Conservative Christian Research Articles

A war against the natural order: Joseph Nicolosi, Reparative Therapy, and the Christian Right.

This article situates Joseph Nicolosi's first book, Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality, in historical context. Nicolosi, a Catholic clinical psychologist, was one of the most vocal practitioners of sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) from the early 1990s until his death in 2017, and in these decades, the Christian Right became a key supporter of SOCE. In this article, I argue that two features of Nicolosi's book appealed to the Christian Right. First, Nicolosi relied on psychoanalytic thought to pathologize not only same-sex sexual desires but also poor parenting. The use of psychoanalytic thought was of particular interest to conservative Christians who believed that American fathers had forfeited their role as strong patriarchs. Second, Nicolosi's approach to therapy, which included changing one's dress and mannerisms and assertiveness training, stressed that same-sex desires could be eliminated through behavioral reconditioning. Nicolosi's psychological eclecticism, a common feature for mental health practitioners at the end of the twentieth century, has not been emphasized in prior scholarship on reparative therapy. Importantly, the psychological eclecticism practiced by Nicolosi became common within the Christian Right after the publication of Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality. By offering a close reading of Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality, this article demonstrates the interrelationship between one of the core texts of the ex-gay movement and the psychological and religious thought of the Christian Right at the turn of the twenty-first century. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Church rules: How churches and individuals recreate and challenge compulsory Christianity in the Deep South

Conservative Christian spaces in the deep south promote compulsory Christianity, the belief that there is only one way to be Christian and individuals cannot be both Christian and LGBTQIA+. These contexts continue to remain hostile and intolerant for LGBTQIA + Christians. To understand, and thereby challenge and change the problems LGBTQIA + Christians in the deep south face, we interviewed 25 (23 white, 2 Black) individuals who identified as LGBTQIA + Christians, about their experiences in and with churches and the organizations influenced by churches. We analyzed their responses using an integrative theoretical perspective that examines the interplay of micro (individual), meso (organizational), and macro (culture) levels. Our findings demonstrate how the meso organizational level serves as a conduit between larger, often ephemeral cultural beliefs in religious doctrine to individuals and how LGBTQIA + Christian reconcile their Christian and LGBTQIA + identities, navigate church rules, policies, and practices, as well as challenge compulsory Christianity. Our findings demonstrate the weaknesses in anti-LGBTQIA + rhetoric in church organizations, the potential mechanisms for resistance and change, as well as how to challenge the stronghold of compulsory Christianity in the Christian deep south.

Catolicismo e política na era digital: o caso de Bernardo Küster e a Teologia da Libertação no YouTube

The research examines Bernardo Küster’s discourses, a conservative Catholic follower of Olavo de Carvalho, on YouTube, and analyzes videos published from July 2017 to November 2020 whose main theme is Liberation Theology. This analysis is based on studies of conservatism and religious progressivism in Brazil and Latin America, and considers the relationship between the far-right, christianism and social media. The study reveals that the ideological foundation of Bolsonarism has its roots in Brazil’s historical Catholicism, with an anti-Marxist discourse dating back to the 1930s. This ideology gains strength on modern platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and, most notably, YouTube, giving rise to new generations of theorists/influencers. Keywords: Christian conservatism; Digital political activism; YouTube.

Do ‘spiritual’ self-identifications signify affinity with New Age religion? Survey evidence from the Netherlands

ABSTRACT This article examines nationally representative survey data from the Netherlands, collected in 2015 (N = 2,197) to study whether the ‘spiritual but not religious’ embrace New Age spirituality and reject traditional Christian religion, whereas the ‘both religious and spiritual’ adhere to traditional Christian religion and understand spirituality in a non-New Age fashion (spirituality in a Christian sense). Yet, we find just as much affinity with New Age spirituality among the ‘both religious and spiritual’ as among the ‘spiritual but not religious’. This is because the more liberal and progressive Christians in the former category embrace New Age spirituality, too, while their more conservative and traditional Christian counterparts in the ‘both religious and spiritual’ category rather dismiss it. Thus, both within Christian religion and beyond it, self-identification of ‘being spiritual’ has become a reliable shortcut to identify sympathy with what used to be called ‘New Age’ in the past.

Religion as a troublesome resource in Finnish abortion debates

ABSTRACT Abortion is a highly contested issue and one where the fault lines are often drawn along religious lines. In the United States, the most famous and timely example, anti-abortion attitudes and activism are strongly identified with conservative Christian values. But what is the role of religion in abortion debates in a more secularised context? Does religion ‘work’ as a justification for opposing abortion rights in such contexts? We analyse debates in the Finnish parliament regarding two Citizen’s Initiatives concerning abortion. Using discourse analysis and descriptive statistics of speech patterns and voting behaviour, we draw three conclusions from the parliamentary material: (1) religious discourse is rarely used; (2) it is not effective, and its use is considered inappropriate; and (3) voting patterns in abortion cases are better explained by instrumental than religious concerns. Although the Finnish political system is not particularly secularist, the secularisation of political culture means that religion is marginalised as a source for justifying politics. In other words, religion is a troublesome resource for political legitimation in the Finnish context.

