Religious History

The Religious History Community

The Religious History Affinity Community provides a forum in which the history of all faith communities may be shared, understood, and appreciated. Additionally, the group serves as a resource for sharing best practices in research, interpretation, and exhibition of religious history, particularly for those organizations with minimal experience in these areas.

Membership in the community is open to any member of the AASLH community, particularly those with an interest in religious history. The group seeks a broad representation of faith communities, institutions, and geographic locals in order to enhance and diversify its membership. You can read more about our history here.

Raising Awareness

Since the early days of the colonization that would become the United States, religion played a role in crafting the character of both people and places. The Religious History Community works to increase the visibility of the role religion and faith played in state and local history and to provide support to institutions in interpreting and sharing this complex and often volatile aspect of their past.

Religious History Committee

The AASLH Religious History Affinity Community is led by the following committee:

Susan Fletcher, Chair (2020-2022)
The Navigators, Colorado Springs, CO
susan.fletcher@navigators.org

Charlene Fletcher (2021-2023)
Conner Prairie, Fishers, IN
fletcher@connerprairie.org

Jean Kilheffer Hess (2019-2023)
Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Lancaster, PA
director@lmhs.org

Chana Kotzin (2022-2024)
Benjamin and Dr Edgar R. Cofeld Judaic Museum, Temple Beth Zion, Buffalo, NY
museum@tbz.org

Melody Smith (2020-2024)
Vancouver, WA
melodysmith.x2@gmail.com

AASLH Staff Contact
Matt Arthur
arthur@aaslh.org
615-320-3203

Religious History Resources

Keep up with religious history blogs on the AASLH blog.

Browse religious history resources in the AASLH Resource Center.

Recent religious history publications from AASLH:

Interpreting Religion at Museums and Historic Sites
Edited by Gretchen Buggeln and Barbara Franco
2018

Interpreting American Jewish History at Museums and Historic Sites
By Avi Y. Decter
2016