Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ ПЕНЗЕНСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ

Кафедра «Перевод и переводоведение»

Курсовая работа

по дисциплине “История и культура стран изучаемого языка”

на тему “Христианские религиозные течения в США в XXI веке”

Выполнила

Хостиньянц Е.Р.

2017

Contents

Introduction

1. The history of the appearance of Christianity in the United States

2. The most common Christian religions in modern America

2.1 The Catholic Church

Introduction

Religion in the United States is characterized by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. Various religious faiths have flourished within the United States. A majority of Americans report that religion plays a very important role in their lives, a proportion unique among developed countries.

Historically, the United States has always been marked by religious pluralism and diversity, beginning with various native beliefs of the pre-colonial time. In colonial times, Anglicans, Catholics and mainline Protestants, as well as Jews, arrived from Europe. Eastern Orthodoxy has been present since the Russian colonization of Alaska. Various dissenting Protestants, who left the Church of England, greatly diversified the religious landscape.

Christianity is the most adhered to religion in the United States, with 75% of polled American adults identifying themselves as Christian in 2015 [10].Christianity was introduced to the Americas as it was first colonized by Europeans beginning in the 16th and 17th centuries. Immigration further increased Christian numbers. Today most Christian churches in the United States are Mainline Protestant, Evangelical Protestant, or Catholic. Historians agree that these denominations have played leadership roles in many aspects of American life, including politics, business, science, the arts, and education. As one of the dominant religions, Christianity has a tremendous impact on the population of America.

The aim of the work is to study the main Christian of America in the 21st century. The object of the study is Christian religion. The subject of the study is the history of the emergence of religious currents and statistical studies reflecting the latest patterns of their development.

To fulfill the intended goal, the following tasks are set:

1) to study the history of the emergence of Christianity in America;

2) to study the religious situation and the prevalence of Christianity in modern America;

3) to show the influence of Christianity on the life of modern Americans.

1. The history of the appearance of Christianity in the United States

Religion has always been important in America. During the colonial and Revolutionary eras, religion permeated the lives of Americans. Blue laws kept the Sabbath holy and consumption laws limited the actions of everyone. Christianity was one of the few links that bound American society together from Maine to Georgia. The Bible, in addition to being the divine word of God that would guide people through life's journey to the next world, served as a textbook for history, a source book for morals, a primer for mothers to teach their children how to read, and a window through which to view and understand human nature. With the high death rate, especially among infants, childbearing women, and seafarers, Americans stoically resigned themselves to the will of God. Because religion and morality were seen as necessary components of stable society, colonial and Revolutionary government supported religion. Clergymen were among the most influential members of the community and many of them actively participated in government.

Although colonists often emigrated to the New World to escape religious persecution or intolerance, many new Americans readily discriminated against others on the basis of religion. Ironically, the liberal religious traditions embodied in the charters and fundamental laws of Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and the Carolinas read very much like the declarations of indulgences promulgated by Charles II and James II that were so bitterly denounced by the Anglican clergy and members of Parliament. Like a magnet, however, these liberal policies attracted dissenters to these religiously benevolent colonies.

The first 12 American colonies were founded during the 17th century. Much of the fear and hatred of Catholics in England during this time found its way across the Atlantic. The four imperial wars between Protestant Great Britain and Catholic France and Spain intensified American animosity toward Catholics. Only in Maryland did Catholics find a welcome haven in Britain's New World [4].

Jews, although discriminated against in every colony, were tolerated and prospered in Newport, Philadelphia, and Charleston. After the Revolution, even the most tolerant states continued to deny citizenship and voting rights to Jews, although they were allowed to practice their religion, but usually not publicly. Not until the 19th century did states extend full citizenship to Jews.

Quakers --banished, whipped, fined, imprisoned, and occasionally executed in early New England-- found a refuge in William Penn's experiment. Discrimination against Quakers, even in Pennsylvania, intensified during and after the Revolution, especially against those who steadfastly practiced pacifism. The combatants --both British and American-- felt that if Quakers were not on their side, they must be enemies. During the war, Quakers were disenfranchised, and Americans rounded up wealthy Quakers thought to be dangerous and transported them to safe areas away from the fighting and their homes. Only slowly after the war were Quaker voting rights restored [2].

Religion played a significant role in the coming of the American Revolution. In New York, the demand by some for an American Anglican bishopric raised fears of heightened ecclesiastical controls similar to the civil controls being mandated by Parliament. American animosity and fear of Catholics increased, especially when Parliament passed the Quebec Act in 1774. The act extended southward the borders of the captured Catholic French territory to the Ohio River and guaranteed "the free Exercise of the Religion of the Church of Rome." The Declaration of Independence listed the Quebec Act as one of the charges against the king and Parliament. Ironically, because of America's desperate need for support in its struggle for independence, Congress allied itself with Catholic France, and His Christian Majesty Louis XVI was regularly toasted in America as a true friend of the new republic.

