The strength and binding power of America's civil religion is clearly being put to a test. "Because of the xenophobia Asian Americans are facing, because of the backlash against African American civil rights, we're seeing that this kind of citizenship, this intrinsic right to be in the U.S., to enjoy its freedoms, is not really for everyone," says Lynn Itagaki, a professor of women's and gender studies at the University of Missouri. In practice, some Americans have not been allowed full participation in society and political life. "Becoming American means you believe in the American idea, and at least in theory, that's open to any immigrant who's able to come here." It is difficult to become Swedish, because those identities are not ideas," says Shadi Hamid, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who writes often on religion and politics. Religion Religious Freedom Arguments Give Rise To Executive Order BattleĪcceptance of this uniquely American creed is seen as the key to one's identity as an American and distinguishes the United States from other countries. Characterizing them as a faith system elevates them beyond mere personal philosophy. More than 50 years ago, sociologist Robert Bellah argued that such facts of American life suggest that the country adheres to a nonsectarian "civil religion," which he defined as "a collection of beliefs, symbols, and rituals with respect to sacred things and institutionalized in a collectivity."įor these beliefs and principles to give definition to a nation, scholars argue, they may need the power that a religion holds for its believers. Constitution and the Bill of Rights have acquired the status of scripture in the U.S. The "self-evident" truths listed in the Declaration of Independence and the key provisions of the U.S. Young people are taught to regard the country's founders almost as saints. But it does have a distinct identity and a quasi-religious foundation.Īmericans are expected to hold their hands over their hearts when they recite the Pledge of Allegiance or stand for the national anthem. ![]() Initial grant funding was seeded by the Unite America Fund, a philanthropic community that aims to accelerate and scale nonpartisan democracy reform organizations and leaders who are committed to fostering a more representative and functional government.America, unlike some countries, is not defined by a common ancestry, nor is it tied to an official faith tradition. The 2020 class will serve as a pilot program for the 18-month Fellowship. ( See the full list of Fellows and their organizations below). ![]() They are working on initiatives such as advancing nonpartisan election reforms, supporting reform-minded candidates for public office, and building support for the growing movement to put voters first. The 17 Brewer Fellows in the program’s inaugural class represent a variety of new and established nonprofit organizations working to strengthen American democracy and reform the political system. Throughout his life, Jake continually dismantled political, cultural and religious barriers in order to create unlikely coalitions to tackle intractable social problems. The Brewer Fellowship is dedicated to the legacy of Jacob “Jake” Brewer (1981–2015), a political organizer and social activist who served as senior policy adviser to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Obama Administration. ![]() Developed in partnership with Cultivate the Karass (CtK) and supported by the Unite America Fund (UAF), this fellowship will bring together leaders from across the political spectrum for a series of professional and capacity-building opportunities. To help develop such leaders, The Institute for Citizens & Scholars (formerly the WW Foundation) is pleased to launch the Brewer Fellowship to Unite America. Brewer Fellowship to Unite america launches! in partnership with The Institute for Citizens & Scholars and Unite America FundĪs the United States faces more uncertain times, inspired leadership is more necessary than ever.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |