A New Religious America: How a "Christian Country" Has Become the World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation

Diana Eck's book, A New Religious America is an eye-opener. After studying how religious diversity plays out socially and spiritually in India, she discovered that the United States is now the most religiously diverse nation in the world. She launched the Pluralism Project to study this phenomenon, a project that continues. This book is both a status report on religion in America and an appeal for moving from tolerance through recognition of diversity to pluralism--the idea that we need to know about one another's spiritual lives and traditions to be mature, and even wise, citizens. For Eck, the religious freedom free from government favor or coercion envisaged by the Founding Fathers is a gift that has expanded far beyond anything they could have thought. Her exploration of the varieties of religious traditions in America, and of the diversity within each tradition, is a giant step in genuine understanding. A highlight of her accessible, easily readable survey is her explanations of how these traditions are affecting American religious consciousness, and how American religious freedom is affecting the newer traditions that come here. Something wholly new is emerging in this country, and Eck captures its present moment and awakens us to a world right around us that we can easily fail to see.

This an eck-cellent book, if I may say so. The author provides a detailed and sensitive view of how America has become a religiously pluralist society. At times the detail was more than I needed. Ms. Eck wants to give a thorough picture of the religious diversity not only of America, but also of the major religions which are part of our society. She provides in depth descriptions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, and shows that each of these religions has many strands, and that each religion is developing its own American flavor. In her effort to be thorough, however, she includes so much detail that I found the reading to be heavy sledding at times. Nonetheless, this is a valuable book which added significantly to my appreciation of each of the religions described.

Excellent beginning overview of Religions in America (mainstream major religions at least) -- diversity within each major tradition, regional differences. impact of U.S. cultural dynamics on religious practice in the U.S. (including differences between first generation immigrant practices and communities of practice from U.S.-generated versions of various religions). Required a great deal of supplementation, but her Pluralism Project and example of respectful field work in varied faith communities with undergrad and grad students both at the Harvard Pluralism Project and as applied in this text facilitates that expansion of collaborative teaching-learning.

The physical appearance of the book had a lot of highlightings and underlinings but overall the book was in great condition and the material is very interesting. A great book for anyone to read, especially in this day and age where we live in a society of freedom of religion and there are so many different faiths. Great educational and conversational book!! Just make sure you have your dictionary on hand, the writer is sometimes difficult to understand because of the vocabulary and literature she uses. Not an "easy read" book.

Diana Eck is well know for her work and research in the field of diversity and the ever changing culture in the United States and the world today. This is a very important read for those who want to understand the every changing fabric of America today.

Lots of good stuff but needs a bit of an update

Had a useful perspective on some of the religions of the world and their history. I would not have chosen to read this on my own, but it did make the class more interesting.

got it for school

Ms Eck is an excellent writer on this subject (see her book on Banaras). It shows aspects of American history I knew nothing about before, and that the religious situation there was far more complex than I imagined.Thoroughly recommended for anyone interested in the relationships between religions.