The American Revolution led to a significant separation between church and state. Increasingly, religion was thought to be a matter of personal opinion that should not be dictated by government. Of the nine states that had established religions during the colonial period, three separated church and state in their new constitutions-New York, North Carolina, and Virginia. In the remaining six states, concessions were made allowing public support of more than one church. Often in New England, this concession was nominal because public funds would be given to only one church in a town, and that always happened to be the Congregational church because of its dominance in every New England town. However, as the 18th century ended, most states in which tax revenues supported churches passed legislation increasing the flexibility individuals had of earmarking their taxes for the support of their own minister.

Virginia disestablished the Anglican church merely by not specifically retaining the church-state relationship. The last provision of the Virginia Declaration of Rights (adopted in June 1776) provided "That religion, or the duty which we owe to our CREATOR, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence, and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity, towards each other." But when Patrick Henry, Edmund Pendleton, and Richard Henry Lee joined with Anglican ministers in an effort to provide public financial support for all Christian denominations (in essence creating a multiple establishment), James Madison revived Thomas Jefferson's bill for religious freedom, which provided for the complete separation of church and state. A convention of Presbyterian ministers advocated the bill "as the best safeguard short of a constitutional one, for their religious rights."1 Jefferson's bill, adopted in January 1786, stated that "the opinions of men are not the subject of civil government, nor under its jurisdiction." Madison happily reported to Jefferson that the act "extinguished for ever the ambitious hope of making laws for the human mind."

In other state a constitution, like New York's, explicit provision was made that "the free exercise and employment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall for ever hereafter be allowed within this State to all mankind." Complete religious liberty was limited, however. According to the New York constitution, "the liberty of conscience hereby granted, shall not be so construed, as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace or safety of this State." Such a libertarian position alienated Congregationalists in Vermont, who felt unsafe under New York's rule because their "religious rights and privilidges would be in danger from a Union with a Government" whose constitution tolerated all religions and excluded the establishment of any. In 1777 the Vermonters declared their independence not only from Great Britain, but also from New York.

Five state constitutions prohibited ministers from holding civil or military positions. The clergy, it was argued, should attend to the important job of tending to their flocks. Eleven states retained a religious test for officeholding, usually requiring belief in God, the Protestant religion, the divine inspiration of the Bible, and in life in the hereafter. Only the constitutions of New York and Virginia omitted a religious test for officeholding. In New York, Huguenot-descended John Jay argued unsuccessfully in the provincial convention for a prohibition against Catholic officeholding. In February 1788, however, the New York legislature approved an act requiring officeholders to renounce all foreign authorities, "in all matters ecclesiastical as well as civil," an obvious exclusion of Catholics from holding office.

During and after the war, the states ceded their western lands to Congress. On July 13, 1787 --when the Constitutional Convention was meeting in Philadelphia-- Congress, meeting in New York City, adopted the Northwest Ordinance, which provided for the territorial government of the national domain north and west of the Ohio River and for its transition to statehood on an equal basis with the original states. The Ordinance included an abbreviated bill of rights guaranteeing religious freedom in the first article. "No person demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments in the said territory." The third article acknowledged the necessity of "Religion, morality and knowledge" in promoting "good government and the happiness of mankind" and provided that "schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." Two years later, the first Federal Congress reenacted the Ordinance.

Increasingly the Founding Fathers abandoned traditional Christian religion and became what could be called deists. Many of these converts publicly maintained their original religious affiliations, choosing to avoid the censures that prominent deists like Jefferson, Franklin, and Paine regularly received. Deists abandoned the belief in the divinity of Jesus, the trinity, any notion of predestination, the Bible as the divinely inspired word of God, and state-sponsored religion. Rather, deists believed in one God, a benevolent initiator of all events. The word of God was not to be found in the Bible, but in nature and the Creation.

When the delegates to the Federal Convention of 1787 drafted a new Constitution for the United States, they omitted any specific references to God or religion. Federalists, however, often asserted that the Constitution was divinely inspired. Dr. Benjamin Rush in the Pennsylvania ratifying Convention in December 1787 suggested that "the hand of God" was as assuredly employed in drafting the Constitution as it was in dividing the Red Sea or in fulminating the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai. Rush urged Antifederalists to differentiate between the inclinations of their constituents and the dictates of their consciences. Listen, Rush admonished, to the latter. "It is the voice of God speaking" to their hearts. Antifederalists condemned "this new species of DIVINE RIGHT." They "regretted that so imperfect a work should have been ascribed to God."

