Preaching to the Converted: The Causes and Consequences of Viewing Religious Television

Authors

Ted G. Jelen, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Clyde Wilcox, Georgetown University

Editors

David C. Leege; Lyman A. Kellstedt

Document Type

Chapter

Publication Date

1993

Publication Title

Rediscovering the Religious Factor in American Politics

Publisher

M.E. Sharpe

Publisher Location

Armonk, New York

First page number:

255

Last page number:

269

Abstract

This text addresses whether and how religion and religious institutions affect American politics. For some time, analysts have argued that the conflicts of the New Deal era rendered cultural differences trivial and placed economic interests at the top of the political agenda. The authors and their collaborators - John C. Green, James L. Guth, Ted G. Jelen, Corwin E. Smidt, Kenneth D. Wald, Michael R. Welch, and Clyde Wilcox - disagree. They find that religious worldviews are still insinuated in American political institutions, and religious institutions still are points of reference. The book profits from the new religiosity measures employed in the 1990 National Election Studies. Part 1 discusses the study of religion in the context of politics. Part II examines religion as a source of group orientation. Part III takes up religious practices and their political ramifications. Part IV does the same for doctrinal and worldview considerations. Part V explores the sources of religious socialisation. In conclusion, Part VI reviews the research on religion and political behaviour and looks ahead to where work should proceed.

Disciplines

American Politics | Political Science | Religion

Language

English

Repository Citation

Jelen, T. G., Wilcox, C. (1993). Preaching to the Converted: The Causes and Consequences of Viewing Religious Television. In David C. Leege; Lyman A. Kellstedt, Rediscovering the Religious Factor in American Politics 255-269. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe.