Religion, Government and Politics

The interplay between religion, government, and politics significantly shapes societal structures and individual behaviors. A person's religious beliefs often inform their worldview, which in turn influences their actions and political opinions. This dynamic is evident in various political systems worldwide, including those with a clear separation between church and state, such as the United States, and those governed by religious laws, like in some Islamic nations. In the U.S., religious views often influence public debates on critical issues such as abortion, social justice, and civil rights, with different religious groups aligning with specific political ideologies. In contrast, countries that adopt religious laws, such as Sharia in parts of Nigeria or the caste system in India, illustrate how religious frameworks can dictate legal and social hierarchies, affecting access to resources and political power based on one's religious identity. Understanding these interactions is crucial for grasping how religious beliefs not only guide personal conduct but also play a pivotal role in shaping governance and political landscapes globally.

Published in: 2021

By: Wienclaw, Ruth A.

Subject Terms

Religion, Government and Politics

Abstract

A person’s religious beliefs inform his or her worldview. This, in turn, affects how one acts in the world. It follows that a nation’s prevailing religious belief system affects its politics. This is true not only in countries that are openly theocratic in nature, but even in those that attempt to maintain the separation between the church or religion and the state. Understanding how religion impacts the politics and governance of a society is essential to understanding how that society functions. Examples of the interaction between religion, government, and politics in the United States as well as in Muslim and Hindu countries are discussed.

Overview

Church & State in the US. In the United States, the discussion surrounding religion and government often involves the concept of separation between church and state. Although this political and legal doctrine means that government and religious institutions are to be kept separate and independent of each other, it does not mean that they do not influence each other. For most people who are adherents of a religion, religious beliefs inform one's worldview. This, in turn, affects how one acts in the world. One's worldview does not simply inform one's day to day actions in little things such as how the person treats others, however. It also informs one's broader beliefs at society and what constitutes appropriate behavior not only on the individual level but on the societal level as well.

Individual religious beliefs also inform opinions on controversial issues. A person’s opinion on controversial issues such as terrorism, the bioethics of stem cell research, the morality of abortion, equal rights for women and LGBTQ people, and whether the death penalty should be legal are all informed by spiritual beliefs. Moreover, many of these issues are debated in public forums. Political organizations, in turn, work to ensure that politicians that reflect their worldview are elected to office.

Unsurprisingly, research has found that many American politicians act on their religious beliefs in the political arenas. For example, research has shown the voting records of Congresspersons are often predictable from their religious beliefs. Certainly this makes sense on such morally and ethically charged issues as mentioned above. However, research has shown that the relationship between voting patterns and religion extends into other spheres such as defense spending, minimum wage laws, and welfare reform. Although such issues may seem less strongly linked with religious beliefs, they are, in fact, issues of social justice that are strongly related to one's religious beliefs (Andersen & Taylor, 2002).

However, although there is an empirically derived relationship between religion and politics, it is not necessarily a straight-forward one. For example, studies have found that Protestants are more likely than Catholics to want to reverse Roe v. Wade and ban abortion. This relationship is probably due in part to the large number of fundamentalists (who stand against abortion for religious reasons) that are numbered among Protestants. There are other, less obvious, links between religion and political attitudes as well. For example, individuals with deeper religious involvement typically have more traditional attitudes toward gender roles. Specifically, Roman Catholics tend to have more liberal attitudes while Mormons, Pentecostals, and fundamentalist denominations tend to be the most traditional and conservative. American Jews, Unitarians, Universalists, and those with no religious preference tend to be the most liberal in their political views. Because of the easily discernible trends within religious groups in the United States and the great and obvious differences between groups on many issues serves to make the relationship between religion and politics and increasingly important one (Andersen & Taylor, 2002).

The church has long been an agent of social change in the United States. A powerful example of the role of religion in social change and its impact on government and politics can be seen in the interaction of race, religion, and civil rights in the United States. Within the African American community, religion in general and churches in particular frequently serve as sources of political activism and social and community services. In fact, churches and religious organizations have arguably become the most important institution in many Black communities and have given rise to many prominent leaders including the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Malcolm X., and Louis Farrakhan. African-American churches also had a prominent role in leadership during the civil rights movement in the United States. Churches served as headquarters for protesters, clearing houses for information, and meeting places to develop strategies and tactics. Further, the association of the Church with the activities of the civil rights movement went at the moral authority and helped reinforce the rightness of the movement based on religious values.

There is a strong relationship between religion and politics in the United States. For politicians trying to win elections in a nation with religious tolerance and religious pluralism, striking the appropriate balance between meeting the needs of one religious group without alienating another can be a delicate balancing act. Not every nation is so tolerant of religious pluralism, however, and there is often no separation between religion and government.

