While faith community membership is on the decline in the U.S., religion and religious communities still undoubtedly play a major role in American society and politics. A majority of religious service attenders place confidence in their clergy to inform their opinion on key issues such as abortion and immigration and 41% of U.S. adults say religious conservatives have too much control over the Republican Party.
At their best, faith communities can drive civic engagement, build cohesion across political lines, provide civic education, and play key roles in pro-democracy movements as they did during the civil rights era. At their worst, they can sow the seeds of discord, polarization, and violence in ways that gravely threaten democratic principles.
Join DFN to explore key questions around the role faith communities can play in preserving American democracy: What can faith communities contribute to a pro-democracy movement? How can faith leaders and communities be mobilized to act in defense of democracy and resist embracing extremist and anti-democratic viewpoints? What are the potential benefits of faith engagement in the pro-democracy movement, and what do we risk by failing to engage religious communities?
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