Advance Readings
SUMMER 2019 (please read the following before you arrive in the United States!)
Leonard Swidler, “Understanding Dialogue,” in Rebecca Kratz Mays (ed.), Interfaith Dialogue at the Grass Roots. Philadelphia: Ecumenical Press, 2009, pages 10-19.
Eboo Patel, “Introduction: The Faith Line,” in Eboo Patel, Acts of Faith: the Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation. Boston: Beacon Press, 2007, pages xi – xix.
Diana Eck, “From Diversity to Pluralism,” in On Common Ground: World Religions in America. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006. Also available here.
Declaration of Independence - Introduction and Declaration of Independence - Full Text.
Religious Pluralism in the United States - The Boisi Center Papers on Religion in the United States
Constitution of the United States. Please pay special attention to Articles I, II and III, detailing the separation of powers in the federal government, and to Amendments I-X at the end of the document, commonly referred to as the Bill of Rights.
There are study questions relating to each reading to help guide your preparation. Please take time to consider and answer these questions. You can also visit the following two web sites to learn more about religion and religious pluralism in the U.S. (this is not required, only optional): Divining America: Religion in American History, The Pluralism Project at Harvard University.