by Phillip Luke SinitiereFor my American Religious History class this fall, I'm considering revamping the course by assigning 3 or 4 novels (and perhaps a memoir). As I've done in the past, Religion in American Life will serve as the main anchor text for the course, and I'll have a host of other primary and secondary readings for students to examine.I once assigned a memoir, James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time (1963), and asked students to consider Baldwin's ideas about the relationship between race, religion and democratic society. Students enjoyed the book--partly because of its relative brevity--but mostly due to its deep and hefty subject matter and Baldwin's engaging and accessible writing. I will probably assign it again at some point.Some have suggested using Black Robe (1985), and Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood (1952). Malcolm X's Autobiography seems to be a mainstay. For me, the fact that each of these books have been made into a movie makes them compelling assignments--rich ground to discuss interpretive vantage points via text and film--but certainly there are many other worthy choices. I'd like to assign novels (or memoirs) that cover multiple time periods and address a variety of themes.So, what are your experiences using novels (or memoirs) to teach American religious history? What novels (or memoirs) have worked best for specific periods? What novels (or memoirs) work best to address topics such as gender, immigration, race, ethnicity, class, unbelief, or sexuality? What novels (or memoirs) explore lived religion or popular religion, or even religious pluralism? What are the possibilities, promises, and peril of the novel (or memoir) approach?
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A Novel Approach to Teaching American Religious History
May I make a recommendation as a lay reader? Well, read or not. My teacher at the University of Georgia, Tony Nemetz used assign novels and my teacher Robert Ayers at Georgia, recommended them. John Granrose at Georgia used as the text for his honors course in ethics “The Little Prince”. John Crossan used fine little essay on “The Last Unicorn” as the opening chapter to one of his scholarly works. I think you are on to an important way to teach.
First, the Baldwin book is a great work. I think that Richard Wright’s “Black Boy” (an autobiographical work) is foundational for understanding where I live (I am less than a hundred miles for Natchez). Make certain that the edition includes what was published separately as “American Hunger”. The last few pages are powerful moments, especially after one had read all that precedes it. For many years, I wept every time I read in this core work how the American Communist Party (literally) kicked Mr. Wright out.
My friend who is a disguised teacher and theologian has used fiction in her courses for many years. Recently, I asked her for recommendations for books on the Reformation. She recommended a novel. She warned me that the standard histories are ideologically or theologically driven, which I now realize was probably the reason I had asked for her help
She has also recommended to me the novels of Marilynne Robinson. I knew the essays but not the novels. What nourishing religious history her novels are.
“Wiseblood” is a great novella. An old and gracious Georgia woman tried to recommend it to me during the summer 1965. I wish I had read it then. That film directed by John Houston is a theological dream of a book.
I think that Michael D. O’Brien’s “Strangers and Sojourners” is a great entry into looking at the lives of my beloved conservative Catholic people. It is a beautiful narrative with great insight into the religious history of North Americans. The novel is part of a trilogy, but I have not read the other two books-yet.
I suppose that Walker Percy’s gentle “The Moviegoer” is too obvious a selection, but I would also recommend “The Last Gentleman” because a friend once told me that it is about me (and it is about the Southern young man I was).
Dr. Percy’s friend Robert Coles is a great writer and a prolific one to boot. I recommend “What Profit Under the Sun” part nine of “The Privileged Ones”, Volume V of “Children of Crisis”. I lived and worked in New Orleans for twelve long years. I hated living there for several reasons. I no longer have even to visit it because we now have both a Galatoire’s and an Acme Oyster House in Baton Rouge, but I love that city and its people. The Coles piece says why.
I highly recommend “Black Elk Speaks” as told by John Neihardt. You probably know the work.
Elie Wiesel’s work is about as basic as one can get. I most recommend “Ani Maamin”.
Then there is Isaac Bashevis Singer’s “Enemies” A Love Story” and the Paul Mazursky film cover of the story. Mazursky is an atheist who loves Judaism with the same tenderness Singer did. These fine ironic works of art come to readers and viewers as popular culture.
I think that Ursula Goodenough’s introduces religious naturalism elegantly in her “The Sacred Depths of Nature” and her father’s biographical book “Toward a Mature Faith: is a picture of a certain moment in the religious experience of American life.
Then, there is that question from Peter Beagle’s “The Last Unicorn”. “Is this a good age for unicorns? The answer matters.
Frankly, I think that the works of Anais Nin and Henry Miller are helpful. They embody a kind of all-American narcissism that, at least, pervades the fantasy world of many of the rest of us Americans.
“Henry and June” from “A Journal of Love” by Ms. Nin is a good work to read and the exquisite Philip Kaufman film, though set in Paris, is about Americans.
many errors in the last two posts. I ought to take more time to edit my posts.
