ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the religious underpinnings of the American party system through an analysis of an increasingly important group of activists: major financial contributors. While it is possible that religious voices could have more influence in the Democratic party party politics is moving in the opposite direction, aided and abetted by social trends. And if these trends continue unabated, apostles of religion may become the norm in GOP, the party of "order and tradition," while religious apostasy may dominate the Democrats, the party of "rights and reform". Activists in interest groups and social movements allied with GOP are even more religious than the Republicans. On religious matters, Republican activists are much closer than Democrats to the American public, one of the most religiously observant in the Western world. The Religious predominate among activists who have always lived in rural areas or small towns, while those who have moved from rural to metro areas are quite secular, especially among Democrats.
