Choices and Consequences in Context

Abstract

A concluding chapter stresses that the political choices of American clergy have ramifications for both democratic citizenship & studies of politics. Each chapter is summarized, pointing out that the authors all emphasize that understanding the choices clergy make, & their consequences, requires analyzing the personal & theological backgrounds of clergy, as well as the contexts in which they work. The findings are related to existing research on the influence of context on clergy's choices & their consequences, noting that studying choices is easier than investigating the political consequences of clergy action, an area in dire need of more research. Attention is also called to the lack of research on the contemporary political choices of American clergy of non-Christian faith traditions. The importance of understanding the religious dimensions of American politics is discussed & it is hoped that this volume will generate interdisciplinary discussions that will add to bodies of knowledge on broader social phenomena like social movements, opinion leadership, & organizational politics. J. Lindroth