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Churches as Political Communities

Author

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  • Wald, Kenneth D.
  • Owen, Dennis E.
  • Hill, Samuel S.

Abstract

Most studies of contextual influences on political attitudes and behavior have treated geographical areas as the operative social environment. As early research on social influence processes noted, the conditions that promote consensus among inhabitants of a common environment are likely to be present in formal organizations that encourage face-to-face interaction. Churches possess many of the characteristics that should maximize behavioral contagion and are thus fertile ground for the dissemination of common political outlooks. This expectation is tested by assessing the link between theological and political conservatism in 21 Protestant congregations. The theological climate in the churches is found to contribute strongly to the members' political conservatism over and above the personal commitment of respondents to traditional Christian values and a variety of social and attitudinal variables. As churches constitute the single most widespread form of voluntary organizational affiliation in the United States, their potential political impact appears to be considerable.

Suggested Citation

  • Wald, Kenneth D. & Owen, Dennis E. & Hill, Samuel S., 1988. "Churches as Political Communities," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 82(2), pages 531-548, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:82:y:1988:i:02:p:531-548_08
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    Cited by:

    1. Brian Robert Calfano, 2010. "Prophetic at Any Price? Clergy Political Behavior and Utility Maximization," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 91(3), pages 649-668, September.
    2. Jinhua Cui & Hoje Jo & Manuel G. Velasquez, 2016. "Community Religion, Employees, and the Social License to Operate," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(4), pages 775-807, July.
    3. Jinhua Cui & Hoje Jo & Haejung Na & Manuel Velasquez, 2015. "Workforce Diversity and Religiosity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 128(4), pages 743-767, June.
    4. Xingqiang Du, 2017. "Religious Belief, Corporate Philanthropy, and Political Involvement of Entrepreneurs in Chinese Family Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 385-406, May.
    5. Brian Robert Calfano, 2009. "Choosing Constituent Cues: Reference Group Influence on Clergy Political Speech," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 90(1), pages 88-102, March.
    6. Jinhua Cui & Hoje Jo & Manuel Velasquez, 2015. "The Influence of Christian Religiosity on Managerial Decisions Concerning the Environment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 203-231, November.
    7. Wozniak, Kevin H. & Lewis, Andrew R., 2010. "Reexamining the effect of christian denominational affiliation on death penalty support," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 1082-1089, September.
    8. Dorota Anna Gozdecka, 2020. "Backlash or Widening the Gap?: Women’s Reproductive Rights in the Twenty-First Century," Laws, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-14, February.
    9. Smith, Amy Erica, 2017. "Democratic Talk in Church: Religion and Political Socialization in the Context of Urban Inequality," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 441-451.

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