“The Michele Bachmanns and Rick Perrys of the world are playing to a base that’s much smaller than it was in the 1970s and 1980s,” said Chaves, whose new book, “American Religion: Contemporary Trends,” analyzes trends based on data from the General Social Survey and the National Congregations Study.
Using data collected between 1972 and 2008, Chaves said America is not only losing its religion, but also has lost confidence in religious leaders and wants them to be less involved in politics. Researchers say the trends reflect myriad factors: disillusionment with clergy and political scandals; the country’s increasing diversity, fueled by immigration and intermarriage; and younger generations that tend to be more highly educated and socially liberal.
Chaves also interprets these trends as a “backlash” against the politicization of religion that began with the Rev. Jerry Falwell and the rise of the religious right in the 1970s.
The findings — along with new research by Harvard professor Robert D. Putnam and Notre Dame professor David E. Campbell, co-authors of “American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unite Us” — paint a shifting portrait of American politics.
