Politics and Religion in the United States

by Corbett, Michael; Corbett, Julia Mitchell; Hemeyer, Julia Corbett

• ISBN13: 9780815331438
• ISBN10: 0815331436
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-12-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This important book examines the ways in which politics and religion have interacted with each other in the United States from the days of the early colonial period through the 1990s. Unique in the way it sets the contemporary discussion of politics and religion in the larger context of the entire scope of U.S. history, this book traces significant themes over time showing students how the events of the 1990s have their roots in a long process of development. In addition, this volume offers students and teachers an excellent means of keeping up with contemporary developments virtually as rapidly as they occur. The authors have developed their own World Wide Web site to be used in conjunction with the book. This site offers a large variety of relevant links and includes an update area in which important new developments will be posted. Moreover, each chapter of the book has references to several relevant Web sites.

Table of Contents

Preface	xvii
The Politics and Religion Website	xxi
Introduction	1	(2)
Religion and Politics: Working Definitions	3	(4)
Definition of Religion	3	(2)
Definition of Politics	5	(2)
Religion and Politics: Their Roles in Human Life	7	(3)
The Roles of Religion	7	(1)
The Roles of Politics	8	(1)
Religion and Politics: Common Concerns	8	(2)
A Typology of Views on the Proper Relationship of Religion and Politics	10	(1)
Complete Domination: Theocracy and Secular Suppression of Religion	10	(11)
Establishments of Religion	13	(3)
The Separation of Church and State	16	(3)
American Civil Religion	19	(2)
Summary and Conclusions	21	(1)
Important Terms	22	(1)
Review Questions	22	(1)
Discussion Questions	22	(1)
References	23	(4)
PART I Religion and History
The Colonial Experience	27	(24)
Overview	27	(2)
Some Qualifications About the Examination of Colonial America	29	(1)
The Massachusetts Bay Colony: Puritans	30	(7)
Motives for the Colony	30	(1)
The Covenant	31	(1)
The Elect and Citizenship	32	(1)
Puritan Intolerance	33	(1)
The Erosion of Puritanism	34	(1)
Puritanism's Legacy	35	(2)
The Other British Colonies	37	(4)
Plymouth: The Pilgrims	37	(1)
Rhode Island and Religious Liberty	38	(1)
Religious Pluralism in the Middle Colonies	39	(1)
The Southern Colonies	40	(1)
The Great Awakening	41	(3)
Solomon Stoddard (1643--1729) and Jonathan Edwards (1703--1758)
George Whitefield (1714--1770)	43	(1)
Effects of the Great Awakening	43	(1)
Rational Religion	44	(2)
The European Enlightenment in the Colonies	44	(1)
Enlightenment Religion	45	(1)
Rational Religion and Revolutionary Politics	46	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	46	(1)
Important Terms	47	(1)
Review Questions	47	(1)
Discussion Questions	47	(1)
For Further Reading	48	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	48	(1)
References	49	(2)
Religion and Politics: Intentions of the Founders	51	(36)
Overview	51	(2)
The Revolutionary Era	53	(7)
Overview of Events	53	(2)
Rationalists and Pietists in the Revolutionary Coalition	55	(1)
Pietists	55	(1)
Religious Rationalists	55	(1)
Deism	56	(1)
The Basis of the Coalition	57	(1)
Wrapping the Revolution in Religion	57	(1)
The Declaration of Independence	58	(2)
The Founders	60	(8)
Thomas Jefferson (1743--1826)	60	(2)
James Madison (1751--1836)	62	(2)
George Washington (1723--1799)	64	(1)
Benjamin Franklin (1706--1790)	65	(1)
John Adams (1735--1826)	66	(1)
Brief Comments on Other Founders	67	(1)
Establishment and Disestablishment in the States	68	(8)
Establishments in the States	68	(3)
Disestablishment and Religious Liberty in Virginia	71	(5)
Religious Clauses in the United States Constitution	76	(5)
The Unamended Constitution	76	(2)
Adding the Bill of Rights	78	(3)
Summary and Conclusions	81	(2)
Important Terms	83	(1)
Review Questions	83	(1)
Discussion Questions	84	(1)
For Further Reading	84	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	85	(1)
References	85	(2)
Religion and Politics in United States History, 1800--1959	87	(26)
Overview	87	(1)
Background	88	(4)
The Benevolent Empire	89	(1)
Revival and Perfectionism	89	(1)
The Social Gospel Movement	90	(1)
The Climate of Crisis and Its Results	91	(1)
Religion and the Slavery Question	92	(4)
Both Sides Cited the Bible	92	(1)
Denominational Differences	93	(2)
