In American Evangelicalism, Christian Smith answers the question of what it means to have a "strong" religious faith. Smith claims that strength is conceptualized and measured on the self-definition, values, and purpose of the group in question. He categorizes religious strength into six...

How do practices of Spiritualism gain popularity in nineteenth century Britain and why? Spiritualism started in America, New York, in 1848 by Catherine and Margaret Fox. They heard banging's and knockings in there house and started to communicate with the spirits which later became known a...

Overcoming Evidentialism The turn of this century came in stride with Humanity's most radical scientific progression in history. Accompanied with science, has come the thirst to rationally validate all our beliefs with evidence. This is the principle by which the evidentialist devotionally a...

The historical development of religion has taken many turns, ingesting the new ideas of each major philosopher as he questions the ideas put forth by the man or era before him. In this constant questioning and development of ideas, the trend has changed from theism and faith to more rational religi...

"There is no such source and cause of strife, quarrel, fights, malignant opposition, persecution, and war, and all evil in the state, as religion. Let it once enter our civil affairs, our government would soon be destroyed. Let it once enter our common schools, they would be destroyed." Supreme Cour...

CAN WE PROVE THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? 1. Introduction The question does God exist, is the most controversial issue of serious debate over the centuries. What is the answer to this question? Many contributed their ideas and views to this challenging question from the time of the Greek philosophers to ...

As one of the oldest forms of religious beliefs, animism* has brought forth an attempted explanation to the greatest mysteries of humanity; what is religion? Derived from the Latin origin of 'anima' meaning spirit, breath, life, or soul, animism is the belief that things in nature (e.g. ...

Religion is primary agent of social control in our society. Due to its communally held beliefs and principles, we have a foundation on which we can rest the laws, values, and the main doctrine, of almost any society. Here in America, we have tremendous freedom in both establishing and in choosin...