Qs
Why 2/6/2012
Review does religion matter in American culture?
Why/how has religion been a problem for Americans?
Analyzing the Declaration of Independence
What kind of relationship does the country have with
religion?
Changes in recent decades?
What makes this relationship rhetorical?
What challenges come with this history of religion &
politics?
Americans & Religion
Why & how does religion matters in America?
Founders were religious ppl, brought their religion with
them
Founders also brought their apprehensions & prejudices
America & Religion, cont.
This has resulted in two distinct characteristics
1)
They were apprehensive about religious persecution
They were opposed to the idea of a church-state. E.g. UK
They believed, broadly, that citizens should have the right
to express religion freely
Hart & Pauley, 2005: American Politics and
the Problem of Religion
Tension in American social makeup
Shining [sacred] City
Secular/modern Society
The ship of state will continue to pitch and roll
because religious issues have always confounded a
nation expected to be both a shining city on a hill and
a diverse, secular society on the cutting edge of
modernity, (p.11)
2)
America is an actively religious society. Majority of
Americans identify as religious/spiritual.
Compared to other Western democratic societies,
Americans actively practice their religious faiths.
The highest religious practice outside theocratic
societies.
Americans are anxious about mixing politics and religion.
Thus, establishment clause of 1st Amendment; aka
Jeffersons metaphor wall of separation.
So, what kind of relationship the does U.S. have with
religion?
Symbolic
The United States has chosen to wage its church-state
battles on symbolic grounds, a signal achievement since
the casualties of rhetorical war always live to fight
another day. The contract permits close, even intimate
associations between church and state but also ensures
that those associations will remain extra-legal, (p.6)
Contract is Harts central metaphor to describe this
symbolic relationship between religion and politics
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2/6/2012
Tension & Flexibility re: God & Country
America has always had a tense & flexible relationship w
religion based on
Value of human person, essence of divinely inalienable
rights
Regards govt as subordinate to ppl, steward on behalf of
ppl
In recent years, increased suspicion/hostility
JFK Catholicism
Reagan Moral Majority
Bush Faith Based Initiatives
Obama Stem Cell; Abortion Rights
Clinton??
Remember the rhetorical situation
Exigence:
Urgent problem
Demands immediate
response
Audience:
Interests whos affected?
How are they affected?
Ability to act who has
power to act? How can they
act to resolve exigence?
Constraints:
Limitations -- what will
they lose?
Opportunities what will
they gain?
Purpose:
Achievable goal
Adjust to situation or
situation to spkrs purpose
Analysis: Declaration of Independence
Who are rhetors in this situation?
What constraints do they face? Obstacles/limitations?
Opportunities?
Who is their audience (trying to appeal to)?
What are the rhetorical problems of audience, subject,
rhetor?
How does the rhetor use language? Appeals (logic, ethics,
emotions)
What does the rhetor argue?
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