The American Spiritual Culture : And the Invention of Jazz, Football, and the Movies

Americans are perhaps the most openly and energetically religious of all the people among the developed nations. Americans are religious in all the obvious ways, belonging to churches, synagogues and mosques as well as nurturing private spiritualities. But they are religious also in public ways, aiming to find a standard large enough to frame their common life and to judge them and their country. In this book, now in paperback, William Dean describes the spiritual culture that is grounded in the emerging American story. He also explores the concept of God (or the "Ultimate") that is central to that story - a concept that is reflected in contemporary American culture, including popular culture.