Religious Lobbies Research Articles

Soldiers of Fortune, Soldiers of God: Evangelical Mercenaries and the Making of the Rhodesian-American Religious Lobby, 1965–1980

ABSTRACT This article tracks the emergence, evolution, and decline of the Rhodesian-American religious lobby, a transnational network of churches, magazines, lobbying groups, and other non-state actors that operated during the Rhodesian Bush War from 1965 to 1980. Voicing its concerns in religious, racial, and anticommunist terms, the lobby recruited US combatants into the Rhodesian Security Forces and mobilised US evangelicals to press political leaders to recognise Rhodesian sovereignty. By threading together the post-Vietnam mercenary diaspora with waning segregationist groups and the emerging Christian Right in the United States, the lobby significantly shaped US-Rhodesia relations and global far-right politics in the late Cold War.

Religious lobbying and policy influence: Christian interest group impacts around the legalization of same‐sex marriage in England and Wales

AbstractThe influence of religious groups in democratic policy making has often been a source of political controversy. In the United Kingdom, the legalization of same‐sex marriage in England and Wales may in some ways be thought to exemplify the weakening social position and policy power of the churches. Drawing on a mixture of methods—including analysis of newspaper coverage, legislative debates, and policy documents, plus interviews—this article assesses the extent to which Christian interest groups achieved different forms of policy‐related influence, and its dynamics. It finds that, despite important failures, these groups nonetheless achieved various types of success, including over the policy debate, small policy shifts, and “counteractive” influence, reflecting both the weaknesses and persisting strengths of Christianity within British society. The findings are likely to have wider implications for understanding the policy strengths of religious actors in similar contexts of socio‐religious change elsewhere.Related ArticlesBramlett, Brittany H. 2012. “The Cross‐Pressures of Religion and Contact with Gays and Lesbians, and their Impact on Same‐Sex Marriage Opinion.” Politics & Policy 40(1): 13–42. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2011.00337.x.Ledet, Richard. 2017. “Sorting the Left from the Rest: The Communitarian Religious Perspective and Liberal Economic Attitudes.” Politics & Policy 45(6): 1051–79. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12238.Tubadji, Annie. 2023. “You'll Never Walk Alone: Loneliness, Religion, and Politico‐Economic Transformation.” Politics & Policy 51(4): 661–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12538.

LGBTQ+ non-discrimination and religious freedom in the context of government-funded faith-based education, social welfare, health care, and aged care

Anti-discrimination laws around the world have explicitly protected LGBTQ+ people from discrimination with various levels of exceptions for religion. Some conservative religious organisations in Australia are advocating to be allowed to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people in certain organisations they manage. The political debate in Australia has focused on religiously affiliated organisations that provide services in education, social welfare, health care, and aged care. We argue that religious exceptions allowing discrimination should be narrow because they cause considerable harm, reinforce, disadvantage and because LGBTQ+ people are deserving of respect and rights. We draw on a national representative survey to demonstrate that the views of some conservative religious lobby groups do not represent the views of the majority of religious people in Australia or the views of the majority of Christian people.

Comparison of the Influence of the Chinese Lobby and the Israeli Lobby in the United States

