Ttc - Prof. Patrick N Allitt - American Religious History !exclusive! Jun 2026

The post-Civil War era, in Allitt’s framework, sees the rise of a new challenge: . The Scopes Trial of 1925 is a set piece here, representing the clash between agrarian fundamentalism and cosmopolitan modernism. But Allitt resists the urge to paint this as a war between science and religion. Instead, he shows it as a war within religion. Modernists like Harry Emerson Fosdick sought to reconcile faith with Darwin and higher biblical criticism, arguing that Christianity was about ethics and social progress. Fundamentalists retrenched, creating a parallel culture of Bible colleges and radio ministries. This schism created the political geography we recognize today—the "Bible Belt" versus the "unchurched" coasts.

Whether you are a believer, a skeptic, or simply a student of human nature, Prof. Allitt’s course is a pilgrimage worth taking. Do not just read about the Great Awakenings. Do not just skim the Wikipedia page for the Scopes Trial. Sit in the virtual lecture hall. Listen to the professor. You will never look at a small-town church steeple or a megachurch parking lot the same way again. TTC - Prof. Patrick N Allitt - American Religious History