A Philosophical Theologian’s Review Essay on Judith Butler’s Who’s Afraid of Gender?

Judith Butler’s work relates directly to science and religion concerns. Scientific questions regarding the nature of male and female sex, and the relation of biological sex to Butler’s conception of gender are important concerns in her work. Butler also has an abiding disdain for traditional Christian anthropology with its binary heteronormative sexual ethics. Conservative Christian religion is thus seen by Butler as a moral and political enemy of progressive humanity and reason. For these two reasons, as well as the fact that Butler has had an enormous impact on contemporary culture and law through her gender studies work, it is important that Christians who are interested in science and in the cultural and political currents of our times, understand her work. People who do not usually read postmodern gender theory will find the terrain demanding. Indeed, Butler’s writing is difficult even for professional philosophers to decipher. However, her 2024 book—Who’s Afraid of Gender—is remarkably accessible. Considering the importance to science, religion, and contemporary culture that these matters are, and considering that this is an unusually accessible text by Butler, I here offer a philosophically engaged and theologically critical review essay of Butler’s latest book.

From Religious Bubble to Interreligious Dialogue: A Personal Story of Transformation

This paper argues that interreligious dialogue through study and friendships across the religious divide makes participants less susceptible to religious and cultural misinformation that is often used to maintain social bubbles, in which members draw clear boundaries between “us” and “them”. Differences between social groups can culminate in a struggle between “good” and “evil” that can escalate into tension and violence. Preventing tensions and conflicts requires respect for differences, willingness to engage in dialogue, and a sound understanding of what religion is and the historical processes that have determined its development, distinguishing between empirical facts and images to which believers adhere. Because the author is a Dutch sociologist turned journalist from a conservative Christian family involved in interreligious dialogue in the Netherlands, Israel, and Egypt, the literature review presents contemporary religious developments in all three countries. The literature review is flanked by the author’s personal narrative on the events that changed his views on truth and spirituality, making him more aware of the commonalities between peoples of different beliefs and leading him to a lifelong commitment to interreligious and intercultural dialogue.

A Libertarian Anarchist Analysis of Norman Geisler’s Philosophy of Government

There are numerous approaches and conclusions regarding church and state relations and how Christianity affects public policy. Yet the purpose of this study is to question some of the philosophical assumptions and biblical interpretations that Christians hold to which support the state as a morally legitimate authoritative institution in the first place. This article will argue that various presuppositions regarding the state’s moral legitimacy are untenable, if not self-refuting. The philosophical commitments of a form of Christian Conservatism exemplified by Norman L. Geisler will be analyzed and critiqued by the Christian Libertarian Anarchist school of thought, represented by Gerard Casey. Geisler’s views on first principles, God’s moral law, social contracts, consent, anarchy, the distinction between vices and crimes, preconditions for virtue, and the common good will be examined. Then, Geisler’s interpretation of classic biblical texts supporting the alleged moral legitimacy of the state will also be assessed. This article will contend that if one were to consistently apply some pertinent principles found in Geisler’s prolegomena to theology when reasoning from natural revelation and the relevant biblical data, one will find that the conclusions are more compatible with the political theology of Christian Libertarian Anarchism. Hence the one who questions how Christianity affects public policy should take into consideration the reasons to deny that divine revelation affirms the state as a morally legitimate authoritative institution. If this is the case, the question ought to be reframed to determine how Christianity affects public policy within a state that has no legitimate moral grounds for authority.

For God and Country: The Political Activism of Religious Congregations in the United States

Conservative Christian movements have attracted the attention of political observers, but just how widespread are they? This paper draws on the National Congregations Study to answer this question. It finds that while conservative Christians are known for their political activism, Catholic and Black congregations are the most politically active. They distribute voter guides, register people to vote, form groups to discuss politics, lobby or march, and invite political candidates and elected officials as visiting speakers. Black churches are also the most likely to publicly support or oppose a political candidate, and Catholic churches are the most likely to declare themselves sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants. It turns out, however, that independent “evangelical” congregations did become more politically active in 2018, and while they represent only a small slice of American congregations, they may be able to exert an influence on U.S. political outcomes.

