American sociologist Robert Bellah introduced the concept of "civil religion". In his book The Broken Covenant: American Civil Religion in Time of Trial (1975) he researched civil religion in the United States. Civil religion in America has two sources - religious in the Judeo-Christian tradition and secular, which is manifested in several value systems: liberalism, republicanism, utilitarianism, and patriotism. Civil religion in America is based on the mythologizing of US history - the exodus from the old homeland, the War of Independence, the creation of a republic, the Civil War, and reunification. This civil religion is maintained by public symbols - the anthem, the annual presidential speech, as well as through secular public holidays (Independence Day, Thanksgiving).

Robert Wuthnow, in his The Restructuring of American Religion (1988) states that there are two civil religions in the United States, and not one, as earlier sociologists believed. These two civil religions strictly follow the political divisions between the two main political parties in that country, so one civil religion is liberal (Democratic Party) and the other civil religion is conservative (Republican Party). This division of values ​​touches on many socio-political issues and intersects with almost every single denomination and church in the United States. Belonging to a liberal or conservative faction of a particular church or civil religion affects a person's lifestyle and spiritual and moral life more than belonging to any particular church.

Books:

Bellah. The Broken Covenant: American Civil Religion in Time of Trial (1975);

    -     Varieties of Civil Religion (1980);

Casanova, Jose.  Public Religions in the Modern World (1994);

Gehrig, G. American Civil Religion: An Assessment (1981);

Richey, R. E. & Jones, D. E. (Eds.) American Civil Religion (1974);

Wood, Richard.  Faith in Action (2002);

Wuthnow. The Restructuring of American Religion (1988).