand utilitarian vision W. E. B. Du Bois wealth wilderness Winthrop