Long-Term Effects	95	(1)
Religion, Temperance, and Prohibition	96	(2)
A Protestant Crusade	97	(1)
Women and Prohibition	98	(1)
The Churches and Broad Programs for Social Reform	98	(2)
The ``Bishops' Program of Social Reconstruction''	99	(1)
The Social Ideals of the Churches	99	(1)
Religious Liberals, Conservatives, and Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal	100	(1)
Religion, Peace, and War	101	(8)
Three Approaches to War	101	(3)
Attitudes Toward Particular Wars	104	(5)
Summary and Conclusions	109	(1)
Important Terms	110	(1)
Review Questions	110	(1)
Discussion Questions	110	(1)
For Further Reading	111	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	111	(1)
References	112	(1)
Religion and Politics Since 1960	113	(38)
Overview	113	(2)
The Decade of the Sixties	115	(3)
The Civil Rights Movement	115	(1)
The War in Southeast Asia and Questioning the ``Establishment''	115	(1)
Murders and Moral Mayhem	116	(1)
Technology Outstripping Ethics	117	(1)
Religious Lobbies in Washington	118	(8)
Liberal Protestants	118	(2)
Fundamentalists	120	(1)
Catholics	121	(2)
Jews	123	(2)
Evangelical Protestants	125	(1)
Black Evangelicals	126	(1)
Politics, Religion, and Civil Rights	126	(4)
King's Approach	127	(2)
A Diversity of Views	129	(1)
The New Christian Right	130	(6)
The Emergence of the New Christian Right	130	(2)
The New Christian Right and the Republican Party	132	(1)
The Evolution of the New Christian Right	133	(2)
The New Christian Right and the Heritage of Puritanism	135	(1)
Conservatives and Social Action	136	(1)
The Religiously Conservative Social Progressives: Stands on the Issues	136	(1)
Christian Television	137	(4)
A Dramatic Shift: 1960 and Beyond	138	(1)
Conservative Religion and Modern Technology: Natural Partners	138	(1)
Christian Television Summarized	139	(1)
The Meaning of Conservative Christian Television	140	(1)
Christian Television: Personalities and Politics	141	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	141	(1)
Important Terms	142	(1)
Review Questions	143	(1)
Discussion Questions	143	(1)
For Further Reading	143	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	144	(1)
References	145	(6)
PART II Religion and the First Amendment
The Establishment Clause	151	(28)
Overview	151	(1)
Background and Context	152	(5)
The First Amendment and Religious Liberty	152	(2)
Developments Since the First Amendment	154	(2)
Three Types of Cases	156	(1)
``Congress Shall Make No Law Respecting an Establishment of Religion''	157	(4)
Three Principles for Establishment Clause Cases	157	(2)
Major Establishment Cases	159	(2)
Government Aid to Religiously Sponsored Primary and Secondary Schools	161	(3)
The Aid Must Be Available to All Students	161	(1)
Aid Should Not Be Paid Directly to the School	162	(1)
Excessive Entanglement and Paying for Personnel	163	(1)
There Must Be No Religious Content Involved	164	(1)
Religious Activities in Public Schools	164	(3)
Devotional Activities	164	(2)
Creation and Evolution	166	(1)
Equal Access	167	(1)
Religious Activities and Post-Secondary Education	167	(3)
Monetary Aid	168	(1)
Equal Access	169	(1)
Other Establishment Clause Cases	170	(3)
Taxation and Entanglement	170	(1)
Holiday Displays	171	(2)
Summary and Conclusions	173	(1)
Important Terms	174	(1)
Review Questions	174	(1)
Discussion Questions	175	(1)
For Further Reading	175	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	176	(1)
References	176	(3)
The Free Exercise Clause	179	(40)
Overview	179	(2)
Perspectives on Interpretation of the Free Exercise Clause	181	(1)
In the Beginning: Reynolds v. United States	182	(2)
Belief and Action	182	(1)
Secular Regulation Rule	183	(1)
Conscientious Objection and Religiously Motivated Action	184	(3)
World War I and the Selective Service Act of 1940	184	(1)
The Universal Millitary Training and Service Act	185	(1)
The Evolution of the Definitions of Conscientious Objection	185	(2)
Jehovah's Witnesses, Evangelism, and the Free Exercise of Religion	187	(5)
The Witnesses and the Pledge of Allegiance	187	(3)
Door-to-Door Evangelism and Literature Distribution	190	(1)
Other Witnesses Cases	191	(1)
Sabbatarians, Saturday Work Exemptions, and Title VII	192	(5)
``Blue Laws''	193	(1)
Sherbert and the Compelling Interest Test	194	(1)
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Religious Discrimination in the Workplace	195	(1)
Religious Discrimination Compared with Racial or Gender Discrimination	196	(1)
Religious Employers and the Law	197	(1)
