Pews, prayers, and participation: religion and civic responsibility in America

In: Religion and politics series

Abstract

Is 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 activitiesùfrom behaviors (such as membership in voluntary asso