Sacramental Politics: Religious Worship as Political Action (Frontiers in Political Communication)

Religion and politics have often been called taboo topics for polite dinner conversation, but in political campaigns and religious services, the two often mix. This book looks at how religious worship remains embedded with inherent political messages and behaviors, showing that conflicts between church and state exist not just in the public arena, but in each sanctuary and house of worship. To explore this religious-political tension, the book first examines more obvious examples of worship as political action, such as when candidates speak during church services or when political parties hold prayer services at party events. The initial analysis acts as a foundation for the idea of worship serving a political purpose, and is followed by analysis of non-partisan and less obvious political worship services. Religious sacraments (such as baptism, confirmation, communion/mass, and confession) function as key moments in which religious participants pledge allegiance to a power that resides outside Washington, D.C. or statehouses, thus highlighting the alternative political messages and space carved out through worship. Cover Table of Contents Acknowledgments Chapter 1. Religious Worship as Political Rhetoric? Doubly Taboo Transubstantiated Rhetoric Summary Notes Chapter 2. Religious Worship as Partisan Politics Party Faithful Conventional Prayers Bully Pulpit Freedom Isn’t Free Riot Act Summary Notes Chapter 3. Religious Worship as Public Policy Promotion Mourning in America Katrina Service 9/11 Service Church of the Rotunda Summary Notes Chapter 4. Religious Worship as Political Messaging Bishops and Pawns Altar Call Presidential Devotion Political Harangue Summary Notes Chapter 5. Religious Worship as Political Space Space Exploration Crossing Borders Hymn of Allegiance Third Way Space Summary Notes Chapter 6. Religious worship as inherent political action Shared Identity Picking from the Cotton Patch Common Politics Psalter at the Altar Summary Notes Chapter 7. Religious worship as politics This I Believe Summary of Sacramental Politics Benediction Notes Bibliography Index