Many Americans agreed with the freemen of Paxton, Massachusetts, that the Constitution, by its failure to explicitly guarantee the freedom of religion, was "Subversive of Liberty and Extreamly dangerous to the Civil and Religious rights of the People." Speaking for Antifederalists, Patrick Henry argued in the Virginia ratifying Convention that the "sacred and lovely thing Religion, ought not to rest on the ingenuity of logical deduction." Without an explicit protection, religion "will be prostituted to the lowest purposes of human policy."Federalists, however, argued that the Constitution would create a Federal government of strictly enumerated powers that would never be capable of violating religious liberty. According to James Madison in the Virginia Convention, there was "not a shadow of right in the General Government to intermeddle with religion-- Its least interference with it would be a most flagrant usurpation." Furthermore, with the "multiplicity of sects" throughout America, Madison asserted that no one sect "could oppress and persecute the rest."

Throughout the ratification debate, Antifederalists demanded that freedom of religion be protected. A majority of ratifying conventions recommended that an amendment guaranteeing religious freedom be added to the Constitution. In recommending a bill of rights in the first Federal Congress on June 8, 1789, Madison proposed that "the civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner or on any pretext infringed." He also proposed that "no state shall violate the equal rights of conscience."

The prohibition on states was removed by the Senate, while the restrictions on the Federal Government were combined and recast into what came to be the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The exact meaning of this prohibition has not been easy to ascertain.

Christianity was introduced to North America as it was colonized by Europeans beginning in the 16th and 17th centuries. Because the Spanish were the first Europeans to establish settlements on the mainland of North America, such as
St. Augustine, Florida in 1565, the earliest Christians in the territory which would eventually become the United States were Roman Catholics. However, the territory that would become the Thirteen Colonies in 1776 was largely populated by Protestants due to Protestant settlers seeking religious freedom from the Church of England. These settlers were primarily Puritans from East Anglia, especially just before the English Civil War (1641-1651); there were also some Anglicans and Catholics but these were far fewer in number. Because of the predominance of Protestants among those coming from England, the English colonies became almost entirely Protestant by the time of the American Revolution.

Catholicism first came to the territories now forming the United States just before the Protestant Reformation with the Spanish conquistadors and settlers in present-day Florida and the southwest. The first Christian worship service held in the current United States was a Catholic Mass celebrated in Pensacola, Florida. The Spanish spread Roman Catholicism through Spanish Florida by way of its mission system; these missions extended into Georgia and the Carolinas. Eventually, Spain established missions in what are now Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Junнpero Serra founded a series of missions in California which became important economic, political, and religious institutions. Overland routes were established from New Mexico that resulted in the colonization of San Francisco in 1776 and Los Angeles in 1781.

In the French territories, Catholicism was ushered in with the establishment of colonies and forts in Detroit, St. Louis, Mobile, Biloxi, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. In the late 17th century, French expeditions, which included sovereign, religious and commercial aims, established a foothold on the Mississippi River and Gulf Coast. With its first settlements, France laid claim to a vast region of North America and set out to establish a commercial empire and French nation stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada.

Many of the British North American colonies that eventually formed the United States of America were settled in the 17th century by men and women, who, in the face of European religious persecution, refused to compromise passionately held religious convictions and fled Europe. A group which later became known as the Pilgrims settled the Plymouth Colony in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620, seeking refuge from conflicts in England which led up to the English Civil War.

The Puritans, a much larger group than the Pilgrims, established the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629 with 400 settlers. Puritans were English Protestants who wished to reform and purify the Church of England in the New World of what they considered to be unacceptable residues of Roman Catholicism. Within two years, an additional 2,000 settlers arrived. Beginning in 1630, as many as 20,000 Puritans emigrated to America from England to gain the liberty to worship as they chose. Most settled in New England, but some went as far as the West Indies. The Puritans created a deeply religious, socially tight-knit and politically innovative culture that is still present in the modern United States.

The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before local magistrates followed by county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in Essex, Suffolk and Middlesex counties of colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693. Over 150 people were arrested and imprisoned, with even more accused but not formally pursued by the authorities. The two courts convicted twenty-nine people of the capital felony of witchcraft. Nineteen of the accused, fourteen women and five men, were hanged. One man called Giles Corey who refused to enter a plea was crushed to death under heavy stones in an attempt to force him to do so. At least five more of the accused died in prison.

