Exploring the Interaction of Religion and Politics
Students in this semester’s Pulpit and Politics First Year Experience (FYE) program, taught by political science professor Dr. Brian Roberts and religion professor Dr. Gretchen Starr-LeBeau, are delving into the multifaceted interaction of religion and politics in American life. This program—one of eight FYE choices for freshmen—examines the complex religious landscape in the United States and some of the ways in which faith traditions have shaped the country. In addition, the knowledge students are gaining about religious traditions is informing their understanding of voting behavior and attitudes toward public policies—historically and in the current presidential election.
The course includes field trips to bring political and religious topics to life and provide context for what the students are reading. Visits to sacred spaces in the St. Louis area—including Catholic, Jewish, and Orthodox Christian sanctuaries—furnish a firsthand look at how various denominations have made a place for themselves in the U.S. Later in the semester, students will visit Independence, Missouri, to see the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum and three sites connected with the Mormon faith. “I'm grateful for the willingness of other religious communities to welcome us into their houses of worship and for the appreciative knowledge of other faith traditions that students gain," Starr-LeBeau says.
Customized Research Instruction and Hands-on Learning
All FYE courses have an interdisciplinary focus and are designed to develop skills essential for success in college, including writing, analytical reading, information literacy, quantitative reasoning, and critical thinking. Developing these skills as freshmen establishes a foundation for the research and writing assignments students will encounter throughout their academic program at Principia. FYE faculty collaborate with library staff, who design customized information literacy sessions for each FYE.
FYE courses also provide opportunities for hands-on learning. Along with students in two other political science classes and two mass communication classes, the Pulpit and Politics FYE will conduct exit polls at local precincts on November 8 and join in live coverage of election night results and analysis on Principia Internet Radio.
Although this FYE fulfills general education requirements, it is doing much more for freshman Shay Mackey, who plans to major in political science. “This FYE program is very eye-opening,” she says. “It is really interesting to see how people of other faiths practice their religion, learn about what is important to them, and study the ties between religion and politics. And the library instruction was super helpful as I wrote my first college research paper!”