ABSTRACT
For generations, observers and analysts of American politics presumed that the most signifi cant political divisions among American voters arose primarily from diff erences in race, class, and ideology. In recent decades, however, religion has emerged as an equally important partisan dividing line. Th e competing visions of moral order, rules, and authority that fl ow from diff erent religious traditions’ teachings have given rise to deep-and by now enduring-political cleavages. Most signifi cantly, individuals who participate frequently in organized religion display markedly more conservative political views than more secular citizens. Th e emergence of these political diff erences has prompted debates about what role government should play in supporting competing moral visions, especially when they are tied closely to particular religious perspectives. Aft er all, the U.S. Constitution forbids any “establishment of religion,” meaning government cannot advantage any one faith over others.
