Title Nations under God : how churches use moral authority to influence policy / Anna Grzymała-Busse

Published Princeton, New Jersey ; Woodstock, Oxfordshire : Princeton University Press, [2015] ©2015

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Description 1 online resource (xiv, 421 pages) : illustrations Series Book collections on Project MUSE Contents Weapons of the meek: How churches influence policy -- Catholic monopolies: Ireland and Italy -- Post-communist divergence: Poland and Croatia -- Religious pluralism and church influence: United States and Canada -- Conclusion: Where churches matter -- Appendix: Further tests of the argument Summary "In some religious countries, churches have drafted constitutions, restricted abortion, and controlled education. In others, church influence on public policy is far weaker. Why? Nations under God argues that where religious and national identities have historically fused, churches gain enormous moral authority--and covert institutional access. These powerful churches then shape policy in backrooms and secret meetings instead of through open democratic channels such as political parties or the ballot box. Through an in-depth historical analysis of six Christian democracies that share similar religious profiles yet differ in their policy outcomes--Ireland and Italy, Poland and Croatia, and the United States and Canada--Anna Grzymała-Busse examines how churches influenced education, abortion, divorce, stem cell research, and same-sex marriage. She argues that churches gain the greatest political advantage when they appear to be above politics. Because institutional access is covert, they retain their moral authority and their reputation as defenders of the national interest and the common good. Nations under God shows how powerful church officials in Ireland, Canada, and Poland have directly written legislation, vetoed policies, and vetted high-ranking officials. It demonstrates that religiosity itself is not enough for churches to influence politics--churches in Italy and Croatia, for example, are not as influential as we might think--and that churches allied to political parties, such as in the United States, have less influence than their notoriety suggests"-- Provided by publisher Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 373-405) and index Notes Online resource; title from e-book title screen (EbscoHost platform, viewed August 11, 2016) Subject Christianity and politics. Church and state. Democracy -- Religious aspects -- Christianity. Nationalism -- Religious aspects -- Christianity. church and state. RELIGION -- Christian Life -- Social Issues. RELIGION -- Christianity -- General. POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Political Ideologies -- Democracy. Christianity and politics Church and state Democracy -- Religious aspects -- Christianity Nationalism -- Religious aspects -- Christianity Form Electronic book LC no. 2014037857 ISBN 9781400866458 1400866456

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