Learning Resources

Audio - Video

God in American Culture

God in America Watch episodes online (6 hour series from PBS) 

The Shakers:

• More on The Shakers

The Battle Hymn of the Republic (Religion and the Civil War):

The original words (John Brown's Body)

Martin Luther King:

• Full Version

• Read about MLKjr and test your knowledge

• Civil Rights 1963

On specific religions in America:

• America's Religious Diversity: Protestantism in America

• The Methodists

• What is an Evangelical?

  • Part I: Evangelicals and Identity

  • Part II: Evangelicals and Politics

  • Part III: Evangelicals and Culture

  • Part IV: Evangelicals and Evangelism

• The Mormons

• The Eastern Orthodox Church in America

• Afri-centric Christianity

• Hispanic Catholics in the USA

• American Catholics in Tension with Church Teachings

• Christian Scientists

• Pentecostals - 100 years

• Mega-churches

• The Jewish Americans from PBS (aired January, 2008): explores 350 years of Jewish American history. Explore themes regarding Jewish Life in America, including video clips from this six hour documentary.

• The Mormons From PBS Frontline: watch the entire four hour documentary reviewing Mormon history, beliefs and practices. Companion website provides FAQs, interactive pages on Mormon history, themes, discussion and resources (reading and online) to learn more about this unique American born religion.

• The Amish and The Amish: Shunned from PBS. Part of the series American Experience (aired February, 2014).

On Religion and Politics in the US:

• Church and State: Christianity, Religious Diversity, and Secular Humanism in America (video on demand: login using your Blackboard/NOVAconnect id and password): an overview of the historical development of religious diversity and change in America through the centuries and what this diversity means for the relationship between "church and state" (half hour)

• Separation of Church and State (lecture):

  Freedom of Religion: Crash Course on the First Amendment:

• The 1st Amendment & the Founding Fathers

• First Freedom: The Fight for Religious Liberty (90 minutes) (from PBS, first aired Dec. 18, 2012)

• Mitt Romney Delivers Speech on Faith (NPR, Dec. 6, 2007): Links here provide access to transcripts and audio recordings of the entire speech. Also provided are links to JFK's speech regarding the place of his Catholic religion in his bid for president. (JFK's speech has both audio and video available)

• "Souled Out" (NPR/Diane Rehm, Feb. 12, 2008): Award-winning journalist E.J. Dionne explains why he believes the era of dominance by the Religious Right in American politics is coming to an end. He also forecasts the role of faith in politics after George W. Bush leaves the White House.

More videos on Religion in America