The Political Influence of Churches (Cambridge Studies in Social Theory, Religion and Politics)

Djupe and Gilbert investigate the political influence of church and how membership in organized religious bodies shapes the political life of members. Djupe and Gilbert's goal in this inquiry is to re-center scholarly attention on the voluntary association as an essential element of American civic and political life. They develop a theoretical framework that captures the multifaceted elements of church life that affect individual political attitudes and actions. Political information from clergy, small groups, and social networks flows plentifully in churches, but individuals process that information differently depending on their motivations related to their status in the church. Articulating a more fully specified model of how associations expose individuals to political information and norms will help us understand the political opinions and behavior of citizens and the contribution of that pattern to sustaining democracy. Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgments Introduction: A Theory of Religious Influence on Political Behavior Church Involvement and Political Behavior Church-Centered Paths to Political Life Five Factors Shaping Citizen Political Behavior Formal and Informal Social Networks The Church Environment Orienting Forces Personal Attributes and Resources Sociological and Historical Perspectives on the Congregation Organization of the Book CHAPTER 1 Social Networks and Church Structure: Congregations, Small Groups, Informal Contacts The Data: Linking Churches, Clergy, and Members Why a Denominational Study? Why Study These Denominations? Issues of Generalizability Information Conduits within Congregations Small Group Characteristics The Discussant Universe Discussion CHAPTER 2 Clergy Influences and Religious Commitment Reconsidered: Reconciling Old and New Influences on Political Behavior The Influence of Clergy Congregant Misperception of Clergy Cues: An Initial Examination The Determinants of Church Member Misperception of Clergy Cues Personal Attentiveness Access to Information Attitudinal Barriers Evaluating the Influence of Clergy Reconsidering Religious Commitment: Theoretical Foundations Identity Questions Message Uniformity Questions Empirical Results Questions Reconsidering Religious Commitment: Empirical Explorations Political Opinions of ELCA and Episcopalian Church members The Constituent Elements of Religious Group Opinions Discussion and Conclusion CHAPTER 3 Church-Centered Influences on Public Opinion Issue Importance Social Influence in Agenda Setting The Agendas of Church Members Multivariate Tests of Church Influences on Issue Agendas Estimating Member Issue Importance Church Member Agenda Distance from the Church Results Determinants of Issue Importance: A Summary Formation of Political Opinions The Determinants of Opinion Gay Rights Abortion Environmental Protection Determinants of Opinion: A Summary The Effects of Congregational Status Effects of Congregational Status: A Summary The Determinants of Cohesion The Effect of Issue Importance The Effect of Partisan Status Determinants of Cohesion: A Summary Group Evaluations Group Evaluations: A Summary Conclusion CHAPTER 4 The Resourceful Believer: Generating Civic Skills in Church Churches and Civic Resources A Theory of Civic Skill Generation Church Formal and Informal Networks Church Environment Orienting Forces Personal Attributes and Resources Civic Skills Practiced in Church The Nature of Small Group Heterogeneity Multivariate Analysis of Civic Skill Building within Congregations The Effects of Church Formal and Informal Social Networks Effects of the Church Environment The Effects of Orienting Forces Effects of Personal Attributes Conclusion CHAPTER 5 The Construction of Political Mobilization in Churches Religion and Political Participation Social Influences on Political Activity Churches and Political Activity Measures of Political Participation Recruiting Political Activists in Church Church Political Small Group Effects on Recruitment Partisan Status Effects on Recruitment Determinants of Political Recruitment: A Summary The Production of Political Activists in Church Church Political Small Group Effects on Political Activity Partisan Status Effects on Political Activity Conclusion CHAPTER 6 Present but Not Accounted for?: Churches, Institutional Treatment, and Gender Differences in Civic Resources Gendered Patterns of Civic Resource Acquisition Civic Skills Political Recruitment Determinants of Civic Resource Acquisition Social Network Composition The Role of Clergy Community Orientations: Belief and Activity Isolation Multivariate Models Civic Skill Practice Recruitment into Politics Conclusions CHAPTER 7 Conclusion Participatory versus Deliberative Democracy Application of These Results The State of Religion and Politics Theory Appendix: Variable Coding References Index

Djupe and Gilbert investigate the political influence of church: how membership in organized religious bodies shapes the political life of members. Djupe and Gilbert’s goal in this inquiry is to re-center scholarly attention on the voluntary association as an essential element of American civic and political life. They develop a theoretical framework that captures the multifaceted elements of church life that affect individual political attitudes and actions. Political information from clergy, small groups, and social networks flows plentifully in churches, but individuals process that information differently depending on their motivations related to their status in the church. Articulating a more fully specified model of how associations expose individuals to political information and norms will help us understand the political opinions and behavior of citizens and the contribution of that pattern to sustaining democracy.

Djupe and Gilbert investigate how membership in organized religious bodies shapes the political life of members. They develop a theoretical framework that captures the multifaceted elements of church life that combine to affect individual political attitudes and actions, emphasizing church membership as an essential element of American civic and political life.

Djupe and Gilbert investigate how membership in organized religious bodies shapes the political life of members.