Herberg and Murray two profoundly different views of religion in America after WWII

             Will Herberg's book, Protestant, Catholic, Jew: An Essay in Religious
             Sociology,; and John Courtney Murray's work, We Hold These Truths:
             Catholic Reflections on the American Proposition, both provide an
             interesting insight into religious thought in America today. Herberg
             essentially argues that America is divided into three main groups: the
             Catholic melting pot, the Protestant melting pot, and the Jewish melting
             pot, and that these three groups will divine the future of religion in the
             United States. In contrast, Murray's book is a fundimental look at how
             religion plays a role in the consensus that defines democracy in the United
             States. Murray argues that the plurality of religion in the United States
             essentially has meant that America no longer has a consensus built upon
             In his book, Protestant, Catholic, Jew: An Essay in American
             Religious Sociology, Will Herberg discusses the religious makeup of America
             after WWII. One of the most fundimental aspects of Herberg's book is his
             look at the United States and its relationship to the great historical
             religions of Judaism, Protestantism, and Catholicism. Herberg argues
             effectively that within the United States, there are three main "melting
             pots" of religious thought: the Catholic melting pot, the Protestant
             melting pot, and the Jewish melting pot. He refutes the idea that there is
             a single blending of religious thought in America, and instead argues that
             religious thought tends to be defined within these three spheres.
             Herberg furthers this analysis by arguing that as the United States
             matures, its citizens consider themselves less and less "ethnic". Instead,
             he argues that Americans define themselves more by their religious
             affiliation than their ancestry. Effectively, Herberg goes on to say that
             intermarriage between religious groups in rater, but intermarriage between
             ethnic groups is common, as long as t...

More Essays:

APA     MLA     Chicago
Herberg and Murray two profoundly different views of religion in America after WWII. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 05:16, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/201400.html