Religious Pluralism in America The Contentious History of a Founding Ideal

Religious toleration is enshrined as an ideal in the Constitution, but religious diversity has had a complicated history in the United States. Although Americans have taken pride in the rich array of religious faiths that help define their nation, for two centuries they have been grappling with the question of how they can coexist.;In this ambitious reappraisal of American religious history, William Hutchison chronicles the country's struggle to fulfill the promise of its founding ideals. In 1800 the United States was an overwhelmingly Protestant nation. Over the next two centuries, Catholics, Mormons, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and others would emerge to challenge the Protestant mainstream. Although their demands were often met with resistance, Hutchison demonstrates that as a result of these conflicts the USA expanded its understanding of what it means to be a religiously diverse country. No longer satisfied with mere legal toleration, the USA now expects that all religious groups will share in creating its national agenda.