Civil religion in America

WmxE some have argued that Christianity is the national faith, and others that church and synagogue celebrate only the generalized religion of "the American Way of life," few have reahzed that there actually exists alongside of and rather clearly differentiated from the churches an elaborate and weU-institutionalized civil religion in America. This article argues not only that there is such a thing, but also that this reUgion?or perhaps better, this religious dimen sion?has its own seriousness and integrity and requires the same care in understanding that any other reUgion does.1