Ttc - Prof. Patrick N Allitt - American Religious History Verified Link
The Teaching Company (TTC) has been a stalwart provider of high-quality educational content for decades, offering a vast array of courses on diverse subjects. Among its impressive catalog, one course stands out for its thought-provoking exploration of a crucial aspect of American history: "American Religious History" taught by the renowned Prof. Patrick N. Allitt. This 12-lecture course is a comprehensive and engaging journey through the complex and fascinating story of religion in America, from the earliest colonial period to the present day.
The Great Courses series, American Religious History , taught by Professor Patrick N. Allitt
In The Teaching Company’s "American Religious History" course, Professor Patrick N. Allitt surveys the impact of faith on American society from the colonial era to the late 20th century. The lectures, often delivered from a distinct "outsider" perspective, examine religion's role in American intellectual and political life, including the influence of mass immigration and the rise of 19th-century scientific challenges. For more details, visit Audible . The Great Courses: American Religious History
The business-minded, religiously diverse middle colonies like Pennsylvania (Quakers) and New York. The Anglican-dominated Southern colonies. TTC - Prof. Patrick N Allitt - American Religious History
Religion has always been the invisible scaffolding of American society. It has shaped everything from colonial politics to modern culture wars. To truly grasp how a nation founded on religious freedom became one of the most devoutly diverse places on Earth, one must look to the definitive audio and video series by The Teaching Company (TTC) / Wondrium: taught by the esteemed Prof. Patrick N. Allitt .
Treating believers of all faiths with intellectual respect.
One of Allitt’s most compelling early arguments is that America was not founded as a monolith, but as a messy collection of religious experiments. The Teaching Company (TTC) has been a stalwart
Philosophy and Intellectual History, American Mind, Allen C. Guelzo. C17, History – Modern / Religion, American Religious History, Yola Website Builder Patrick Allitt - The Great Courses Journeys
Allitt excels here by connecting theology to social action. He demonstrates how the Awakening fueled the abolitionist movement (Theodore Weld, the Grimké sisters), the women’s suffrage movement (Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who cut their teeth in temperance societies), and the utopian communities (Oneida, Brook Farm). The lecture on "Southern Religion and Slavery" is particularly sobering, showing how both slave owners and enslaved people used the Bible—one to justify hierarchy, the other to promise deliverance.
The course tackles the brutal intersection of religion and the American Civil War. Allitt explains how both the North and the South used the exact same biblical texts to justify their positions on slavery. He also explores the post-war rise of Indigenous revitalization movements, such as the Ghost Dance, as a response to cultural erasure. 4. The Shock of Modernity Allitt
His academic work includes writing and editing several key texts on the subject, such as Religion in America Since 1945: A History and the widely used textbook Major Problems in American Religious History . Beyond this course, he has authored nine other lecture series for The Great Courses on topics ranging from the Victorian era to environmental history, and his published books cover religious history, education, politics, and environmental history.
In a world where religion continues to influence Supreme Court decisions, election cycles, and social debates, Professor Allitt’s course is more relevant than ever. It provides the historical literacy needed to understand why Americans believe what they do and how those beliefs drive their actions.
His unique background as an Englishman who fell in love with America and its religious vitality during a cross-country hitchhiking trip gives him a compelling "insider-outsider" perspective.
What sets Professor Allitt apart is his balanced perspective. He treats religious beliefs with respect while maintaining the critical eye of a historian. He explores how religion influenced major social movements, including abolition, temperance, and the Civil Rights Movement, illustrating that American history cannot be fully understood without accounting for the power of faith.