Native Americans, Sacred Lands, and National Parks	197	(2)
Background	197	(2)
The American Indian Religious Freedom Act	199	(1)
Native Americans, Peyote, Woody, and Smith	199	(8)
Background	199	(1)
Oregon v. Smith and the Reversal of the Compelling Interest Test	200	(3)
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act	203	(4)
Establishment and Free Exercise: Conflicting or Complementary?	207	(3)
Tension Between the Clauses	207	(2)
An Illustrative Case	209	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	210	(1)
Important Terms	211	(1)
Review Questions	212	(1)
Discussion Questions	212	(1)
For Further Reading	213	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	213	(1)
References	214	(5)
PART III RELIGION AND PUBLIC OPINION
Public Opinion About Religion and Politics	219	(36)
Overview	219	(1)
The Public's Abstract Views on Church-State Relations	220	(3)
The Public's Abstract Attitudes Toward Religious Establishment	221	(1)
The Public's Abstract Attitudes Toward Religious Free Exercise	222	(1)
The Public's Concrete Views on Church-State Relations	223	(10)
Establishment Issues	223	(3)
Free Exercise Issues	226	(4)
Free Exercise Views versus Establishment Views	230	(3)
A Case in Point: Public Attitudes About Prayer and Religious Observance in Public Schools	233	(3)
Elite Views on Church and State	236	(11)
Elite Attitudes Toward Prayer in Public Schools	237	(4)
Elite Views on Abstract Establishment Issues	241	(2)
Elite Views on Concrete Establishment Issues	243	(2)
Elite Views on Concrete Religious Free Exercise Issues	245	(2)
Summary and Conclusions	247	(3)
Important Terms	250	(1)
Review Questions	250	(1)
Discussion Questions	251	(1)
For Further Reading	252	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	252	(1)
References	253	(2)
Religious Orientations and Political Orientations Among White Americans	255	(42)
Overview	255	(1)
Sources and Limitations of Links Between Religion and Politics	256	(4)
Why Are Religious and Political Orientations Linked?	256	(2)
Why Aren't Religious-Political Links Stronger?	258	(2)
Political and Religious Orientations Used Here	260	(3)
NORC GSS Surveys	260	(1)
Political Orientations	261	(1)
Religious Orientations	262	(1)
Political Attitudes and Religious Identifications	263	(12)
``Nones''	264	(3)
Jews	267	(2)
Catholics	269	(2)
Mainline Protestants	271	(2)
Evangelical Protestants	273	(2)
Biblical Literalism and Political Orientations	275	(7)
Biblical Literalism, Political Identifications, and Voting	275	(3)
Biblical Literalism and Political Issues	278	(4)
Religious Commitment and Political Orientations	282	(5)
The Meaning and Measurement of Religious Commitment	282	(3)
Religious Commitment, Political Identifications, and Voting Preferences	285	(1)
Political Issues by Religious Commitment	286	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	287	(4)
Important Terms	291	(1)
Review Questions	291	(1)
Discussion Questions	292	(1)
For Further Reading	292	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	293	(1)
References	293	(4)
Religion and Politics Among Black Americans	297	(38)
Overview	297	(1)
Historical Development of the Black Church	298	(8)
Black Religion During Slavery	299	(2)
Black Religion from Reconstruction to the Great Urban Migration	301	(1)
Black Religion from the Great Urban Migration to the Civil Rights Period	302	(1)
Black Religion in the Civil Rights Period	303	(1)
The Black Church in Politics Today	304	(2)
Relgious-Political Challenges to the Black Church	306	(5)
Black Liberation Theology	307	(1)
Islam	308	(3)
Black Religion: Opiate or Inspiration?	311	(4)
The Opiate View	312	(1)
The Inspiration View	313	(2)
Race Differences in Religious and Political Attitudes	315	(5)
Religious Differences	316	(1)
Political Differences	317	(3)
Links Between Religious and Political Attitudes Among Black Americans	320	(5)
Religious Group Identification	320	(1)
Biblical Literalism	321	(1)
Religious Commitment	322	(3)
Summary and Conclusions	325	(3)
Important Terms	328	(1)
Review Questions	328	(1)
Discussion Questions	329	(1)
For Further Reading	330	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	330	(1)
References	331	(4)
PART IV Effects of Religious Influences in Politics
Religious Groups as Political Interest Groups	335	(48)
Overview	335	(1)
Increasing Diversity of Religious Interest Groups	336	(1)
Strategies of Interest Groups	337	(6)
Referendum Voting	337	(1)
Shaping Public Opinion	338	(1)
Grassroots Efforts	338	(1)
Media Efforts	339	(1)