Against a prevailing view that 18th-century Americans had not perpetuated the first settlers' passionate commitment to their faith, scholars now identify a high level of religious energy in colonies after 1700. According to one expert, religion was in the «ascension rather than the declension»; another sees a «rising vitality in religious life» from 1700 onward; a third finds religion in many parts of the colonies in a state of «feverish growth». Figures on church attendance and church formation support these opinions. Between 1700 and 1740, an estimated 75-80% of the population attended churches, which were being built at a headlong pace [2].

By 1780 the percentage of adult colonists who adhered to a church was between 10-30%, not counting slaves or Native Americans. North Carolina had the lowest percentage at about 4%, while New Hampshire and South Carolina were tied for the highest, at about 16%

The Revolution divided some denominations, in particular the Anglican Church, whose ministers were bound by an oath to support the king, and the Quakers, who were traditionally pacifists. Religious practice suffered in some places due to the lack of ministers and the destruction of churches, but in other areas religion flourished. The American Revolution inflicted deeper wounds on the Anglican Church in America than on any other denomination, because the King of England was the head of the church. In the Book of Common Prayer prayers for the monarch were offered. Loyalty of the church and its head can be interpreted as a betrayal of the American cause. Patriotic American Anglicans, not wanting to reject such a fundamental component of their faith as the "Book of Common Prayer," revised it to match political realities.

Another result of this was that the first constitution of an independent Anglican church in a country bent back to distance itself from Rome, calling itself a Protestant episcopal church, incorporating the term "Protestant" in its name, that the Anglicans elsewhere showed some caution in using too prominent because of their own reservations about the nature of the Anglican Church and other Anglican authorities, and later the radical reformers who used the term Protestant.

The Christianity of the black population was based on evangelism. The Second Great Awakening was called "the central and decisive event in the development of Afro-Christianity". During these awakenings, Baptists and Methodists turned a large number of blacks. However, many were disappointed by the attitude they received from their coreligionists and the departure from the obligation to abolish slavery, which many white Baptists and Methodists performed right after the American Revolution. When their discontent could not be contained, strong black leaders followed what had become the American habit - they formed new denominations.

In 1861, America plunged into a bloody civil war. The years before the war, political, economic and moral differences broke out between the North and the South. When the war broke out, Christians in the North and South split. Then there were the northern and southern Baptists, the northern and southern Methodists, the northern and southern Presbyterians, etc. So far, the Baptists and Presbyterians have not yet been reunited. During and after the war, churches became more attentive to their social obligations. To meet the needs of various groups, urban rescue missions, orphanages, hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions were established. By the end of the nineteenth century, America had become less agrarian and industrial. People left the country in large numbers and arrived in the city. Thus, there was a great need to reach the mass of people moving or immigrating to American cities.In 1861 America was plunged into a bloody civil war. For years before the War broke, out there were political, economic and moral differences between the North and the South. When the war came, Christians in the North and South divided. There were then the Northern and Southern Baptists, Northern and Southern Methodists, Northern and Southern Presbyterians, etc. To this day, the Baptists and Presbyterians still have not reunited on a grand scale. During and after the War, the churches became more alert to their social obligations. City rescue missions, orphanages, hospitals, homes for the aged, and other agencies were established to meet the needs of various groups. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, America became less agrarian and more industrial. People left the country in large numbers and came to the city. Thus, there developed a great need to reach the masses of people moving into or immigrating to American cities.

The Social Gospel flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s by calling for the application of Christian ethics to social problems, especially issues of social justice such as economic inequality, poverty, alcoholism, crime, racial tensions, slums, bad hygiene, child labor, inadequate labor unions, poor schools, and the danger of war. They typically were post-millennialist; that is, they believed the Second Coming could not happen until humankind rid itself of social evils by human effort. The Social Gospel was more popular among clergy than laity. Its leaders were predominantly associated with the liberal wing of the Progressive Movement and most were theologically liberal, although they were typically conservative when it came to their views on social issues. Important leaders include Richard T. Ely, Josiah Strong, Washington Gladden, and Walter Rauschenbusch.

The Social Gospel movement peaked in the early 20th century. Some scholars argue that the horrors caused by World War I left many disillusioned with the Social Gospel's ideals and promise of a glorious future for mankind while others argue that World War I actually stimulated the Social Gospellers' reform efforts [5]. Theories regarding the decline of the Social Gospel after World War I often cite the rise of neo-orthodoxy as a contributing factor in the movement's decline. Many of the Social Gospel's ideas reappeared in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. «Social Gospel» principles continue to inspire newer movements such as Christians Against Poverty.

