TFF3225 ¨C America's Religious Road to Trump

Course content

American Evangelical Christians have overwhelmingly supported President Donald J. Trump in all three of his presidential races, despite conduct and demeanour that (on the surface) seem quite at odds with Evangelical values. For decades Evangelicals have promoted the importance of honesty, fidelity in marriage, and "traditional family values" in the public sphere. Supporting a twice-divorced casino magnate who has been accused of deplorable conduct both personally and professionally seems at odds with their worldview. In this course we will investigate to what extent white Evangelical support for Trump represents an aberration and/or point of consistency with respect to their values and theo-political orientation. Why has a majority of this religious demographic been so supportive of Trump? What issues, theologies, and values have mobilized them politically both in the past and in the present? We will explore political engagement and advocacy amongst Evangelical Christians in the United States to understand the racial, gender, and religious issues that have galvanized them both in the past and the present. By situating the Evangelical movement within the history of both Christianity and America, our lectures and discussions will unpack key events in the Trump era (e.g., the three election cycles, the Access Hollywood tapes, his supreme court appointments, the capitol riots, etc.). While the bulk of the course will focus on Trump¡¯s positive reception in Evangelical spaces, we will also explore anti-Trump rhetoric in these communities, demonstrating the contested nature of what it means to "be Evangelical" in the United States today.

Our course will approach the material with a feminist historical lens, drawing on insights from gender history and feminist theology, with particular attention paid to theories of power, interrogating primary sources, and critically assessing scholarly interpretations of the Trump era. The focus will be on understanding evangelicalism¡¯s theologies, politics, and subcultural features and how these intersect with discourses of race, class, gender, and nationalism.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

• Understand key events and figures central to the history of religious political organizing in the of the United States and in the recent Trump era

• Recognize the meaning and significance of theological and political concepts and practices

• Develop further knowledge of tools and practices for analysing and critically assessing primary texts as pieces of historical evidence

• Skills

• Evaluate historical arguments found in both scholarly and popular secondary sources

• Identify, assess, and apply historical thinking concepts such as historical significance, historical perspectives, continuity and change, ethical considerations, and cause and effect

• Generate various forms of scholarly writing appropriate to the master¡¯s-level

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This course is offered on both Bachelor's and Master's level. The Master's level syllabus will be more comprehensive than that of the Bachelor's level, and a higher level of knowledge and reflection will be expected from the Master students at the written exam, compared to the Bachelor's level students.

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

Students enrolled in other Master`s Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Students studying at master¡¯s level on the Theology Programme and Teacher Education Programme may apply to the course by sending an email to TF Information Centre by the same deadlines as for course registration for bachelor courses at TF.

Teaching

This course is taught through a combination of lectures, discussions, and independent reading and research. Active participation in class is expected throughout the term, as well as the following assignments.

Mandatory activities:

• Primary source analysis & critique (approximately 750 words)

• Critical reflection on a course reading, paired with the facilitation of an in-class discussion of the assigned reading (20 minute discussion, 750-1000 word reflection)

• Annotated bibliography, outline, and draft introduction of a term paper to be submitted partway through the term

• Consultation with the instructor for feedback on the submitted draft (approximately 20 minutes)

Examination

Term paper, 3000-4000 words.

Language of examination

Your term paper must be submitted in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• How to use AI as a student
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.