Description
Book SynopsisIs the "private" experience of religion counterproductive to engagement in public life? Does the "public" experience of religion contribute anything distinctive to civic engagement? "Pews, Prayers, and Participation" offers a fresh approach to key questions about what role religion plays in fostering civic responsibility in contemporary American society. Written by five prominent scholars of religion and politics, led by Calvin College's Corwin Smidt, the book brilliantly articulates how religion shapes participation in a range of civic activities - from behaviors (such as membership in voluntary associations, volunteering, and charitable contributions) to capacities (such as civic skills and knowledge), to virtues (such as law-abidingness, tolerance, and work ethic). In the course of their study the authors examine whether an individual exhibits a diminished, a privatized, a public, or an integrated form of religious expression, based on the individual's level of participation in both the public (worship) or private (prayer) dimensions of religious life. They question whether the privatization of religious life is counterproductive to engagement in public life, and they show that religion does indeed play a significant role in fostering civic responsibility across each of its particular facets. "Pews, Prayers, and Participation" is a bold and provocative clarion call to the continuing importance and changing nature of religion in American public life. It will be of particular interest to students and scholars of religion and politics, and culture and politics, as well as general readers with an interest in the impact of religion in the public sphere.
Trade ReviewA truly valuable (and in many ways definitive) treatment of this contentious subject... A powerful and sophisticated endorsement of religion as a positive force in American civic life... A splendidly researched volume that makes an important point within a unified and coherent theoretical framework. It is highly recommended. Political Science Quarterly A solid book that brings new insights to bear on our knowledge of religion and civic life. It is a must-read for scholars and laypeople interested in this topic and is likely to be a particularly useful resource for undergraduate courses in the social science of religion given that it is highly accessible and contains a wealth of information and facts. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Religion and Civic Responsibility1. Civil Society, Civic Responsibility, and Citizenship2. Religion in Contemporary America 3. Religion and Membership in Civic Associations 4. Religion, Volunteering, and Philanthropic Giving 5. Religion and Civic Capacities 6. Religion and Civic Virtues 7. Religion, Civic Participation, and Political Participation Appendices: A: Description of Surveys Employed B: Variation in Questions and Question Wording on Membership in Voluntary Associations C: Question Wording Related to Volunteering by Survey D: Question Wording Related to Charitable Giving by Survey References Index
