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Religion & Politics 2012

News, analysis and data on the role of religion in politics, social issues, candidates and political parties relevant to the 2011-12 election season.

 
Catholic Opinion on Notre Dame Controversy Differs by Church Attendance
A recent survey by the Pew Forum found that about half of American Catholics have heard at least a little about the controversy over the University of Notre Dame's decision to invite President Barack Obama to speak at the university's May 17 commencement and receive an honorary degree.
The Torture Debate: A Closer Look
A web graphic published April 29, 2009, by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life has generated a great deal of attention and interest. Religion is only one of many factors correlated with views on the justifiability of torture.
The Religious Dimensions of the Torture Debate
An analysis by the Pew Forum of a new survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press illustrates differences in the views of four major religious traditions in the U.S. about whether torture of suspected terrorists can be justified.
Religion in South Africa 15 Years After the End of Apartheid
Data from a 10-country survey of Pentecostals conducted by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life in 2006 provides estimates of the religious affiliation of South Africa's urban population.
Religion in the News: 2008
This report is a special segment of A Year in the News, an analysis of the mainstream media in 2008 conducted by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. This segment of the analysis was written in collaboration with the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life.
How the News Media Covered Religion in the General Election
Religion played a much more significant role in the media coverage of President-elect Barack Obama than it did in the press treatment of Republican nominee John McCain during the 2008 presidential campaign.
States With Voter-Approved Constitutional Bans on Same-Sex Marriage, 1998-2008
Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage following a ruling by the state's highest court. In the five years since the Massachusetts decision, 26 states have amended their constitutions to ban gay marriage.
How the Faithful Voted
President-elect Barack Obama made a concerted effort to reach out to people of faith during the 2008 presidential campaign, and early exit polls show that this outreach may have paid off on Election Day.
Trends in Candidate Preferences Among Religious Groups
The latest survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press includes analysis of the candidate preferences of major religious groups.
How Church Attendance Affects Religious Voting Patterns
The latest report from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press shows that, as in previous elections, differences in voting patterns by religion are amplified when church attendance is taken into account
Americans Wary of Church Involvement in Partisan Politics
More than two dozen pastors challenged a provision in the tax code that restricts the political activities of houses of worship and other tax-exempt organizations.
How the Media Have Handled Palin's Faith
Since Aug. 29, the day Sarah Palin was announced as McCain's running mate, she has dominated election coverage.
More Americans Question Religion's Role in Politics
A new survey finds a narrow majority of the public saying that churches and other houses of worship should keep out of political matters and not express their views on day-to-day social and political matters.
McCain's Lead Among Evangelicals Smaller than Bush's in '04
Republican presidential candidate John McCain has a smaller lead among white evangelical Protestants than Republican George W. Bush had at a similar point in the 2004 campaign.
Running on Faith
Study finds media coverage of religion in primary campaign rivaled that of race and gender combined.
In Brief: Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation
In Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation (2007), the U.S. Supreme Court limited the power of federal courts to enforce the Establishment Clause's restrictions on government funding of religion.
An Overview of the Same-Sex Marriage Debate
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ignited a nationwide debate in late 2003 when it ruled that the state must allow gay and lesbian couples to marry. Almost overnight, same-sex marriage became a major national issue, pitting religious and social conservatives against gay-rights advocates and their allies.
The Constitutional Dimensions of the Same-Sex Marriage Debate: 2008
On Nov. 4, 2008, California voters passed Proposition 8, amending the state's constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage. The vote, which was significant enough to make national headlines on a historic Election Day, was the latest round in a long battle involving the California legislature, judiciary and voters.
A Portrait of American Catholics on the Eve of Pope Benedict's Visit to the U.S.
When Pope Benedict XVI arrives in the United States on April 15, he will find a Catholic Church that is undergoing rapid ethnic and demographic changes, and whose flock is quite diverse both in their religious practices and levels of commitment, as well as in their social and political views.
Lethal Injection on Trial: An Analysis of the Arguments Before the Supreme Court in Baze v. Rees
On Jan. 7, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Baze v. Rees, a case that challenges the constitutionality of lethal injection as it currently is administered by the federal government and 36 states.
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