The article is about how pro-Israel and pro-China interest groups try to lobby on the ground of Capitol, White House and executive branch. The study of the lobbying results is based on «General theory of action» T. Parsons. It is concluded that for lobbying interests the main point will be the representation of the interests in the political and public spaces and the creating of advocacy and lobbying infrastructure. The ability of the Israeli lobby to achieve the goal can be explained, firstly, by political inclusion in the decision-making process, and, secondly, by almost axiomatic representation Israel interests through the national interests of the United States. The Israeli lobby can be considered as the religious lobby. It can use the possibilities of Jewish religious organizations in grass root action. Also this gives the opportunity to avoid the requirements of the LDA. From the point of view of the theory of Talcott Parsons, the success of the Israeli lobby is the cause of the action of a large number of actors that may form in large groups. Another advantage of the Israeli lobby is the ability of its members to get relevant information about the current situation in different spheres of political life in the U.S. The objective of the present study was to reveal the ways in which China lobby succeeds. The influence of China lobby on decision-making process in the United States can be explained through strong economic ties between American corporations and the Chinese market. When lobbying China uses numerous Chinese Diaspora in many States, as well as trying to interest of the former high-ranking American officials, granting them special privileges for doing business in China. In comparison to the Israeli lobby, the Chinese lobby has weaknesses. Chinese interest groups are not included in the political system of the USA and this is the disadvantage of the Chinese way of lobbying. Unlike Israel lobby Chinese one is external. The interests of the chinese pressure groups do not coincide with American national interests. Their actors are not rooted in the American political system.

Religion and politics in the European Union: the secular canopy

This book analyzes the place and influence of religion in European politics. Francois Foret presents the first data ever collected on the religious beliefs of European decision makers and what they do with these beliefs. Discussing popular assumptions such as the return of religion, aggressive European secularism, and religious lobbying, Foret offers objective data and non-normative conceptual frameworks to clarify some major issues in the contemporary political debate.

Religious involvement in public sphere in a secular state: institutions, interests and attitudes

The article focuses on the relations between religious institutions and state in a secular environment. The example for the secular environment has been taken from Estonia that is considered a highly secularized society, and Estonia is by its constitution is a secular state. The article, however, argues that even in a secularized society and in secular state religiously motivated lobby may influence political decision-making processes if the aims of the religious lobby manage to hide its overly religious agenda and present it in the context of ethno-cultural heritage. The example of this approach is taken from the activities of an indigenous neopagan religious association that has been lobbying for the protection of sacred landscapes or natural sacred sites in Estonia which sounds with the general societal approach on nature protection. At the same time new issues concerning the protection of holiness in natural environment have emerged.

The Church of England, the Law of Nations, and the Leghorn Chaplaincy Affair, 1703–1713

Leghorn [Livorno] in Tuscany in the early eighteenth century reveals an established Church of England attempting to accommodate itself, both ideologically and institutionally, to an increasingly dynamic and expansive British commercial empire. Against the prevailing political and ecclesiastical historiography that considers the Anglican establishment primarily in relationship to the state, this article will situate the Leghorn chaplaincy affair in the context of a subsidiary set of relationships between the Church and civil society. This article shows how the Church’s imbrication in commercial society not only drove Anglican ecclesiastical expansion in this period, but also comprised a religious lobby powerful enough to dictate policy to the British state.

Forming a ‘circle of protection’: Christian activism and the budget

Scholars have noted the rise of religious lobbying groups in Washington, as these entities have sought to influence the policy process and the discourse surrounding political issues. This article seeks to determine whether progressive groups are evolving into sophisticated political actors, focusing on how they promote values that would resonate in the current economic climate. Using a qualitative framing analysis, I examine the issue campaigns of progressive and conservative Christian organizations around the budget to determine how they use faith-based arguments to defend their positions on social welfare spending and the role of government. Drawing from interest group and social movement literature, particularly the use of collective action frames, I look at the ways these groups define problems inherent in debates about the budget or national debt, attribute blame, propose solutions and mobilize people of faith. My findings demonstrate that progressive groups have capitalized on the salience of economic issues and implemented public campaigns that encourage lawmakers to view the budget as a moral document. They have helped to ensure their long-term survival by appealing to potential members and re-defining the budget as a religious issue that merits political action from people of faith. This study also adds to our understanding of religious organizations and how they operate similarly to other lobbying groups by framing issues for their target constituency and mobilizing against competing interests.