In addition, I recommend the poetry of Robert Penn Warren as poetry by a Christian--at least to me, he reads as one. I recommend as well the poetry of Jane Kenyon. I think that she probably despaired of her faith near the end of her life, though I do not know that. She is a fine religious poet.
Denise Levertov is another interesting religious poet. I think that Leonard Cohen is a religious poet. His work certainly adds to grasping the context of religious life in North America.
Charles Ives, "The Unanswered Question" and Symphony No. 4, S. 4 (K. 1A4).
Richard Wright “Black Boy.” Make certain that the edition includes what was published separately as “American Hunger”.
Marilynne Robinson. “Gilead” and “Home”.
John Houston (film) “Wiseblood”.
Michael D. O’Brien “Strangers and Sojourners”.
Walker Percy, “The Moviegoer” and “The Last Gentleman”
Robert Coles. “What Profit under the Sun” part nine of “The Privileged Ones”, Volume V of “Children of Crisis".
“Black Elk Speaks” as told by John Neihardt.
Elie Wiesel “Ani Maamin”.
Isaac Bashevis Singer “Enemies: A Love Story”.
Paul Mazursky Film} “Enemies: A Love Story”.
Ursula Goodenough, “The Sacred Depths of Nature”.
Erwin Goodenough, “Toward a Mature Faith”.
Peter Beagle, “The Last Unicorn”.
Anais Nin, “Henry and June” from “A Journal of Love”.
Philip Kaufman. (Film) “Henry and June”.
Maxine Kumin, "Our Ground Time Here Will Be Brief".
Lewis Sorley, "Honorable Warrior and the Ethics of Command". This is an important biography of a Christian general.
Robert Penn Warren, “Rumor Verified”.
Jane Kenyon, “Collected Poems”.
Denise Levertov, “A Door in the Hive”.
Adrienne Rich, “An Atlas of the Difficult World: Poems 1988-1991”.
Leonard Cohen, “Beautiful Losers” and “Book of Longings”.
Terry Riley. “Salome Dances for Peace” (music).
Charles Ives, "The Unanswered Question" and Symphony No. 4, S. 4 (K. 1A4).
Richard Wright “Black Boy.” Make certain that the edition includes what was published separately as “American Hunger”.
Marilynne Robinson. “Gilead” and “Home”.
John Houston (film) “Wiseblood”.
Michael D. O’Brien “Strangers and Sojourners”.
Walker Percy, “The Moviegoer” and “The Last Gentleman”
Robert Coles. “What Profit under the Sun” part nine of “The Privileged Ones”, Volume V of “Children of Crisis".
“Black Elk Speaks” as told by John Neihardt.
Elie Wiesel “Ani Maamin”.
Isaac Bashevis Singer “Enemies: A Love Story”.
Paul Mazursky Film} “Enemies: A Love Story”.
Ursula Goodenough, “The Sacred Depths of Nature”.
Erwin Goodenough, “Toward a Mature Faith”.
Peter Beagle, “The Last Unicorn”.
Anais Nin, “Henry and June” from “A Journal of Love”.
Philip Kaufman. (Film) “Henry and June”.
Maxine Kumin, "Our Ground Time Here Will Be Brief".
Lewis Sorley, "Honorable Warrior and the Ethics of Command". This is an important biography of a Christian general.
Robert Penn Warren, “Rumor Verified”.
Jane Kenyon, “Collected Poems”.
Denise Levertov, “A Door in the Hive”.
Adrienne Rich, “An Atlas of the Difficult World: Poems 1988-1991”.
Leonard Cohen, “Beautiful Losers” and “Book of Longings”.
Terry Riley. “Salome Dances for Peace” (music).
I teach Religion at the high school level, where we are always looking for this kind of thing. I haven't gone over the other suggestions with a careful eye, but I think I have some different ideas.
For Judaism: Anzia Yezierska, "The Bread Givers"
David? Cahan, "The Rise of David Levinsky"
Saul Bellow, The Adventures of Augie March
For Christianity:
(non-fiction) Salvation on Sand Mountain
Helen Prejean, Dead Man Walking
Randall Balmer, Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory
(there is tons of fiction with Christian stuff in it)
For Islam:
Mohsin Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner (Afghanistan and US)
Michael Muhammad Knight, Blue-eyed Devil (This is NOT for everyone...but is weird and fascinating. I reviewed it on Amazon.)
Asma Gull Hasan, forget the name, but a memoir of growing up as an American Muslim woman
And don't forget "Little Mosque on the Prairie" episodes on www.hulu.com
Buddhism:
I would suggest selections from books such as "Zen in America," or "How the Swans Came to the Lake" (this one is by Rick Fields), or "The Jew in the Heart of the Lotus" by Roger Kamenetz (about Buddhism and Judaism together). I haven't had a lot of luck with fiction and Buddhism...it just comes across as New Agey to students.
Hinduism:
Bharati Mukherjee, Jasmine
Good luck!
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