Religious freedom for whom? How conservative Christianity erodes the religious freedom of those it seeks to discriminate against

ABSTRACT There is a common misconception that to be LGBTQ+ and religious is incompatible. This article deconstructs this binarised understanding, arguing that it delegitimises both sexual and gender identity and also the religious identity of some LGBTQ+ people, hindering their religious freedom. The article is based on findings from a large multifaceted study conducted in Australia. Three sources of data are analysed: a non-representative Australian national survey of religious people that included 463 LGBTQ+ people; a non-representative survey of LGBTQ+ people working in religiously affiliated workplaces in Australia (n = 430); and 42 interviews with LGBTQ+ people working in religiously affiliated workplaces. The surveys show that there is a large minority of religious people who identify as LGBTQ+ and that many LGBTQ+ people working in religiously affiliated workplaces are deeply religious and deliberately choose to work in these workplaces.

Journey to Pragmatism: The History of the American Religious Right in the ‘90s

The article analyses the political history of the American Religious Right in the nineties. It will be argued that conservative Christian political organizations achieved greater influence on partisan and national agenda by undergoing a pragmatic turn in structure, rhetoric and strategies. The uncompromising behavior of the eighties gave way to a gradual approach with a give-and-take logic. The article will pay attention to abortion as perhaps the most pressing issue at the time among conservative Christians. For its analysis the article relies on contributions published on Christianity Today, the flagship magazine of American Evangelicalism.

Belief in Faith Healing and HbA1c: Exploring the Mediating Role of Meaning in Life

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between belief in divine healing and HbA1c (a biomarker of blood glucose control). Three major findings emerged from our analysis of data from a nationwide survey. First, a set of descriptive analyses suggest that faith healing beliefs are not the sole province of Conservative Christians. Instead, belief in divine healing is more widely spread in the general population. Second, our analyses indicate there is a nonlinear relationship between belief in divine healing and HbA1c values: HbA1c scores are relatively high (i.e., less desirable) among study participants with low levels of belief in faith healing. However, levels of HbA1c are lower among study participants with a stronger belief in the divine. Third, our analyses further indicate that a religious sense of meaning in life, but not a general sense of meaning, mediates the relationship between belief in faith healing and HbA1c values.

‘Tis the Season?: The Context and Significance of the “War on Christmas”

ABSTRACT Claims about a war being waged on Christmas have become a staple of the American holiday season. Yet before 2004 the ‘War on Christmas’ was almost entirely non-existent. From where did the ‘War on Christmas’ emerge and why has it retained such influence despite overwhelming evidence that Americans continue to celebrate the holiday season in both its religious and secular aspects? Commentators have suggested causes from a cynical desire to boost ratings and commercial sales of Christian Christmas merchandise to deep-rooted antagonisms towards people of other (and no) faiths. This article argues that its roots lie in the same issues which prompted the broader culture wars waged by conservative Christians, particularly a particular understanding of the First Amendment, a belief in the US as a Christian nation, and a sense of a loss of social status and position for Christianity. At the same time, it also notes that, as with conflicts in other nations, it also represents a symbol of the ways in which nations with Christian-influenced but often secularized national traditions are seeking to adapt to increasing religious pluralism within their borders.

Of Maybugs and Men: A History of Philosophy of the Sciences of Homosexuality

Of Maybugs and Men: A History of Philosophy of the Sciences of Homosexuality

Raising ‘True Believers’: Anti-Abortion ‘Education’ for Primary Children in the UK

In the UK, the vast majority of people accept abortion, whether or not they are religious. Holding an absolutist anti-abortion view is out of line with the general population. The overwhelming majority of anti-abortion activists are motivated by conservative Christian religious beliefs, not necessarily shared by others in their faith communities. Their minority position, and ageing population, poses issues for the continuance of the anti-abortion movement, creating a need for specific anti-abortion religious socialisation that is unavailable elsewhere. Drawing on data from a longitudinal ethnographic study of anti-abortion activism, this article highlights the ways in which anti-abortion activists seek to develop anti-abortion values among primary-aged children. It illustrates their conflict between the need to develop a strong anti-abortion identity and involving children in potentially controversial discussions on abortion. We use the framework of lived religion to argue that, while much attention has been given to the concerns about children in minority religions, this has resulted in a lack of attention to the diversity of practices within mainstream religious communities, and how controversial forms of socialisation are managed.

Gender Policing in Girls’ and Women’s Sports

This paper will show that sporting institutions that police the boundaries of women’s sports do so to keep sportswomen constrained in ways that men’s sports and male athletes are not. This paper explores three methods that sporting establishments have used to police and constrain women’s sports and sportswomen: the exclusion of women and the creation of different rules for men’s and women’s sports, the policing of international sporting administrations of which women can compete in women’s sports by invoking the specter of “gender fraud”, and the exclusion of trans women from sports by relying on conservative Christian notions of a gender binary motivated by a similar strain of homophobia that animated previous efforts to prevent the legalization of same-sex marriage. Taken together, these three threads reveal that gender policing in women’s sports is not and has never been about “fairness” but about preserving heteropatriarchal systems of power that position women as weak and inherently less athletic than men.