The 1950s saw a boom in the Evangelical church in America. The post-World War II prosperity experienced in the U.S. also had its effects on the church. Church buildings were erected in large numbers, and the Evangelical church's activities grew along with this expansive physical growth. In the southern U.S., the Evangelicals, represented by leaders such as Billy Graham, have experienced a notable surge displacing the caricature of the pulpit pounding country preachers of fundamentalism. The stereotypes have gradually shifted. Evangelicals are as diverse as the names that appear: Billy Graham, Chuck Colson, J. Vernon McGee, or Jimmy Carter-- or even Evangelical institutions such as Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary from Boston or Trinity Evangelical Divinity School from Chicago. Although there exists a diversity in the Evangelical community worldwide, the ties that bind all Evangelicals are still apparent.

Emigration from Greece and the Near East in the last hundred years has created a sizable Orthodox diaspora in the United States and elsewhere. Virtually all the Orthodox nationalities - Greek, Arab, Russian, Serbian, Albanian, Ukrainian, Romanian, and Bulgarian - are represented in the United States. Many of the Orthodox Church movements in the West are fragmented under what is called jurisdictionalism. This is where the groups are divided up by ethnicity as the unifying character to each movement. As the older ethnic laity become aged and die off more and more of the churches are opening to new converts. Ten years or so ago, these converts would have faced a daunting task in having to learn the language and culture of the respective Orthodox group in order to properly convert to Orthodoxy. In recent times many of the churches now perform their services in modern English or Spanish or Portuguese depending on the Metropolitan or district.

The Federal Council of Churches, founded in 1908, marked the first major expression of a growing modern ecumenical movement among Christians in the United States. It was active in pressing for reform of public and private policies, particularly as they impacted the lives of those living in poverty, and developed a comprehensive and widely debated Social Creed which served as a humanitarian "bill of rights" for those seeking improvements in American life.

2. The most common Christian religions in modern America

The United States of America is an advanced country with a highly developed industry and science. Here, the leading brands of the world in the field of electronics, information technology, and many other areas are taking the lead. It would seem that in such conditions there is no time and no place for religious views. Nevertheless, the religious composition of the United States is quite large and diverse, and even to the point that America can be called a country of believers. christianity religion church protestantism

Christian denominations in the United States are usually divided into three large groups: Evangelical Protestantism, Mainline Protestantism, and the Catholic Church. There are also Christian denominations that do not fall within either of these groups, such as Eastern Orthodoxy, but they are much smaller.

2.1 The Catholic Church

Catholic faith in the United States ranks second in the number of adherents among religious denominations after Protestantism. To a greater extent, its representatives are the Spanish-speaking inhabitants of the country, which today number about 77 million [3]. The United States has the fourth largest Catholic population in the world after Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines, the largest Catholic minority population, and the largest English-speaking Catholic population. The central leadership body of the Catholic Church in the United States is the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In the US, Catholicism began to spread during the Spanish colonization in the early 16th century in Florida, where Catholic missions were created to stop the spread of Puritan moods. Similar missions have also occurred in California and Georgia. But the onslaught of the British colonialists could not be stopped, and by the XVII century the number of Catholics had significantly decreased (considering that they were already only 1%). This outcome was influenced by the English Revolution, during which all the 13 states that existed at that time limited the rights of Catholics. The activity of Catholic missionaries was forbidden. The very authorities of the British colonies supported the prohibitive measures against the Catholic Church, as they regarded the hostile attitude of the Anglican clergy and the Puritans to the Catholic Church as a factor playing a significant role in uniting the British settlers of various Protestant movements [13].

In the United States, there are 197 ecclesiastical jurisdictions:

1) 177 Latin Catholic dioceses including 32 Latin Catholic archdioceses;

2) 18 Eastern Catholic dioceses (eparchies) including 2 Eastern Catholic archdioceses (archeparchies) and 1 apostolic exarchate (for the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church);

3) 2 personal ordinariates; one for former Anglicans who came into full Catholic communion and one for members of the military.

The Catholic Church managed to activate only at the end of the XVIII century. Mitigating attitudes toward the Catholic Church led to the formation of the first Catholic diocese in Baltimore in 1789, and John Carroll, the native of Maryland, became the first bishop. This event gave a significant impetus to the institutionalization of religion, universities and dioceses in other states began to appear [3].

The nineteenth century was marked by a tremendous increase in the number of Catholics. Their number has changed from 35,000 to 2 million people, which was mainly due to the influx of immigrants from various Catholic countries in Europe. This led to a wave of protests, even a political party of "neyutists," whose activists began to persecute the Catholics, seeing them as a danger to American identity. Many politicians also disliked Catholics, because they saw their country as a purely Protestant state. This attitude was changed only under President Kennedy, who was elected in 1961 and himself was a Catholic. He acted as an active fighter for civil rights (including the right to freedom of religion) and sought adoption of the relevant law. However, in the midst of this struggle, he was killed. The law was adopted, it abolished all forms of discrimination and segregation. [5].

