God & Apple Pie: Religious Myths and Visions of America

by Christopher Buck

Overview

Christopher Buck examines the distinctive perspectives held by ten religious traditions that inform and expand on the notion of America and its place in the world. He covers Native American, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Mormon, Christian Identity, Black Muslim, Islamic, Buddhist, and Bahá’í beliefs and invites serious reflection on what it means to be an American, particularly from a religious perspective At the heart of American studies is the idea of America itself. Here, Buck looks at the religious significance of America by examining those religions that have attached some kind of spiritual meaning to America. The author explores how American Protestantism and nine minority faiths have projected America into the mainstream of world history by defining—and redefining— America’s world role. Surveying the religious myths and visions of America relative to these ten religions, Buck shows how minority faiths have redefined America’s sense of national purpose. Religious myths of America are thought-orienting narratives that serve as vehicles of spiritual and social truths about the United States itself. Religious visions of America are action-oriented agendas that articulate the goals to which America should aspire and the role it should play in the community of nations.

REVIEWS

On the premise that America is both ‘nation and notion,’ this project is a breath of methodological fresh air. Religious Myths and Visions of America is a novel, imaginative, and rigorously scholarly contribution to comparative religion, worthy of serious attention and debate.
Prof. Todd Lawson, University of Toronto emeritus

"This is an ambitious and unique work, covering a broad range of religious visions of America in their global context. Buck’s firm theoretical framework and rigorous documentation make this a significant contribution to contemporary discussions of the place, role, and future of the diversity of religions that make up America today."
Prof. Andrew Rippin, University of Victoria, Canada emeritus

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781891928154
Publisher:	Educator's International Press
Publication date:	04/01/2015
Pages:	424
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

CHRISTOPHER BUCK is a Pennsylvania attorney and independent scholar who has taught at Michigan State University, Quincy University, Millikin University, and Carleton University. His publications include Alain Locke: Faith and Philosophy; Paradise and Paradigm: Key Symbols in Persian Christianity and the Bahá’í Faith; Symbol and Secret: Qur’an Commentary in Bahá’u’lláh’s Kitáb-i-Íqán, as well as a number of book chapters, journal articles, and encyclopedia articles.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction J. Gordon Melton 1

Chapter 1 America: Nation and Notion 7

Chapter 2 Native American Myths and Visions of America 27

Chapter 3 Protestant Myths and Visions of America 55

Chapter 4 The Christian Right's Myths and Visions of America 77

Chapter 5 Catholic Myths and Visions of America 97

Chapter 6 Jewish Myths and Visions of America 121

Chapter 7 Mormon Myths and Visions of America 157

Chapter 8 Christian Identity Myths and Visions of America 185

Chapter 9 Black Muslim Myths and Visions of America 211

Chapter 10 Contemporary Muslim Myths and Visions of America 237

Chapter 11 Buddhist Myths and Visions of America 273

Chapter 12 Baha'i Myths and Visions of America 297

Chapter 13 Conclusion: How Minority Faiths Redefined America's World Role 345

References 387

About the Author 423

Editorial Reviews

On the premise that America is both ‘nation and notion,’ this project is a breath of methodological fresh air. Religious Myths and Visions of America is a novel, imaginative, and rigorously scholarly contribution to comparative religion, worthy of serious attention and debate.

This is an ambitious and unique work, covering a broad range of religious visions of America in their global context. Buck’s firm theoretical framework and rigorous documentation make this a significant contribution to contemporary discussions of the place, role, and future of the diversity of religions that make up America today.

From the Publisher

"On the premise that America is both ‘nation and notion,’ this project is a breath of methodological fresh air. Religious Myths and Visions of America is a novel, imaginative, and rigorously scholarly contribution to comparative religion, worthy of serious attention and debate."

University of Toronto emeritus Prof. Todd Lawson

"This is an ambitious and unique work, covering a broad range of religious visions of America in their global context. Buck’s firm theoretical framework and rigorous documentation make this a significant contribution to contemporary discussions of the place, role, and future of the diversity of religions that make up America today."

Prof. Andrew Rippin

God and Apple Pie is a well-written and researched compendium of this theme of the special role America plays in God’s plan for humanity as it appears across the spectrum of American religions, denominational statements, and sectarian apocalyptic visions. For this reader, one of the great values of the book is that it really underlines the fact that wrestling with the religious ‘meaning of America’ has by no means been confined to the End Times tail of conservative Protestantism or far-right political theologies... chapters, on Black Muslim and contemporary Islamic views, as well as Buddhist and Baha’i visions of America, fill out this book and are, to my knowledge, the very best sources available for summarization of this material.

Religion Daniel Liechty

Thus, the volume has clear import for theological studies and religious studies, and is unique in that it attempts to summarize, systematize, and synthesize the visionary and mythical examples it deftly surveys. … On the whole, this revised and expanded volume is impressive for the breadth and depth it accomplishes and will be of value to researchers, teachers, and especially general readers.

Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions

As debates over America’s true nature and its ideal role in international affairs saturate current public discourse, Christopher Buck’s latest scholarly contribution is both timely and important. God and Apple Pie: Religious Myths and Visions of America offers readers an accessible account of the ways that America’s diverse religious communities have continually revised their understanding of America and their hopes for its future… God and Apple Pie offers a valuable contribution to readers looking to understand why religion matters in America and how different American religious groups have seen their relationship with their country. Any reader, no matter how well versed in religious traditions, would learn a great deal by perusing its pages.

Reading Religion