Denominational Differences in Support for Race‐Based Policies Among White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans

Abstract

This study builds upon past studies of denominational culture and racial attitudes by positioning evangelicals as the basis of comparison when assessing denominational differences in American racial attitudes. The study also attempts to extend the theoretical contribution of religious culture and racial attitudes by assessing support for race‐based policies among black, white, Hispanic, and Asian‐American evangelical and nonevangelical Protestants. In short, arguments about a distinctive individualistic religious culture among evangelicals may be useful in explaining why white evangelicals maintain lower levels of support for policies aimed at reducing racial inequality than do mainline and secular whites. However, it is of less relevance in explaining the race‐based policy attitudes of white evangelicals relative to white Catholics and among nonwhites as a whole.