In the period 1976 - 1980 gg. the episcopate itself actively began to act in political matters. This was reflected in the widespread mobilization of Catholic organizations to fight for the legislative prohibition of abortion. In the 1980 elections, the list of issues of moral significance was extended and became more specific. The bishops exerted pressure on all candidates (whether they are candidates for Congress or for presidents), trying to impose their program on them. The direct participation of the Catholic Church in the political struggle has caused condemnation and opposition from many influential social and political circles. The most violent, however, the political activity of the episcopate was condemned by supporters of women's equality, the legalization of abortions.

At the end of the 20th century, the American Catholic Church dealt with the problems of restraining the nuclear arms race, and opposed it during the Vietnam War. In the pastoral message of 1976, the bishops declared that it was impossible not only to use nuclear weapons, but even to plot plans to use it against civilians. In 1978, the Catholic bishops of the USA supported the treaty on the limitation of strategic weapons [10].

Speaking of the present, it can be noted that in recent times the church hierarchs of the United States have made great efforts to make the Catholic Church Americanized. One of the means to this was the canonization of the saints held in the Vatican. Until 1973, the Catholic Church of the United States did not have a single saint, an American by birth. In an effort to raise the prestige of the Catholic Church in the United States, the Vatican decided to replenish a host of saints at the expense of church figures of American descent. Elizabeth Seton received this honor. She was born in 1874, was a parishioner of the Episcopal Church and was engaged in charity.

The fate of Catholicism in the United States has been very difficult. Catholicism is one of the first branches of Christianity that appeared on the American continent. Despite the fact that the US is considered a Protestant state, the role of the Catholic church in the country grows with time [10]. By race, 59% of Catholics are non-Hispanic white, 34% Hispanic, 3% black, 3% Asian, and 2% mixed or Native American. Conversely, 19% of non-Hispanic whites are Catholic in 2014, whereas 48% of Hispanics. In 2015, Hispanics are 38%, while blacks and Asians are still at 3% each [14].

2.2 Mainline Protestantism

The share of Protestants in the general population of the USA is distributed unevenly: in the south of the country, Protestants make up 65% of the population, in the Midwest - 54%; in the Western and North-Eastern geographical regions, the proportion of Protestants is significantly lower - 38% and 37% respectively [15].

According to a Gallup poll in 2013, Protestants are the largest religious group in 44 states, including more than half of the population in 29 states; Protestants also prevail in the District of Columbia, which is an independent territory. The most "Protestant" states of America are Alabama and Mississippi (Protestants make up 77% of the population), the smallest proportion (11%) of Protestants are in the "Mormon" state of Utah [16].

According to the Pew Research Center, 74% of American Protestants are "white"; 16% - African American; 5% - Hispanic; 1% - by Asians. The remaining 3% of American Protestants belong to mixed or other groups. Of all Protestants, 54% are women, 46% are men. The proportion of Protestants among the main racial groups in America is indicative: Protestants are 78% of all African Americans, 53% of Whites, 27% of Asians and 23% of Hispanics.

Protestantism is the religion of Native Americans; Among the residents of the United States born abroad, the proportion of Protestants is only 24%. Protestants are 41% of the natives of Canada, 37% of all who came to the US from Western Europe, 29% of immigrants from South Asia and Latin America; 18% of immigrants from Eastern Europe, 12% of refugees from the Middle East and North Africa and only 11% of those from South-Central Asia.

Apart from weddings and funerals, half of the Protestants visit the church every week; another 33% of respondents said they do this several times a month / year; the remaining 17% of Americans identifying themselves with Protestantism, visit the church extremely rarely or do not do it at all (2007). Almost half of the Protestants (48%) attend the parish of medium size (100-500 parishioners); a quarter of Americans go to a small church (up to 100 parishioners); another 17% of the Protestants are members of large churches (500-2000 parishioners); finally, 7% of American Protestants choose mega church (more than 2 thousand parishioners).

Baptists are the largest Protestant grouping in the United States. Prior to 1845, most white Baptist churches were loosely affiliated as the Triennial Convention. In that year, most southern congregations left to form a new Southern Baptist Convention, which is now the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S., with 15.7 million members. The remaining members organized what is now American Baptist Churches USA and includes 1.3 million members and 5402 congregations. [1]

African American Baptists, excluded from full participation in white Baptist organizations, have formed several denominations, of which the largest are the National Baptist Convention, with 7.5 million members and the more liberal Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC), with over 2000 churches and a total membership of 2.5 million.

With 4.7 million members, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is the largest American Lutheran denomination, followed by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) with 2.4 million members, and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) with 410,000 members. The differences between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) largely arise from historical and cultural factors, although some are theological in character. The ELCA tends to be more involved in ecumenical endeavors than the LCMS.

2.3 Evangelicalism

In the United States, Evangelicalism is an umbrella group of Protestant Christians who believe in the necessity of being born again, emphasize the importance of evangelism, and affirm traditional Protestant teachings on the authority and the historicity of the Bible. Nearly a quarter of the US population, evangelicals are diverse and drawn from a variety of denominational backgrounds, including Baptist, Mennonite, Holiness, Pentecostal, Reformed, and nondenominational churches. Evangelicalism has played an important role in shaping American religion and culture.

Evangelism emphasized religious piety in personal life - a life devoted to the love of God - taught that conversion is not just a matter of reasoning, but feelings play an important role in people's decision. The result of the evangelism movement was a new desire to help to American Indians, poor people and black slaves [17].

John C. Green, a senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, used polling data to separate Evangelicals into three broad camps, which he labels as traditionalist, centrist and modernist [6]:

1) traditionalist Evangelicals, characterized by high affinity for certain Protestant beliefs, (especially penal substitutionary atonement, justification by faith, the authority of scripture, the priesthood of all believers, etc.) which, when fused with the highly political milieu of Western culture, has resulted in the political disposition that has been labeled the Christian right, with figures like Jerry Falwell and the television evangelist Pat Robertson as its most visible spokesmen;

2) centrist Evangelicals, described as socially conservative, mostly avoiding politics, who still support much of traditional Christian theology;

3) modernist Evangelicals, a small minority in the movement, have low levels of church-attendance.

The 2004 survey of religion and politics in the United States identified the Evangelical percentage of the population at 26.3 percent while Roman Catholics are 22 percent and mainline Protestants make up 16 percent. In the 2007 Statistical Abstract of the United States, the figures for these same groups are 28.6 percent Evangelical, 24.5 percent Roman Catholic, and 13.9 percent mainline Protestant. The latter figures are based on a 2001 study of the self-described religious identification of the adult population for 1990 and 2001 from the Graduate School and University Center at the City University of New York. A 2008 study showed that in the year 2000 about 9 percent of Americans attended an Evangelical service on any given Sunday. The Economist estimated in May 2012, that «over one-third of Americans, more than 100 M, can be considered evangelical,» arguing that the percentage is often undercounted because many black Christians espouse Evangelical theology but prefer to refer to themselves as «born again Christians» rather than «evangelical». These estimated figures given by The Economist agree with those in 2012 from Wheaton College's Institute for the Studies of American Evangelicals [6].

In 2016 Merritt reported low retention rates among Evangelical churches.

The movement is highly diverse and encompasses a vast number of people. Because the group is diverse, not all of them use the same terminology for beliefs. For instance, several recent studies and surveys by sociologists and political scientists that utilize more complex definitional parameters have estimated the number of Evangelicals in the U.S. in 2012 at about 30-35% of the population, or roughly between 90 and 100 million people [6]. As of 2017, white evangelicals overall account for about 17% of Americans, while white evangelicals under the age of 30 represent about 8% of Americans.

The National Association of Evangelicals is a U.S. agency which coordinates cooperative ministry for its member denominations.

3. The influence of Christian religions on the life of Americans

According to the Gallup Institute, the influence of religion on American life is weakening and at the same time people's need for faith remains. This shows that the state of society is more important than the personal attitude to faith, as well as the strength of religious principles in society.

Since 1957, scientists have asked the respondents the same question: "Does the influence of religion increase?" The purpose of the survey is not to measure the degree of religious beliefs or spirituality, but to define the role of religion in society. The latest poll, the results of which were unveiled last week, showed the public's most negative attitude to the influence of religion since the 1970s.

The last case, when the growth of the influence of religion on society was celebrated by the majority of Americans, was registered shortly after the series of 9/11 attacks. Today, public opinion has changed dramatically - 77% of respondents believe that religion is losing its position in society. Approximately the same results were obtained in the late 60s of the last century [16].

Analyzing the results of the survey, the editor-in-chief of the Gallup Institute Frank Newport wrote: "About the same negative attitude toward religion as today, the Americans expressed in 1969-1970, when the society was torn by contradictions in connection with the Vietnam war, and in the cultural and sexual revolutions were in full swing, and then, albeit to a lesser degree, also in the 1990s. And the way these views have changed significantly since Reagan's presidency and the September 2001 terrorist attacks, suggests that such changes in public opinion are possible in the future. "

In this year's poll, another question was asked about whether the society would have changed for the better if the Americans were more religious. More than three quarters of the respondents answered positively. Even the majority of respondents, who have little or no religious beliefs, agreed with the positive impact of religion on society. This suggests that most people view religion as something important and necessary in times of social upheaval. In other words, it is possible that religion can win the sympathy of a much larger number of people, because it is capable of bringing comfort and giving hope or of allowing itself to be sacrificed. Many people, both believers and those who are far from religion, believe that religion gives an idea of ??the good and the opportunity to show this kindness.