Changing Forms of Interactions between the European Commission and Interest Groups: The Case of Religious Lobbying

Church organizations are engaged in a constant dialogue with the European Commission. The Commission saw this interaction as part of its wider framework of consultations with third parties, based on an open and all-inclusive understanding of participation. On the other hand, Church groups pressed for a more systematic and institutionalized dialogue, based on the special characteristics of Church associations. This article looks at how the dialogue between the European Commission and Church organizations has evolved throughout the years and assesses to what extent it is emblematic of the overall evolution of the framework of interactions between the Commission and interest groups. It concludes that the recent emphasis on the dialogue with Church groups in the Constitution and the Lisbon Treaty can be seen as a sign of changing patterns of interaction. The open, horizontal, soft-instrument based dialogue seems to be evolving towards a more institutionalized, partner-specific and instrument-based interaction.

The transition to harm reduction: Understanding the role of non-governmental organisations in Malaysia

Background The transition of drug policy from prohibition to harm reduction has never been easy. The deeply entrenched belief in prohibition shared by policy makers and religious leaders provided little room for alternatives, and change came only slowly. The non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Malaysia played a pivotal role in effecting such a change. Understanding how they did so may be instructive for other similarly placed countries. Methods Data collected via reviews of published secondary sources, media reports and in-depth interviews with pioneers of harm reduction drawn from NGOs, medical practitioners and the police were analysed to construct the paper. Results The policy change was the outcome of competition between three groups in the drug policy subsystem – the state, the Muslim religious lobby and the NGOs. Developments such as the poor outcomes from the prohibition programmes and the outbreak of HIV/AIDS did not change policy but did lead to a rethink of core beliefs in the state alliance and spawned a state-NGO partnership. The subsequent failure to meet the Millennium Development Goal with respect to HIV/AIDS in 2005 – was seen as a failure of the Health Ministry which then led the final charge for a policy change arguing that a health crisis was imminent. The NGOs played a pivotal role in this process by educating their partners in the state coalition, by drawing academics and medical practitioners into advocacy and by engaging the religious lobby (albeit with varying success). They were also frontline players in implementing harm reduction programmes and successfully deflected criticisms from unconvinced Islamic groups away from the state. Conclusion Given their central role in the needle-syringe exchange programme, the NGOs are well positioned to convince injecting drug users to opt for voluntary medical treatment. This can potentially reduce both the harm from drug use and the prevalence of it.

The Transition to Harm Reduction: Understanding the Role of Non-Governmental Organisations in Malaysia

Background: The transition of drug policy from prohibition to harm reduction has never been easy. The deeply entrenched belief in prohibition shared by policy makers and religious leaders provided little room for alternatives, and change came only slowly. The non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Malaysia played a pivotal role in effecting such a change. Understanding how they did so may be instructive for other similarly placed countries. Methods: Data collected via reviews of published secondary sources, media reports and in-depth interviews with pioneers of harm reduction drawn from NGOs, medical practitioners and the police were analysed to construct the paper. Results: The policy change was the outcome of competition between three groups in the drug policy subsystem - the state, the Muslim religious lobby and the NGOs. Developments such as the poor outcomes from the prohibition programmes and the outbreak of HIV/AIDS did not change policy but did lead to a rethink of core beliefs in the state alliance and spawned a state-NGO partnership. The subsequent failure to meet the Millennium Development Goal with respect to HIV/AIDS in 2005 - was seen as a failure of the Health Ministry which then led the final charge for a policy change arguing that a health crisis was imminent. The NGOs played a pivotal role in this process by educating their partners in the state coalition, by drawing academics and medical practitioners into advocacy and by engaging the religious lobby (albeit with varying success). They were also frontline players in implementing harm reduction programmes and successfully deflected criticisms from unconvinced Islamic groups away from the state. Conclusion: Given their central role in the needle-syringe exchange programme, the NGOs are well positioned to convince injecting drug users to opt for voluntary medical treatment. This can potentially reduce both the harm from drug use and the prevalence of it.

