Hewitt goes on to say, “If you are a close observer of both faith and politics, try your best to understand that these two realms are different worlds and the crossover you see because of some very rare voices is an exception, not the rule.” That’s well said. But I don’t think those nuances change the fact that Christianity and movement conservatism have been inextricably tied to one another for at least a half century — and that the untying of the two will inevitably change the political landscape on the right. And contrary to Hewitt’s suggestion, conservative Christian denominations have been subject to political pressures in ways that have driven some congregants from the pews. Interestingly enough, some studies suggest that the political mobilization of the religious Right actually helped drive the GOP base’s secularization: In 2017, researchers found that the “politics of the Christian Right have driven up rates of exit from organized religion and reduced levels of religiosity.” But “instead of driving out Democrats across the board,” the researchers wrote, “we find that the Christian Right drives out those who disagree with the movement and are likely to experience disagreement in their congregations — that is, evangelical Republicans.”
This issue, and its various implications, won’t be disappearing anytime soon. Regardless of specific disagreements here and there, I’m humbled by the thoughtful responses to my piece — particularly as so many of them have come from conservative thinkers whom I have long admired.
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