At the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, the South and Midwest, the Ozarks and the Ouachita mountains, the plains and the prairies, America’s religions flow together and are remade. Bringing together experts in religious history, sociology, and medicine, Confluences: Religion, Health, and Diversity in Missouri shows that centuries before the first European colonists arrived at the confluence of the great rivers in what is now Missouri, the region’s indigenous inhabitants lived at the center of a transnational nexus for religious diversity and that, following the arrival of European settlers, religions have continuously shaped health and healing and informed Missouri’s regional identity. The contributors to this volume explore connections between religious affiliation, race, gender, ethnicity, epidemiology, and attitudes towards health and medicine in Missouri from the nineteenth century to the present day. They ask what role religious belief systems play in healthcare outcomes and offer important arguments for building a dialogue between faith communities and medical caregivers. Centering on Missouri as a site for religious transformation and diversity, this volume documents how religious perspectives shape contemporary America. Initial chapters outline the religious history of Missouri, relaying the history of medicine in the region before and after Missouri statehood. Subsequent essays document Missouri’s religious diversity by contemplating Native American, Asian American, and African American religious experiences in Missouri, intentionally recovering and respectfully contextualizing understudied events and forgotten individuals. The volume’s remaining essays consider religious responses to the Cholera, Influenza, and Covid-19 epidemics and show how Native American, Euro-American, and African American Missourians have transformed U.S. history and healthcare. Collectively, the essays in this book demonstrate that religious freedom, medical knowledge, and transnational encounters are woven into the historical fabric of the region. Featuring essays by experts in Religious Studies and Health Sciences, this volume will be of interest to scholars of religion, sociology, public health, and medicine, as well as readers more generally interested in the history and culture of Missouri.