Religion and politics in America: faith, culture, and strategic choices

* Introduction 1. Religion and Political Culture in America: The Historical Legacy * The Puritan Temper * Religious Freedom and Pluralism * The Evangelical Dimension * The Populist Dimension of American Religion 2. Christianity and Its Major Branches * The Status of Religion in the United States * The Major Christian Traditions and Politics 3. Judaism, Islam, and Other Expressions of Religious Pluralism * Major Alternative Religions * Separatist Religions and Politics * Other Small Religions * Case Study: Mormons and Jehovahs Witnesses * Political Assessments Further Reading 4. Voting and Religion in American Politics * A Historical Review * Continuity and Change in the Postindustrial Era * Roman Catholics: Bellwether Group * Evangelical Protestants: A Pietistic Revival for the GOP * Mainline Protestants: No Longer Solidly Republican * The Secular Vote: A Growing Democratic Stronghold * Jews, Liberalism, and Democratic Loyalty * African American and Latino Christian 5. The Politics of Organized Religious Groups * The Evolution of National Religious Lobbies * Strategies for Effective Advocacy * The Legislative Process and the Imperative of Compromise * A Model of Religious Group Effectiveness * Mainline Protestant Groups * Roman Catholic Groups * Jewish Groups * Evangelical Protestant Groups 6. Religion and Political Elites * Religion and the Presidency * Religion and Congress * Religion and Other Political Elites * Religion and Cultural Elites 7. Evangelicals in Domestic and International Politics: A Case Study * Evangelical Conservatives and Domestic Politics * New Evangelical Activism in American Foreign Policy * Assessments of Evangelical Success * Implications for Religion and Politics 8. Religious Politics and the Legal System * Judicial Politics * Key Players * Factors for Success * The Politics of Church and State 9. Church and State in the Courts * Religious Free Exercise * The Limits of Free Exercise * The Politics of Religious Establishment 10. Latino and African American Religion and Politics * The Changing Role of Latino Religion * Latinos, Religion, and Politics * African American Religion and Politics: Toward a Broader View * History and Black Political Attitudes * Connections Between Religion and Politics * The Muslim Challenge 11. Gender, Religion, and Politics * Women and Religion in American Life * Women, Religion, and Perspectives on American Politics * Women in the Pews 12. Theories of Religion, Culture, and American Politics * Culture Wars * The Secularization Thesis * Culture Shift Analysis * Civil Religion * Unconventional Partners * Thesis Populism * Market Theory, Religious Pluralism, and Politics * Toward the Future * List of Tables and Boxes * Appendix: Selected Web sites on Religion and Politics

Religious Lobbies in the European Union: from Dominant Church to Faith-Based Organisation?

The political behaviour of national, state or dominant churches in Western Europe is being affected by European Union (EU) integration in two ways. First, supranational legislation – especially the harmonisation of fundamental citizen rights in policy areas such as education and employment – has led to the political privileges that these churches have traditionally enjoyed being challenged. While the Amsterdam Treaty protects the right of the individual citizen to freedom of religious expression, the EU is an inherently secular body with no mention of Christianity in any of its treaties or directives. Second, the transfer of power to Brussels has meant that the territorial political influence of national churches is no longer clear, in any case. These two factors combined give evidence to suggest that this changing policy environment is leading churches increasingly to adopt interest-group behaviour. Does ‘ever closer union’ inevitably mean a less certain – if not necessarily less influential – political role for Christian churches throughout Europe?

Mrs. Ruhlin Goes to Washington: Louise Ruhlin, School Prayer, and the Possibilities and Limitations of Religious Political Lobbying in Modern America

Mrs. Ruhlin Goes to Washington: Louise Ruhlin, School Prayer, and the Possibilities and Limitations of Religious Political Lobbying in Modern America

Religion, Politics and Law in the European Union: an Introduction1

EU enlargement - to countries in Central and Eastern Europe in 2004, the inclusion of Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, and increasing debates on Turkey’s membership - has dramatically transformed the European Union into a multi-religious space. Religious communities are not only shaping identities but are also influential factors in political discourse. This edited volume examines the activities of religious actors in the context of supranational European institutions and the ways in which they have responded to the idea of Europe at local and international levels. By bringing together scholars working in political science, history, law and sociology, this volume analyses key religious factors in contemporary EU architecture, such as the transformation of religious identities, the role of political and religious leaders, EU legislation on religion, and, the activities of religious lobbies. This book was published as a special issue of Religion, State and Society.

