Published: August 22, 2008
A recent poll indicates that for the first time in more than a decade, Americans believe churches and houses of worship should remain out of political matters.
This new change of heart is the result of how some social conservatives who have expressed being disillusioned with both major political parties, according to a survey performed by Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
Four years ago, only 30 percent of conservatives believed churches should keep out of politics. According to the new survey, that percentage has risen to over half.
The survey found the shift is strongest among Americans who now consider gay "marriage" a very important issue, and who think both parties have grown increasingly more unfriendly towards religion.
"To my mind, that spells frustration," said Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center. "But by the same token, we know these very same people are not interested in less religiosity in the political discourse. They almost universally want a religious person as president."
Conservatives hold similar views with moderates and liberals on the issue of church and politics.
"It's not that they want to take religion out of politics," says Kohut, "it's that their frustrations with the way things seem to be going are leading them to say, 'Well, maybe churches should back off on this.'"
The American public's opinion has remained unchanged on the belief that churches should not endorse candidates and that it is important for presidents to have strong religious and moral beliefs.
The survey was conducted through phone interviews on July 31-August 10 from a sample of 2,905 adults.
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