The lectures are divided into two parts, moving from the colonial period to the late 20th century. Each lecture focuses on a specific theme or movement, such as the Great Awakening, the Civil War, Darwinism, or the Civil Rights Movement. Allitt links these episodes into a coherent story while highlighting internal debates and contradictions.
Patrick Allitt’s is not just for believers or theologians; it is an essential listen for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the American character. By exploring the spiritual impulses that have driven—and sometimes divided—the nation, Allitt provides a balanced, thoughtful, and thoroughly engaging educational experience.
Exploring the Tapestry of Faith: Prof. Patrick Allitt’s American Religious History (TTC)
What makes this TTC course exceptional is Professor Allitt’s ability to remain an objective narrator. He does not evaluate the theological truth of any religion. Instead, he treats every movement with historical empathy, explaining why believers found their faith compelling and how those beliefs translated into historical action. TTC - Prof. Patrick N Allitt - American Religious History
: Analyzing why the U.S. fosters such a vast variety of beliefs and styles of worship.
: Examining the proliferation of numerous and varied religious traditions.
With the , American religion exploded in creativity and fervor. Allitt introduces listeners to the "Burned-over District" of Western New York, a hotbed of spiritual revivalism that birthed entirely new, uniquely American religious traditions: The lectures are divided into two parts, moving
Following changes to immigration law, the course concludes by looking at the growing presence of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and the rapid rise of the "Nones"—those who claim no religious affiliation but often maintain personal spiritual practices. Why This Lecture Series Matters
Allitt moves from through Puritan New England , the Great Awakenings , Mormonism , African American religious traditions , Catholic and Jewish immigration , fundamentalism vs. modernism , up to late 20th-century developments (mega-churches, religious right, New Age movements). No major tradition is ignored.
Allitt brilliantly illustrates the tension that defined 18th-century America: the emotional fire of the First Great Awakening versus the cool rationality of the Enlightenment. Patrick Allitt’s is not just for believers or
Frontier revivals, utopian communities, the rise of abolitionism, and the religious fractures of the Civil War. Joseph Smith, Charles Finney, Frederick Douglass
, taught by Prof. Patrick N. Allitt for The Great Courses (TTC), is a 24-lecture survey that explores the immense vitality and diversity of religious life in the United States from European contact to the late 20th century. Course Overview