Sincerely Held: American Secularism and Its Believers

Sincerely Held is a novel that explores the relationship between sincerity, religious freedom, and the secular in the United States. It traces the history of how the "sincerity test" of religious belief became the primary standard for determining what legally counts as authentic religion. The book analyzes a diverse archive, including Herman Melville's novel The Confidence-Man, vice-suppressing police, Spiritualist women accused of being fortune-tellers, eclectic conscientious objectors, secularization theorists, Black revolutionaries, and anti-LGBTQ litigants. It asks why sincerity has come to matter so much in a supposedly "post-truth" era.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 08 April 2022
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Sincerely Held: The Relationship between Sincerity, Religious Freedom, and the Secular in the United States

In recent years, the phrase "sincerely held religious belief" has gained significant prominence in discussions surrounding American religious freedom. It has become a cornerstone of US jurisprudence, shaping the understanding of what constitutes legitimate grounds for First Amendment claims. In his book, Sincerely Held, Charles McCrary offers an original account of how sincerely held religious belief emerged as the primary standard for determining authentic religion.

McCrary skillfully traces the interconnected histories of American sincerity, religion, and secularism, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century. He analyzes a diverse range of sources, including Herman Melville's novel The Confidence-Man, vice-suppressing police, Spiritualist women accused of fortune-telling, eclectic conscientious objectors, secularization theorists, Black revolutionaries, and anti-LGBTQ litigants. Through this comprehensive analysis, McCrary reveals how sincerity and sincerely held religious belief have evolved as technologies of secular governance, shaping the criteria for receiving state protections.

This fresh perspective on secularism in the United States invites further reflection on the role of sincerity in public life and religious studies scholarship. It raises questions about why sincerity has become so crucial in a supposedly "post-truth" era. McCrary's book provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics between religion, secularism, and the state, contributing to our understanding of these important issues.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226817934