Further Insights

A Look at Theocratic State Systems

Religion & Politics in Islamic Nations. In an example of the influence of religion on politics and government in an Islamic nation, Casey (2008) analyzed the politics and perceptual bounds of Islamic authenticity in northern Nigeria. Shariah law has served as the criminal law system for twelve Nigerian states since 1999. This change was implemented after a concerted appeal from the Shariah Implementation Committee to encourage Muslims from all sectors of society to institute Shariah as the criminal law for all Muslims in these states in order to effect desired political and economic changes. The change was encouraged in order to better comply with the religious principles of Islam and in opposition to the colonialism, elitism, and corruption of politicians and both the state and federal levels. Adoption of shariah as the state criminal law did more than prescribe issues of enforcement and punishment, however. It also reframed what constituted a crime. The colonial definitions of crime were replaced by those of Islam, and identity in these states was redefined in terms of ethnic and regional Islamic forms including dress and comportment (Casey, 2008).

As opposed to the civil law in the United States, Islamic law is theocratic in nature and is based on the concept of divine law revealed through Scripture. Shariah comprises divine revelation through the Qu'ran (Islamic scripture) and the acts and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. According to the Islamic system of jurisprudence, Allah is the giver of the law and Shariah law is Allah's command. Because of this belief, the Islamic code for proper behavior demands total compliance with all these commands. Shariah law is in sharp contrast to the Western penal philosophy, which legislates morality through an exhaustive list of prohibitions. Shariah law, on the other hand, requires compliance with all God's commands. These are presented as obligatory rules and prohibitions for benevolent society. Shariah is designed both as a moralizing agent and a preventative one implemented through five factors. First, Shariah attempts to continually reform and purify the individual with the Islamic ideals and morals. Second, Shariah warns against committing offenses and reminds defenders of the consequences of their actions both in this world and the next. Third, Shariah commands Muslims to assist each other in righteousness and piety through counsel, moral support, and teaching. Fourth, Shariah prevents crime by reducing opportunities commit crime (e.g., minimizing encounters between the sexes in order to drastically reduce the possibility of temptation and defense against the law). Finally, Shariah anticipates humanity's moral shortcomings by encouraging such things as young marriage, control polygamy, and giving alms to less fortunate (Souryal, 1987).

However, Shariah is comprised of more than urgings towards righteousness. When serious violations of Shariah law are committed, penalties are swift and severe. Punishments, for example, include death for apostasy, 80 lashes for public intoxication, amputation of a hand for prima facie theft, and execution adultery (by stoning) and for robbery (by beheading). All such corporal punishment is carried out as soon as possible after a sentence has been declared. In the case of a crime for which capital punishment is mandated, after a matter reviewed by the highest court of Islamic interpretation and confirmed by the country's ruler, the condemned person is executed (Souryal, 1987).

With the implementation of Shariah in northern Nigeria, however, some Muslims within these states became marginalized and the object of preaching and surveillance by the Hisbah (the enforcers of Shariah). In particular, the Hisbah targeted Muslims who lived in areas with non-Muslims, Muslims who were members of ethnic minorities, and others considered to be marginal Muslims and not in conformity with the majority in power. Of these, the 'yan daba (urban ward gang members who had agitated for government reform and the implementation of Shariah) found themselves marginalized. Although the 'yan daba and Hisbah both considered Shariah law to be a democratic form of governance, they differed in the degree to which they were attached to democratic values. For example, the Hisbah typically equated Shariah law with the rule of the majority while the 'yan daba associated it with an emphasis on social justice and human rights for the individual. For the 'yan daba, implementation of Shariah meant better education and concomitant job opportunities, improved healthcare, and reforms in personal behavior regulation. The Hisbah tried to reform the 'yan daba and the 'yan daba viewed the Hisbah as hypocrites (Casey, 2008).

After the implementation of Shariah as the state criminal law, a struggle emerged in the Kano state over sectarian control of the government. This included accusations about being unbelievers and debate over the qualities and actions of political leadership needed to implement desired reform. This led to a split within the Shariah Implementation Committee between those who believed that Shariah law needed to be enforced before jobs, social services, and other needed provisions for the poor, disadvantaged, and marginalized were implemented and those who believed that it was impossible for these individuals to obey the entirety of Shariah law without such provisions first being in place. These differences deepened as Shariah criminal codes were applied to particular groups. However, this was not an example of zealous implementation and enforcement of Shariah in its entirety. For example, the Hisbah did not enforce either the distribution of obligatory alms required in Islam or the prohibition on usury but focused, instead, on crimes of theft, sex outside marriage, and alcohol use. Further, the Hisbah used profiling to identify ideologies, practices, and individuals that might undermine the Shariah state. Religious knowledge and Islamic authenticity were applied against certain ethnic groups in order to target political leaders and others who were not thought to be within the mainstream of Islamic practice (Casey, 2008). Additionally, critics in states with Sharia law have alleged that the system favors individuals with money and influence while imparting harsh punishments on the poor.

Religion, Politics & Hinduism. Perhaps one of the most recognizable influences of religion on politics and government is the Hindu caste system. A caste is a small, hereditary group of individuals that marry within the group and has a specific lifestyle (e.g., ritual status, particular occupation). This hierarchical religious system influences the social system, limiting not only what adherents can do within the religion, but also impacting the jobs to which one can aspire and the resulting socioeconomic status and religious privilege of members of that caste, as well as who can aspire to positions within the government.

