Public Opinion on Church‐State Issues in a Changing Environment

Abstract

The recent waves of Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, and other non-Judeo-Christian immigrants in American cities have increased religious diversity. This article examines changes in public attitudes on church-state issues in the Washington, D.C. metro area-a region that has experienced significant religious diversification. We find that between 1993 and 2000, aggregate support for public displays of Christianity decreased in the Washington area, and support for free exercise of minority religions increased. Yet the changing structure of church-state attitudes suggests that many residents are beginning to think of religious issues in a more polarized way.

Pulpits Versus Ivory Towers: Socializing Agents and Evolution Attitudes*

“…Religious denominations socialize their members with specific values and beliefs, and these religious values have been effectively measured and demonstrated to play an important role in predicting opinions across a variety of issues, including abortion (Mulligan, 2006;Petersen, 2001), gay rights and same-sex marriage (Brewer, 2003;Haider-Markel and Joslyn, 2005;Olson, Cadge, and Harrison, 2006), environmental protection (Biel and Nilsson, 2005), human cloning and biotechnology (Evans, 2002;Scheitle, 2005), support for civil liberties (Reimer and Park, 2001), political tolerance (Karpov, 2002), opposition to physician-assisted suicide (Burdette, Hill, and Moulton, 2005), and the relationship between church and state (Wilcox and Goldberg, 2002). Indeed, given the strong socializing role religion plays in the lives of many Americans it should not be surprising that individual attitudes on social and political issues are often strongly affected by religiosity and denominational affiliation.…”

“…Finally, previous research indicates that a number of other individual characteristics will be associated with opinions on evolution. Given that Democrats and liberals tend to be more supportive of a stronger separation between church and state and more liberal on social issues (Bishop, 1998;Burdette, Hill, and Moulton, 2005;Evans, 2002;Olson, Cadge, and Harrison, 2006;Wilcox and Goldberg, 2002), we expect they will be more likely to believe in evolution and be less supportive of teaching creationism in the public schools. Likewise, the findings of previous research on other cultural issues (Bishop, 1998;Burdette, Hill, and Moulton, 2005;Evans, 2002;Keeter, 2005;Olson, Cadge, and Harrison, 2006;Wilcox and Goldberg, 2002) lead us to hypothesize that Caucasians, women, and younger adults will be more likely to believe in evolution and less likely to support teaching creationism in public schools, while those living in the South and rural areas will be more supportive.…”

Public opinion on freedom of religion (and its limitations) in penitentiary establishments in the light of international regulations

“…Thus, when asked, they endorse capital punishment, harsher pun ishments, threestrikesandyou'reout laws, prison terms for most offenders, and lengthy incarceration for violent criminals (Cul len et al 2000: 58). The second prob lem concerns freedom of religion, its sig nificance in human life and society (Wilcox and Goldberg 2002), but above all, a con frontation of this right with the rights of other copresent and coparticipant per sons (e.g. persons placed in the same cell in the prison).…”

Barbados Spiritual Baptists: Social acceptance enhances opportunities for supporting public health

“…The more extensively and effectively a church reaches out to those in need, be it economic, physical, or spiritual, the more faithful she is to her own nature and mission (Gutie´rrez, 1973). As religious pluralism increases in many places, its influences on attitudes towards adherents of all the various faiths will require further research as well (Wilcox & Goldberg, 2002).…”