Fall 2013
Temple University
History 876: Religion in Philadelphia
David Harrington Watt and David Thomas
Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30-1.50
Anderson 208
About the Topic. This course focuses on religion in Philadelphia, the Delaware Valley, and the Mid-Atlantic in the years between 1500 and the present. Special attention is paid to the religious practices of the Lenape, Anglicans, Methodists, Quakers, Jews, Muslims, and Catholics.
Goals of the Course.History 876 is a US Society Gen/Ed course. It is designed to enable students to deepen their understanding of US history, society, culture and politics. The course should enable them to reach their own conclusions about the role the religion has played (and continues to play) the United States. History 876 also offers students an opportunity to hone the skills that they need to make effective use of the resources in the Temple Libraries, to interpret difficult texts, and to examine historical events from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. The course will, moreover, give students who are addicted to the constant use of phones, tablets, and laptops an occasion to overcome that addiction. (Sad to say, this addiction afflicts instructors as well as students).
Website created by Fred Rowland. Fred Rowland, one of Temple University’s most erudite reference librarians, has created a website that contains a great deal of useful information on Religion in Philadelphia. It can be found at
About the Instructors. David Thomas is a Ph.D. student in the History Department. His work focuses on Britain and British America in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. David Harrington Watt is a professor in the Department of History and an adjunct professor in the Religion Department. For reasons that are not worth going into here, he should be called David Watt or David rather than Doctor Watt or Professor Watt. For more information about Watt’s work, which focuses on the United States in the twentieth century, go to
Talking to the Instructors Outside of Class. The best way to contact the instructorsis via e-mail. David Thomas’s e-mail address ; David Harrington Watt’s is . Watt’s office hours are Tuesdays, 3.30-4.30 and Thursdays, 11.30-12.30. During those hours, you may reach him by phone (at 215.204.7772) or, better yet, you can come by and see him in person in his office (951Gladfelter Hall).
The Instructors’ Approach to Teaching. Most of the class time will be spent analyzing the assigned texts. The readings for this course are moderately difficult. Students should expect to have to read them twice to do well in the course. If you don’t enjoy reading, then this isn’t the course for you. Students will be expected to write a number of essays that conform to the norms of academic prose. If you hate writing that kind of essay, then this course isn’t for you. Students who enroll in this course will not be allowed to use their phones, tablets, or laptops during the class meetings. If you can’t go eighty minutes without using a phone, a tablet, or a laptop, then you should not enroll in this class. Some of the class meetings will consist largely of lectures that are intended to help students interpret and analyze the assigned readings. If you hate listening to formal lectures, then this isn’t the course for you.
Evaluation. The final grade will be based on the first midterm(20% of the total grade); the second midterm (30% of the total grade); the third midterm (20% of the total grade); a final (20% of the total grade); and classroom participation (10% of total grade).
Assignments that are Handed in Late. These sorts of assignments will receive extremely low grades. You will be doing the instructors and yourself a very large favor if you hand in your assignments on time.
Incompletes. Temple University has a very clear set of policies pertaining to incompletes: they are assigned only under very specific and very rare circumstances. The instructors in this course fully comply with Temple’s policies on incompletes.
Classroom Participation. As the instructors are calculating the grades for classroom participation, they will ask questions such as the following. Was John Coltrane able to attend at least ninety percent of the class meetings? How often did John Coltrane ask questions or make comments that made a positive contribution to the class? Did John Coltrane always come to class prepared to discuss the assigned texts?
Attendance Policy. Students are expected to attend at least ninety percent of the class meetings.
Plagiarism.Please make absolutely sure that all the work you hand in is original. Handing in plagiarized work, even if the plagiarism is inadvertent, might well lead to your being suspended or expelled from Temple University; it will certainly result in your receiving an F in this course. For more information on this issue, see pages 191-195 of the third edition of The Craft of Research by Booth, Colomb, and Williams and the information to be found at
Academic Freedom. Members of the faculty of Temple’s College of Liberal Arts are encouraged to include the two sentences that follow in their syllabi. “Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link: .” If you would like to learn more about academic freedom in the United States and about the forces that imperil it, you could consult books such as Bok’s Universities in the Marketplace, Schrecker’sNo Ivory Tower, Smith’s Killing the Spirit, Soley’sLeasing the Ivory Tower, Tuchman’s Wannabe U, andWashburn’s University, Inc.
Disabilities Statement. This course is open to all students who meet the academic requirements for participation. Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss the specific situation within the first two weeks of the semester.
Obtaining the Required the Books and Films. During the first week of classes, students will need to purchase copies of O God of Players and Freedom’s Prophet.Those books areavailable in the Barnes and Noble store that is located in the basement of the Student Activities Center. Theyalso available, of course, from on-line stores such as Amazon. All of the other required books and films are available online or through the course reserve systemat Paley Library. If you are unable to access the materials that have been placed on reserve, please contact Paley for assistance. If contacting Paley does not solve the problem, send an e-mail to David Thomas or David Harrington Watt.
Revised Version of the Syllabus. This syllabus was created on 16 September 2013. There will no major changes in the syllabus during the rest of the term. There may, however, be some minor ones. If so, the revised version of the syllabus will be posted on Blackboard.
Books and Films
Byrne, Julie. O God of Players: The Story of the Immaculata Mighty Macs. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.
Dandelion, Pink. “Chapter One: Who are the Quakers.” The Quakers: A Very Short Introduction.Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Gough, Deborah Mathias. “Introduction.” Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation’s Church in a Changing City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995.
