The Impact of Religious Identification on Political Attitudes: An International Comparison (original) (raw)

1995, Sociology of Religion

Using recent cross.national data, this study examines the differential impact of reli~ous identification on political attitudes in eight westem nations: the United State.s, Great Britain, Norway, the Netherlands, West Germany, East Germany, Northem lreland, and haly. The resulta show a marked variation in patterns of reli~ous identification across these countrie.s and significant effects of reli~ous identification on political attitudes. That is to say, whereas Apostates are significantly less opposed to abortion or working women than either their Catholic or Protestant reli~ous affiliates, they are also more likely to express less confideru:e in institutions and oppose the role of reli~on in politics. In contrast, no significant differences emerged between Apostates and Stable Independents, or the non-affiliated religious groups, in relation to these issues. Thus, for these eight western nations at least, ir is a religious non-affiliation, or the current lack of a religious identity, that constitutes the key differentiating factor in distinguishing political attitudes.