Conclusion

Pundits argued that Obama’s 2008 victory signaled the end of the Religious Right, ¹ the culture wars, ² the racialization of American society, ³ the importance of religion in presidential politics, and the expansion of the “God Gap.” ⁴ This book instead argues that religion, racial cleavages, and the culture wars espoused by religious traditionalists remain firmly in place after 2008. The only difference is that this time religion benefitted Democrats rather than Republicans and racial-ethnic minorities rather than white Americans—and herein lay the significance of this election and study. If we include the religious activity of progressives, 2008 was loaded with religion, and Obama helped close the God Gap among some mainline Protestants, women, and racial-ethnic minorities and increased his level of support over John Kerry’s support in 2004 even among groups he lost such as white Catholics and Evangelicals.