The highest caste in Hinduism is the Brahmins, who are priests and philosophers subsidized by the state. Under them are the Kshatriyas, the Hindu upper middle class who take jobs as professionals and government officials. The next lower caste is the Vaisya caste, whose members are merchants and farmers. Below them are the Sudras who serve as laborers and servants to members of higher castes. The Ati Sudras (formerly considered as "untouchable") can engage only in the most menial jobs. Although often considered to be a cultural phenomenon, the caste system is part of the Hindu religion. Traditionally, members of the upper castes frequently possessed great land and power and members of lower castes were servants. This meant that members of the lower castes were typically among the poorest people in society. This was particularly true in the case of the former untouchables who were not allowed access to public wells or schools, could not participate in village festivals, and were prohibited from entering some shops owned by members of higher castes (Kijima, 2006).

Following India's independence, the caste of untouchables was abolished. This led to an improvement in the socioeconomic conditions and political power of lower castes. The former untouchables (now referred to as scheduled castes) are now given some reserved positions in government and education to help increase their relative status. Despite such government-mandated programs, however, there still appears to be a caste-related division of labor in India. This results in a lack of educational opportunities as well as the persistence of caste-based discrimination. Thus, the lower castes often have less access to regular employment outside the village and a greater likelihood of lower paid jobs.

Not all citizens in India are part of the caste system, however. In addition, more than 50 million Indians are members of tribes with different lifestyles, languages, and religions of the majority of India. While many tribal Indians are isolated geographically from the rest of the population, some do live in areas with non-tribal Indians. However, tribal Indians tend to have less access to markets and other infrastructure in India, including health-care facilities, road connections, electricity, communication facilities, and irrigation facilities. As a result, many tribal Indians need to migrate seasonally in order to survive and typically experience lower living standards (Kijima, 2006).

Despite the formal policy of affirmative action towards scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, many individuals who are members of these groups continue to be deprived. In part, this situation results from the fact that these groups have significantly different structures of income generation. These households tend to experience lower returns on their education and continue to be disadvantaged despite legislative initiatives designed to improve their quality of life.

Religious beliefs inform one's worldview which, in turn, affects how one acts in the world. It is no surprise, therefore, that the prevailing religious belief system in a nation affects its politics. This is true not only in countries that are openly theocratic in nature, but even in those that attempt to maintain the separation between the church or religion and the state. Understanding how religion impacts the politics and governance of a society is essential to understanding how that society functions.

Terms & Concepts

Belief System: One's ideology (a body of ideas and belief system that reflects the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or culture) and/or worldview (broad framework of ideas and beliefs used by an individual, class, or culture to interpret the data received from the world and determine the appropriate way of interacting with the world).

Catholic: When capitalized, the term refers to a specific denomination (e.g., the Roman Catholic Church) or a specific congregation within such a denomination (St. George's Roman Catholic Church). When in lower case, the term is used to mean "universal" (e.g., "the holy, apostolic, and catholic church").

Empirical: Theories or evidence that are derived from or based on observation or experiment.

Fundamentalism: A theological movement within many religions (e.g., Christianity, Islam) that attempts to reject the tenets and influences of contemporary secular culture and return to the basics (i.e., fundamentals) of the faith, typically through the literal interpretation of scripture.

Human Rights Movement: An international movement that promotes the cause of human rights throughout the globe. According to Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

Ideology: A body of ideas and belief system that reflects the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or culture.

Marginalization: To relegate a person or subgroup to the outer edge of the group (i.e., margin) by demonstrating through word or action that the person or subgroup is less important and less powerful than the rest of the group.

Protestant: A member of a western Christian church that follows the traditions of the Reformation (most notably, Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli) as opposed to those of the Roman Catholic Church. The original Protestants believed in the Bible as the sole source of God's revelation, justification by faith alone for salvation, and the universal priesthood of all believers.

Religion: A personal or institutional system grounded in the belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers considered to have created and to govern the universe.

Religious Pluralism: The term religious pluralism has several commonly used meanings. A synonym for religious diversity, or the recognition that there are many different religions actively practiced within a country. A basic form of ecumenism in which adherents of different religions dialog and learn from each other without trying to proselytize. Acceptance that the beliefs of other religions are valid although not necessarily true.

Social Change: The significant alteration of a society or culture over time. Social change involves social behavior patterns, interactions, institutions, and stratification systems as well as elements of culture including norms and values.

Social Justice: A striving to achieve justice in every aspect of society not merely through the application of the law. Social justice is based on the principle of universal human rights and working to ensure that all individuals receive fair treatment and equally share the benefits of society.

Socioeconomic Status (SES): The position of an individual or group on the two vectors of social and economic status and their combination. Factors contributing to socioeconomic status include (but are not limited to) income, type and prestige of occupation, place of residence, and educational attainment.

Worldview: Broad framework of ideas and beliefs used by an individual, class, or culture to interpret the data received from the world and determine the appropriate way of interacting with the world.

Bibliography

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Religion, Government and Politics

On this Page

Subject Terms

Religion, Government and Politics

Abstract

Overview

Further Insights

A Look at Theocratic State Systems

Terms & Concepts

Bibliography

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