Bibliograph

Secular faith, how culture has trumped religion in American politics, Mark A. Smith

Type

Label

Secular faith, how culture has trumped religion in American politics, Mark A. Smith

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Secular faith

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

898910961

Responsibility statement

Mark A. Smith

Sub title

how culture has trumped religion in American politics

Summary

"Mark A. Smith provocatively argues that religion is not nearly the unchanging conservative influence in American politics that we have come to think it is. In fact, in the long run, religion is best understood as responding to changing political and cultural values rather than shaping them. Smith makes his case by charting five contentious issues in America's history: slavery, divorce, homosexuality, abortion, and women's rights. For each, he shows how the political views of even the most conservative Christians evolved in the same direction as the rest of society--perhaps not as swiftly, but always on the same arc. During periods of cultural transition, Christian leaders do resist prevailing values and behaviors, but those same leaders inevitably acquiesce--often by reinterpreting the Bible--if their positions become no longer tenable. Secular ideas and influences thereby shape the ways Christians read and interpret their scriptures, "--Amazon.com

Table Of Contents

Strategies of adaptation -- Slavery -- Divorce -- Homosexuality -- Abortion -- Women's rights -- Religion, politics, and morality

Classification