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We use Supreme Court amicus curiae briefs filed by seven religious groups—four liberal and three conservative—to understand the changing nature of political conflict between American religious groups in the predominantly White Protestant tradition from 1969 to 2020. Religious groups on both sides of the ideological divide have increased the frequency of their amicus filings, and increasingly become involved in issue areas which were once primarily the concern of groups on the other side. These findings suggest that the culture war that redefined party politics in America has also shaped religious activism, including legal activism. We argue that these groups have increased their involvement in a wider range of issues for two reasons: their rivalry for influence over the nation's moral center has become more encompassing and overtly political, and their appreciation for and consciously developed ability to tap into the courts' influence on American politics has grown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses about role of foreign policy in national identity of United States. It evaluates the acceptance of constituents of American identity, like freedom or equality, acquired by actions and choices and how politics provide platform in their implementation. Americans use foreign policy to entrench and clarify existing social boundaries. While American identity evolve around governing construction of "freedom," the foreign policy is overlooked for shaping the meaning of freedom.

An essay is presented that argues that the concept of American religious mission was a prominent component of U.S. intervention in Cuba during the Spanish-American War in 1898. The article discusses religious culture in the U.S. and the origins of the Spanish-American War. It also discusses the political debate in the U.S. between Congress and then-U.S. president William McKinley, particularly the religious and moral aspects of the arguments.