Did Secularism Win Out? The Debate over the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill

The debate over the 2008 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill marks the latest in a series of conflicts between secularism and religion in the public sphere. The failure of religiously motivated campaigners to alter the Bill's most substantive and controversial provisions, however, should not be seen as a victory for a homogeneous secular camp. Although campaigners motivated by religious belief were almost universally opposed to the Bill, secular campaigners reflected a more varied mix of opinion. Moreover, the degree of organisation and mobilisation shown by the religious lobby during the course of the debate, are a sign that attempts to secure a greater role for religion in the public sphere are likely to remain a prominent feature of British political life.

The Politics of Reproductive Health in Peru: Gender and Social Policy in the Global South

This article analyzes the politics of reproductive health policymaking in Peru in the context of healthcare reform initiatives undertaken since the early 1990s. In Latin America womens body politics are emerging within a complex architecture of institutionalized social stratification and religious lobbies. The case of Peru is approached from a gendered specifically South-World analysis revealing the deep embedding of a vast constellation of reproductive healthcare issues within the nascent social welfare policy-making process. Through limited national public health insurance schemes a new social policy model based on a targeted poverty-reduction paradigm is now partially addressing the reproductive health needs of the majority of Peruvian women. Policy implementation however is highly contested fragile and has been subject to setbacks and deadly abuses. The article shows that in addressing developing countries such as Peru the role of international actors and the impact of unconsolidated democratic institutions are two key variables in the comparative analysis of social policy regime formation. (authors)

Representing God at the statehouse: religion and politics in the American states

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Religious Advocacy in New Jersey Chapter 3 Massachusetts Political and Religious Culture Chapter 4 Religious Lobbying in Virginia: How Institutions Can Quiet Prophetic Voices Chapter 5 The Influence of Christian Conservatives in the Empire State of the South Chapter 6 Religious Advocacy in the Texas Legislature Chapter 7 Religious Group Advocacy in Michigan Politics Chapter 8 Religious Advocacy in the Wisconsin Statehouse Chapter 9 Religious Interest Group Activity in Utah State Government Chapter 10 The Lively World of California's Religion and Politics Chapter 11 Conclusion: Themes in Religious Advocacy

Communication in Religious Lobbying: Making Meaning, Creating Power

This article examines influence-building tactics used in the political discourses of religious groups born from social movements. It applies Hofrenning's (1995) 3 strategies (symbolic, language, and coalition building) to an organizational publication. The work traces the Christian Coalition stances on issues of separation of church and state between 1992 and 1996 by content analyzing Christian American, the group's official publication. This study concludes that this organization of religious conservatives used varying issue emphases, contexts, and alliances to mobilize followers. It gravitated toward a political rather than religious agenda and moved toward a more secularly delivered message over time. This article also indicates that groups rooted in social movements may be able to take places within the political superstructure relatively quickly and that Hofrenning's list is useful for tracking these transitions.

In Washington but Not of it: The Prophetic Politics of Religious Lobbyists, by Daniel J. B. Hofrenning

Acknowledgments 1. Religious Lobbyists as Prophets 2. Prophetic Religious Lobbying and the History of Church-State Relations 3. Theoretical Perspectives 4. The Scope of the Prophetic Lobby 5. The Prophetic Outlook of Religious Lobbyists 6. The Tactics of Prophetic Lobbying 7. Prophetic Leaders and Their Members 8. Prophetic Lobbyists and the Future of American Politics Appendix: Methodology and Sample Notes Index