Welcome back to SNAFUBAR. This week, we are diving into the topic of military lingo, a way of speaking that is embedded into everyday life for former and current military personnel as well as for civilians.
Today we’re exploring the concept of American civil religion. This episode, like our Military Lingo episode, offers some insight into the deeper frameworks we’re using to shape our podcast. overall and, this episode will offer a deeper insight into a concept that, as we argue, really shapes the way the United States engages in warfare.
Not sure what we mean by American civil religion or do you have some questions about how it works and exists in our culture? This is the episode for you! Also, if you know or thing or two already, this is an informative conversation that will help put this topic into a larger context.
Today's episode is co-hosted by Sara Hart and our writer/researcher Roman Sotomayor. Roman has sat in Sara's classes as she has taught about American civil religion and their dynamic reflects their time in the classroom together.
SNAFUBAR is regularly hosted by Sara Hart, who teaches Religious Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, and Jeff Crane who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.
Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor (who also hosted today's episode)
SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.
Works Cited:
Haberski Jr. - God and War: American Civil Religion since 1945, 2012
Ebel - G.I. Messiahs: Soldiering, War, and American Civil Religion, 2015
Keeler - Sacred Soldier: The Dangers of Worshiping Warriors, 2024
Gorski - American Covenant: A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present, 2017
Bacevich - Paths of Dissent: Soldiers Speak Out Against America's Misguided Wars, 2022
Rousseau - The Social Contract, 1762
Bellah - Civil Religion in America, 1967
Prothero - The American Bible: How Our Words Unite, Divide, and Define a Nation, 2012
Hedges - I Don’t Believe in Atheists, 2021
De Tocqueville - Democracy in America, 1835
