A Search for Liberalizing Religion: Political Asymmetry in the American Religious Landscape

Abstract

This study explores potential heterogeneity in the relationship between religion and politics in the United States. Rather than assume all religion is conservatizing, it conducts a broad preliminary search for liberalizing religion across three cross-sectional national datasets. While the study finds the most liberal politics among adherents of particular “liberal” religious groups rather than among the unaffiliated, it largely fails to find forms of religion where exposure is associated with liberal politics. In fact, exposure to even “liberal” religion is generally associated with more conservative politics. American religion's political asymmetry has important societal implications in a highly religious nation where even liberal religion appears to conservatize the public.