As shown by the results of another poll, commissioned by the Christian organization LifeWay Research, in the face of tragedy, Americans regard religion more favorably. Approximately 60% of respondents agreed with the statement "In the event of a disaster, my interest in God increases."

It is difficult to compare these results with growing indifference to the official religion. A survey conducted last year by the Pew analytical group showed that 15% of the adult population in America claim that they do not practice any religion (the so-called "none"). And for the last 40 years, their number has almost doubled.

These results, perhaps, reflect growing distrust not only to the institution of traditional denominations, but also to virtually all public institutions. At the same time, one can speak of a growing interest in the spirituality of an individual in opposition to the collective departure of religious rites and manifestations of public activity inspired by religious beliefs.

"If we summarize all these data," Mr. Newport believes, "we will get a picture of the generally believing population of the country whose internal religiosity has not changed much in recent decades."

An increasing number of scientists come to the conclusion that when people begin to seek the mercy of God, they become more honest, nobler and show more love. They try to depend less on instincts and desires. And the society only benefits from this.

Conclusion

In the United States there is no definite state religion. The population professes many different religions, and Christianity is the most common. In turn, Christian denominations are diverse. The main and largest is the Protestant faith here. More than half of the US population professes Protestantism. About a quarter of the population are Catholics.

The religious composition of the country is somewhat uneven in the states, and least of all Catholics in the south. Most of them are only in Louisiana (they are descendants of immigrants from France), in Texas, that is, where many immigrants from Latin America and Kentucky are permanently residing. But in the northern states there are lots of Catholics. Particularly noticeable is their influence in major cities - in Boston, New York and Chicago. Catholic churches are everywhere, and many of them represent significant architectural and historical value.

The history of the US religion is full of many events. Historically, America has been a Protestant state for a long time. This was due to the fact that after the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus immigrants from different countries began to come here. The northeastern part of the United States was occupied by British йmigrйs who were persecuted by the Anglican Church. They were against the planting of Catholicism. Pilgrims established strict religious principles on the new earth.

Gradually, many Protestant movements were formed in America. This happened due to the fact that emigrants from different countries considered it necessary to establish their principles and principles on the new land, because they believed that it did not belong to anyone. North America at that time was inhabited by Indian tribes who had previously come from Asia. First they settled in Alaska, and then moved to America.

At the end of the 17th century, America's population was conditionally divided into black slaves and a white population, which accounted for 98% of all Americans. All of them were Protestants. South America began to be populated by the Spaniards, who clothed the Indians in the Catholic faith. Therefore, the population of Latin America is mostly Catholic.

Christianity has a huge impact on the political and cultural life of America despite the fact that the Americans are preaching not to discuss in public the issue of religion. Recent research and surveys indicate that in recent years the influence of religion has been decreasing.

References

1) Bradshaw, William B. Mainline Churches: Past, Present, Future. -- The Huffington Post. Retrieved October 3, 2016.

2) Carnes, Mark C.; John A. Garraty; Patrick Williams. Mapping America's Past: A Historical Atlas. -- Henry Holt and Company, 1996. -- с. 50

3) Diocese of Reno. Total Catholic Population. -- Directory, 2016-2017 -- с. 72.

4) Fitzpatrick, Edward A.; Nevils, William Coleman. Miniatures of Georgetown, 1634 to 1934. -- The Journal of Higher Education. Ohio State University Press 7 (1). -- 56-57 с.

5) Hooft, Willem A. Visser 't. The Background of the Social Gospel in America. -- The Bethany Press, 1963.

6) Luo, Michael. Evangelicals Debate the Meaning of 'Evangelical'. -- The New York Times, April 16, 2006.

7) Marsden, George. The Twilight of the American Enlightenment: The 1950s and the Crisis of Liberal Belief. -- New York: Basic Books, 2014.

8) Mendedez, Albert J. American Catholics, A Social and Political Portrait. --THE HUMANIST, September/October, 1993. -- с. 17-20.

9) Митрохин Л.Н. Религиозные культы в США. -- М., Знание, 1984.

10) Pew Research. America's Changing Religious Landscape. -- May 12, 2015.

10)Токарев С.А. Религии в истории народов мира. -- М., 1978.