“…In recent years, scholars of the study of religion and politics have focused on the political activities of religious leaders. Several studies have investigated the political behavior of clergy themselves (e.g., Beatty and Walter, 1989; Crawford, Deckman, and Braun, 2001; Djupe and Gilbert, 2002b, 2003; Guth et al, 1997; Hunter, 1987; Jelen, 1993; Olson, 2000), including the political attitudes and behavior of Catholic priests (e.g., Jelen, 2003). However, “considerably less is known,”Jelen (2001:16–17) suggests, “about the consequences of political activity among clergy” (emphasis in original) because, as Djupe and Gilbert (2002a:5) note, the empirical evidence linking clergy to congregants is “very limited” (see also Welch et al, 1993).…”