Civil Religion

• Bellah cooked the term civil religion as he said there was a ’faith in americanism’
• Civil religion can involve shared traditions, rituals, symbols and places of worship that are not specifically religious
• The Bill of Rights promotes value consensus
• Thanksgiving promotes collective worship
• Shils and Young argued rituals sorrounding the British Monarchy are also instances of civil religion in the UK
• Marxists argues civil religion makes people feel united but is the opium of the masses
• Turner said the coronation can envoke national pride but doesnt show they cause societal stability