Seeking Public Office	340	(1)
Electoral Campaign Efforts	340	(2)
Lobbying	342	(1)
Court Cases	342	(1)
Protest	343	(1)
Types of Religious Interest Groups	343	(3)
Church-Based Groups versus Individual Membership Groups	343	(1)
Strengths and Limitations of Each	344	(2)
Lobbying by Religious Interest Groups	346	(9)
Legal Limitations on Political Activities of Religious Interest Groups	346	(1)
General Strategies of Lobbying	347	(3)
Coalitions	350	(1)
Distinctiveness of Religious Lobbying	351	(1)
Lobbying Co-religionists in Public Office	352	(1)
Access	353	(1)
Effectiveness of Religious Lobbying	354	(1)
Representativeness of Religious Leaders	355	(3)
The Gap Between Mainline Protestant Clergy and Church Members	355	(1)
Delegate Role Versus Trustee Role of Church Leaders	356	(1)
Increased Representativeness of Religious Lobbyists	357	(1)
Jewish Interest Groups	358	(2)
Mainline Protestant Groups	360	(2)
Catholic Groups	362	(3)
Conservative Protestant Groups: Evangelicals and the New Christain Right:	365	(9)
Evangelical Groups	366	(1)
The New Christian Right (NCR)	367	(7)
Summary and Conclusions	374	(2)
Important Terms	376	(1)
Review Questions	376	(1)
Discussion Questions	376	(1)
For Further Reading	377	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	378	(1)
References	378	(5)
The Debate on the Role of Religion in Public Life	383	(34)
Overview	383	(2)
The Role of Religion in Public Life: Four Theoretical Views	385	(1)
The High Wall of Separation	386	(4)
The Absoluteness of Religion and the Civility of Public Discourse	386	(1)
Not Just Different, but Incompatible Premises	387	(1)
Humanist Manifesto II and A Secular Humanist Declaration	388	(1)
American Atheists and the Freedom from Religion Foundation	388	(1)
Normative or Inevitable?	389	(1)
Mixing Religion and Politics Is Bad for Religion	390	(3)
A Baptist Voice	390	(1)
The Success of a Free Market	390	(1)
The Danger of Idolatry	391	(1)
That Which God Hath Not Joined	391	(2)
A Working Partnership I: Religion as a Necessary Support for Democracy	393	(4)
The Inadequacy of Secular Value Systems	394	(1)
Christian Faith and Democratic Values	395	(1)
A Broad Consensus of Essential Values	396	(1)
Religion as a Necessary Mediating Structure	397	(4)
Religion as an Alternative to the Liberal Democratic Order	397	(1)
The Naked Public Square	398	(1)
A Culture of Disbelief?	399	(2)
A Working Partnership II: The Church and the Maintenance of Civil Order	401	(1)
Christian Reconstructionism in Outline	402	(1)
So How Is the Church to Be Involved? A Composite Proposal	402	(2)
``Culture War'': Two Religious Cultures at Odds	404	(4)
The Two Opposing Camps	405	(2)
The Culture War and the Civil Religion	407	(1)
Common Ground Politics: A New Politics Beyond Left and Right?	408	(2)
Three Premises	408	(1)
Practical Implications	409	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	410	(1)
Important Terms	411	(1)
Review Questions	411	(1)
Discussion Questions	412	(1)
For Further Reading	412	(2)
Relevant World Wide Websites	414	(1)
References	414	(3)
Conclusion	417	(32)
Politics and Religion: A Common Concern with Values	417	(2)
Culture Wars ... And Beyond?	419	(1)
The Proper Role of Religion: Private, Public, or Both?	420	(1)
Interpreting the Religion Clauses	420	(1)
Religion Variables as Predictors of Political Attitudes and Identifications	421	(1)
Religious Groups as Political Interest Groups	422	(1)
The Millennium	422	(1)
A Secular or Religious Nation?	422	(3)
APPENDICES
Appendix A Profiles of Religious Groups in the United States	425	(18)
Overview	425	(1)
Religious Identification	425	(1)
The Judeo-Christian Tradition	426	(1)
The Predominant Majority: Christianity	427	(1)
Protestant Christians	428	(2)
Catholic Christians	430	(1)
Jews in the United States	431	(2)
Secular and Nominally Religious Persons	433	(1)
The Changing Shape of Religion in the United States: Liberals and Conservatives	434	(1)
Fundamentalist Christains	435	(1)
Christain Liberals	436	(1)
Christian Conservatives or Moderates	437	(1)
Other Religions in the United States	438	(1)
Latter-day Saints (Mormons)	438	(1)
Other World Religions in the United States	439	(2)
For Further Reading	441	(1)
Relevant World Wide Websites	441	(1)
References	441	(2)
Appendix B Further Information About NORC GSS Question Wording	443	(6)
Political Tolerance Questions	443	(1)
Social Issues	444	(1)
Abortion	445	(1)
Racial Equality	445	(1)
Sexual Equality	445	(1)
Support for Social Welfare	446	(1)
Religious Commitment	446	(3)
Index	449