Having thus traced our way from the ancient context to the medieval period, the focus then shifts to different forms of religious strife. We begin with the English reformation and the subsequent religious wars, including the long history of struggle with Scotland and Ireland, and the role of religion in the English Civil War. We would also look at England's own use of religion as a tool of empire in its overseas conquests. In this, we will pay special attention to the puritans in order to draw out the roots of the religious movement that would come to have so much impact on the founding and character of England's most successful colony – America.

The third unit will focus on the Victorian period, which of course overlaps with England's imperial era, but here the focus is on two other significant religious phenomena of the time. The first of these is the rise of science. On one hand, it can be argued that modern science began in, and was so important to, England because of its unique affinity with puritan ideology. On the other hand, it is also true that science was increasingly at odds with religious doctrine and authorities, as best exemplified in the furor over Darwin's theory of the origin of species. The second phenomenon of interest from this period is the wave of liberal religious and social reform, including, most famously, the abolition movement.

The fourth and final unit concerns modern religion in England. One aspect of this concerns secularization, A second has to do with increasing religious diversity in the country, especially with regard to immigration. Finally, the current state of church/state relations in England will be considered.

Each of these episodes maps nicely onto one or more classic topics in the sociology of religion, and lends itself to some great field trips. Two threads holding the whole thing together are 1) As the name suggests, to look at religion in somewhat political terms – at its use as a tool of empire, a base for religious resistance, and a spur to political action, and 2) A focus on using the English experience as a contrasting field against which to better make sense of America's own religious experience.

The University of South Alabama is a member of a consortium of 24 colleges and universities called the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (CCSA). The purpose of CCSA is to organize and administer study abroad programs in English speaking countries on behalf of the member institutions. Currently there are programs scheduled for London (winter and summer), Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Jamaica, Belize, Ghana, India and Hong Kong.