Lecturer of Political Science and Associate Director of Graduate Studies, Stephanie Shady, has co-authored an article entitled, "Division on the Christian Right: Republican Pastors and the Use of Force," that has been published in the journal Politics and Religion. The article explores the divide among Republican pastors in North Carolina on the topic of the legitimacy of force in defending the “traditional American way of life.” The article was co-authored with colleagues from University of North Carolina, Liesbet Hooghe (W.R. Kenan Distinguished Professor of Political Science) and Gary Marks (Burton Craige Distinguished Professor of Political Science). You can access the entire article here.
Abstract: Polarization in American politics has not produced unity among conservative Christians. Drawing from original survey and interview data on Republican pastors in North Carolina, this paper seeks to understand why these pastors are divided on the legitimacy of force defending the “traditional American way of life.” We find (1) that theological fundamentalism has a positive, though weak, influence; (2) Christian nationalism and White grievance are powerful in increasing support for the use of force; and (3) distrust of elections intensifies the effect of these attitudes.
