The Faith Factor: How Religion Influences American Elections

by John C. Green

Overview

The impact of religion on the 2004 presidential election results provoked widespread consternation and surprise. In fact, religion and faith have played a vital role in American elections for some time, and here, Green explores the links and how they have changed over time.Green posits that an old religion gap describing longstanding political differences among religious communities has been supplanted by a new religion gap revealing political divisions based on religious behavior and belief. He puts the differences into context and documents the changing role of religion in politics over the last 60 years.

The impact of religion on the 2004 presidential election results provoked widespread consternation and surprise. Given the intensity and closeness of the results, however, the role of religion should not have come as a shock. In fact, religion and faith have played a vital role in American elections for some time, and here, Green explores the links and how they have changed over time. Specifically, he concludes that there was an old religion gap that described longstanding political differences among religious communities, which has been supplanted by a new religion gap that shows political divisions based on religious behavior and belief. Green puts the differences into context and documents the changing role of religion in politics over the last sixty years.

Covering three areas of religion that tend to influence election outcomes, Green illuminates the meaning of religious belonging, behaving, and believing in current political context. Each of these aspects of religion affects the way people vote and their views of issues, ideology, and partisanship. He reviews the importance of moral values in the major party coalitions and discusses the role religious appeals have in presidential campaigns. In addition, he compares the influence of religion to other factors such as gender, age, and income. Given the emphasis on the influence of religion on American politics and elections in recent years, this book serves as a cogent reminder that the situation is not new, and offers a careful analysis of the real role faith plays in the electing of government officials.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275987183
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/30/2007
Series:	Religion, Politics, and Public Life Under the auspices of the Leonard E. Greenb Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

John C. Green is Senior Fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of Akron. He is also Director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron. He is the author or editor of The Christian Right in American Politics: Marching to the Millennium, The Financiers of Congressional Elections, The Diminishing Divide: Religion's Changing Role in American Politics, and The Bully Pulpit: The Politics of Protestant Clergy. He has published many other books and articles.

What People are Saying About This

Amy Sullivan

"No one—absolutely no one—understands the religious and political landscape in America better than John Green. He deftly cuts through the confusion, bombast, anger, and fear that have surrounded our recent elections to tell a clear and compelling story about how we arrived at this point. Anyone who seeks to understand contemporary American politics needs this book."

Editorial Reviews

[E]xamines the impact of religion on the 2004 presidential election, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the role religion plays in American politics through his discussion of the old religion gap and the new religion gap. The old gap described political differences based on religious affiliation. The new gap portrays political differences based on religious behavior and belief. Green begins with analysis of the 2004 presidential election, an election which surprised some observers with the important role played by religion. The next part of the book details the two religion gaps, followed by analyses of the gaps in numerous demographic and social contexts, and across geographical regions. The analysis builds upon the findings of the Religion by Region project of the Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life at Trinity College. Readers will find the statistical analyses easy to read and understand. Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through practitioners.” —Choice

“[G]reen accomplishes his aim-namely, to document the changing role of religion in American politics over the last 60 years and probe the meaning of religious belonging, behaving, and believing as well as how these three areas affect election outcomes-he ignores the bigger questions, e.g., What are the consequences of Christian fundamentalism in American politics as it may determine the fate of the human species?” —Library Jourbanal

“Covering three areas of religion that tend to influence election outcomes, Green illuminates the meaning of religious belonging, behaving, and believing in current political context. Each of these aspects of religion affects the way people vote and their views of issues, ideology, and partisanship. He reviews the importance of moral values in the major party coalitions and discusses the role religious appeals have in presidential campaigns. In addition, he compares the influence of religion to other factors such as gender, age, and income. Given the emphasis on the influence of religion on American politics and elections in recent years, this book serves as a cogent reminder that the situation is not new, and offers a careful analysis of the real role faith plays in the electing of government officials.” —JA Justica

“[A] must-read for anyone interested not only in why religion has become more important in elections, but also in how….The Faith Factor at all times sticks to its tables. It does not offer sweeping generalizations….But it is an extremely valuable for anyone trying to figure out where the United States is headed.” —Political Science Quarterly

“Green….takes a detailed look at the poll results from recent presidential elections and overturbans of number of preconceptions about the role religion plays….What Green's detailed statistical analysis shows is that religion does indeed matter, but in ways that we have only begun to fathom. Equipped with Green's more nuanced appreciation of religion's role in voting perferences, we can map out new features in the political landscape….In a context in which secular pollsters too often set the agenda for political analysis, Green's fascinating and challenging book offers an important corrective.” —The Christian Century Magazine

“[E]xplores the changing dynamics of religion and national politics….This new book, built on detailed public opinion polls, will cement Green's position as our preeminent student of the relationship between religion and American politics….[t]hese books each underscore the persistence of an ideological and cultural center in American life. That center may provide a wider audience than both parties now suspect if the next president tries to narrow the political and social divides that lace through the stories Lindsey and Green tell so well. (reviewed in conjunction with Lindsey, The Age of Abundence)” —LA Times

“Drawing on survey data from a number of sources, Green provides basic information on American religion and its relationship to American elections as revealed by the 2004 presidential election. He covers belonging versus behaving and believing; issues and coalitions; gender, age, and income; the regional context; campaign contact and activism; and the future.” —Reference & Research Book News

“Many can learn not only from the book's content, but also the author's ease of explaining complex ideas and synthesizing large amounts of data. The book is truly a contribution to the discipline.” —Politics and Religion

From the Publisher

“A must-read for anyone interested not only in why religion has become more important in elections, but also in how. . . . It does not offer sweeping generalizations. . . . But it is extremely valuable for anyone trying to figure out where the United States is headed.”—Political Science Quarterly

Political Science Quarterly

“No one—absolutely no one—understands the religious and political landscape in American better than John Green. He deftly cuts through the confusion, bombast, anger, and fear that have surrounded our recent elections to tell a clear and compelling story about how we arrived at this point. Anyone who seeks to understand contemporary American politics needs this book.”—Amy Sullivan, contributing editor, The Washington Monthly

Amy Sullivan

“From issues in religion gaps to gender, age, and activism influences, this is a ‘must’ for any library seeking to explore connections between religion and American political processes.”—Midwest Book Review

Midwest Book Review

“Highly recommended.”—Choice

Choice

“This new book, built on detailed public opinion polls, will cement Green’s position as our preeminent student of the relationship between religion and American politics.”—Los Angeles Times

|Los Angeles Times

“Green . . . takes a detailed look at the poll results from recent presidential elections and overturns a number of preconceptions about the role religion plays. . . . What Green’s detailed statistical analysis shows is that religion does indeed matter, but in ways that we have only begun to fathom. Equipped with Green’s more nuanced appreciation of religion’s role in voting preferences, we can map out new features in the political landscape. . . . In a context in which secular pollsters too often set the agenda for political analysis, Green’s fascinating and challenging book offers an important corrective.”—Christian Century Magazine

Christian Century Magazine

“This new book, built on detailed public opinion polls, will cement Green’s position as our preeminent student of the relationship between religion and American politics.”—Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times