Gough, Deborah Mathias. “Chapter One: Founding an Anglican Church in a Quaker Colony.” Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation’s Church in a Changing City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995.
Gough, Deborah Mathias. “Chapter Two: Establishing a Governing Structure Without a Bishop.” Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation’s Church in a Changing City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995.
Gough, Deborah Mathias. “Chapter Three: Conflict Within a Framework of Stability.” Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation’s Church in a Changing City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995.
Gough, Deborah Mathias. “Chapter Four: Politics and the Clergy.” Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation’s Church in a Changing City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995.
McCloud, Aminah Beverly. “Chapter Three: ‘This is a Muslim Home:’ Signs of Difference in the African American Row House.” In Making Muslim Space in North America and Europe edited by Barbara Daly Metcalf. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996.
Matlins, Stuart M. and Arthur J. Magida. “Episcopalian and Anglican.” How to Be a Perfect Stranger. Woodstock, Vt: SkyLight Paths Pub, 2003.
Morris, Charles R. “Chapter Seven: God’s Bricklayer.” American Catholic. New York: Times Books, 1997.
Newman, Richard. Freedom’s Prophet: Bishop Richard Allen, the AME Church, and the Black Founding Fathers. New York: New York University Press, 2008.
Orsi, Robert. “Chapter Six: Snakes Alive.” Between Heaven and Earth. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2005.
Pew Charitable Trusts. “Philadelphia 2013:The State of the City.” 2013. [
Prewitt, Terry J. “Introduction: The Big House Described.” In Voices from the Delaware Big Houseedited by Robert S. Grumet. Norman: Oklahoma University Press, 2002.
Trachtman, Ilana. Praying with Lior. FirstRun Features, 2009. DVD.
Watt, David Harrington. “Chapter Six: The Philadelphia Church of Christ.” Bible-Carrying Christians: Conservative Protestants and Social Power. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
Young, William A. “Chapter Two: The Lenape.” Quest for Harmony Native American Spiritual Traditions. New York: Seven Bridges Press, 2002.
Class Schedule
PART ONE. RELIGIOUS PRACTICES.
Week of August 25. Pew Charitable Trusts. “Philadelphia 2013:The State of the City.” 2013. [
Week of September 1. Orsi, Robert. “Chapter Six: Snakes Alive.” Between Heaven and Earth. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2005.
Week of September 8. Watt, David Harrington. “Chapter Six: The Philadelphia Church of Christ.” Bible-Carrying Christians: Conservative Protestants and Social Power. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
[Week of September 8]. On Sunday September 8, students are encouraged to observe the 11am service held at Christ Church. Christ Church is located on 2nd Street between Arch and Market. Students might want to read the chapter on Episcopalians and Anglicans in How to Be a Perfect Stranger before attending the service. While they are observing the service, students should pay special attention to the topics that are addressed in the readings by Orsi and Watt.
PART TWO. 1500-2010. THE LENAPE AND THE QUAKERS
Week of September 15. Young, William A. “Chapter Two: The Lenape.” Quest for Harmony Native American Spiritual Traditions. New York: Seven Bridges Press, 2002. Prewitt, Terry J. “Introduction: The Big House Described” In Voices from the Delaware Big Houseedited by Robert S. Grumet. Norman: Oklahoma University Press, 2002.
Week of September 22. Dandelion, Pink. “Chapter One: Who are the Quakers.” The Quakers: A Very Short Introduction.Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Week of September 29. First midterm. Extra credit assignments must be handed in before 3 October.
PART THREE. 1600-1880. ANGLICANS AND METHODISTS
Week of October 6. Gough, Deborah Mathias. “Introduction.” Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation’s Church in a Changing City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995. Gough, Deborah Mathias. “Chapter One: Founding an Anglican Church in a Quaker Colony.” Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation’s Church in a Changing City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995. Gough, Deborah Mathias. “Chapter Two: Establishing a Governing Structure Without a Bishop.” Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation’s Church in a Changing City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995. Gough, Deborah Mathias. “Chapter Three: Conflict Within a Framework of Stability.” Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation’s Church in a Changing City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995. Gough, Deborah Mathias. “Chapter Four: Politics and the Clergy.” Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation’s Church in a Changing City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995.
Week of October 13. Newman, Richard. Freedom’s Prophet: Bishop Richard Allen, the AME Church, and the Black Founding Fathers. New York: New York University Press, 2008, 1-127.
Week of October 20. Newman, Richard. Freedom’s Prophet: Bishop Richard Allen, the AME Church, and the Black Founding Fathers. New York: New York University Press, 2008, 128-157; 209-300
October 27. Second midterm.
PART FOUR. 1880-2010. CATHOLICS, MUSLIMS, AND JEWS.
Week of November 3. Morris, Charles R. “Chapter Seven: God’s Bricklayer.” American Catholic. New York: Times Books, 1997. Byrne, Julie. O God of Players: The Story of the Immaculata Mighty Macs. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003, 1-112.
Week of November 10. Byrne, Julie. O God of Players: The Story of the Immaculata Mighty Macs. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003, 113-212.
Week of November 17. Third midterm.
Week of November 24. McCloud, Aminah Beverly. “Chapter Three: ‘This is a Muslim Home:’ Signs of Difference in the African American Row House.” In Making Muslim Space in North America and Europe edited by Barbara Daly Metcalf. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996. Trachtman, Ilana. Praying with Lior. FirstRun Features, 2009. DVD.
Week of December 1. No assigned readings.
Week of December 8. Final Examinations.