Religion and Politics in America

The 7th edition of Religion and Politics in America includes thorough coverage of religion’s relevance to current American politics, in particular: Donald Trump’s presence on the American political stage, the experience of the pandemic, the advancement of socially conservative public policy through legislation and the federal courts, and the overwhelming influence of social media. The book traces the historical development of religious ideas from the Social Gospel to Christian Nationalism, connecting these belief systems with current political dynamics and polarization. Emphasis is placed on how religious freedom, pluralism, and diversity help drive the vibrancy of American religion while also increasing political conflict between religious groups and belief systems.As the percentage of Americans disconnecting from traditional religion has risen dramatically over the past few decades, so have religious innovation and new expressions of religious faith. Many people of faith today are drawn to the idea that the United States should return to Christian roots, whether real or imagined, as religion recedes from the public square. Others are attracted to beliefs such as the Prosperity Gospel, which connects material wealth to faith and finds a manifestation of that promise in Donald Trump. Amid demographic changes, battles over immigration and globalization, and increased distrust in secular experts, religion plays a key role in explaining Americans’ political identities, beliefs, and values. It helps Americans determine who they are, what their country is and should be, and how to organize to protect their interests.In light of this backdrop, this book examines how the competing trends of secularization and religious nationalism undergird battles over policy, partisanship, and identity. The book covers the various ways in which religion is shaping, and being shaped by, the arrival of new immigrants; and how religion intersects with the traditional politics of race and ethnicity. On a similar note, the book considers the complex relationships between organized religion and the increasingly visible LGBTQ+ community, particularly in debates about the treatment and rights of transgender people. This new edition of the book also includes enhanced coverage of how scholars approach the study of religion and politics. It adds to the previous treatment of theoretical approaches to the field by considering classical sociological theory and rational choice. A new chapter about how scholars conceive of and measure “religion” has been added, and among other changes, the book expands coverage of the influence of religion on public opinion, especially in a new, dedicated chapter on the matter.Religion and Politics in America will appeal to students and scholars of American politics, sociology, and religious history. This book will also be of use to journalists, policymakers, and clergy seeking to understand why and how religion remains politically significant in the United States.