The right to believe: constructions of white Christian victimhood in the God’s Not Dead series

ABSTRACT This essay argues that the Christian independent film series God’s Not Dead operates to further affective investment in white Christian nationalism. I combine Lundberg’s (2009) analysis of evangelical publics with Kelly’s (2020) concept of ressentiment to explore how the series acts as performances of white Christian marginality Further, the felt marginality of conservative Christians in the series is aligned with civil rights movements and identity politics. I argue that the God’s Not Dead series is an illustrative example of how media in the conservative Christian culture can operate to maintain investments in white Christian nationalism that can motivate political action and justify violence.

“Sing and make music to the Lord”: cultural difference in South Africa’s urban religious soundscapes

Scholars of contemporary Christianity have long noted the importance of sacred music in constructing faith communities and distinguishing religious actors from one another. Drawing on historical and ethnographic evidence gathered over 16 months in Johannesburg, South Africa, I examine the role of music in contributing to the Christian identity of conservative evangelicals and in mediating their relationship with religious others. For the interdenominational, multiracial network of conservative Christians with whom I worked, music sung during weekly church services was carefully curated to meet elders’ pastoral aims informed by the conventions of orthodox Christian theology, yet it was also a site of tension and innovation as efforts to appeal to wider demographics were implemented. The palpable contrast between this music style and that of more charismatic evangelical churches was a point of implicit social commentary, semiotically standing in for the spectre of dangerous religious difference. This ethnographic research illustrates the power of embodied, sonic “feeling” to maintain cultural boundaries in South Africa’s heterogeneous religious soundscapes.

ПЕРВЫЙ МАНИФЕСТ АМЕРИКАНСКОГО АНГЛОИЗРАИЛИЗМА – ПРЕДВЫБОРНАЯ ПРОПОВЕДЬ ЭЗРЫ СТАЙЛЗА (1783 г.)

The article examines the ideology of Anglo-Israelism in the 1783 sermon «The United States has risen to glory and honor» by the American Congregationalist priest and scientist Ezra Stiles (1727-1795). The analysis of the political, religious, historical and philosophical ideas contained in it is carried out. It is shown that, despite the protection of constitutional rights and religious freedom, the author of the sermon defended the monarchy and was a supporter of the rule of an elected elite, an elected «democratic aristocracy». It seems that the principles of conservative Christianity advocated by Stiles were combined with support for the concept of «a City upon a Hill» in 1630, i.e. ideas about the God-chosen Puritans – the first settlers, who created the New Jerusalem or Zion in America. The author supported the pseudo-historical theory of the origin of ethnic groups. In the United States, he saw a «new Israel», chosen by God, called to command the conquered and subordinate «Canaanites» – the American aborigines. Europeans were considered descendants of the Biblical patriarch Japheth, which corresponded to the existing Christian tradition. In the Indians of the New World, related to the peoples of Siberia, he saw the descendants of representatives of the tribes, expelled by the ancient Israelites after the conquest of Palestine, described in the Bible and scattered throughout the world. In his opinion, the continued mass migration from Europe to America will lead to the decline of the Old World. Immigration will give a new impetus to the development, effective development and economic prosperity of the American continent, where the number of people of European origin will increase significantly. In the future, according to Stiles, there will allegedly be an extinction of races other than Caucasians (Indians and African Americans). Such ideas served as the rationale for American exceptionalism, Western-centrism, Eurocentrism and territorial expansion of the United States.

Purity Culture: Measurement and Relationship to Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance

Though discussed extensively in popular culture, purity culture, a conservative Christian movement that builds on traditional sexual ethics by proscribing additional rules and regulations to govern sexual behaviors and prioritize virginity, has scarcely been examined from a psychological perspective. The present study was designed to develop and validate a measure of purity culture, the Purity Culture Beliefs Scale (PCBS). We explore and confirm the factor structure of the PCBS and establish convergent and discriminant validity. We also demonstrate the utility of the scale showing incremental validity in the prediction of domestic violence myth acceptance. Convergent validity was established between purity culture and heterosexual scripts, sexual–spiritual integration, and shame. Discriminant validity was established between purity culture and manifestation of God in sexuality, sacred qualities of sexuality, Christian orthodoxy, and affect. The PCBS was also used to find that purity culture beliefs predicted domestic violence myth acceptance above and beyond the constructs of hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, and traditional sex roles. The introduction of the PCBS allows for the empirical study of the internalization and consequences of purity culture, which may inform interventions around Christian engagement with the topics of gender and sexuality.