A Reflection on the Relationship Between Religion and Politics in the United States today (Essay Sample)

A Reflection on the Relationship Between Religion and Politics in the United States today Student Name Institutional Affiliations Instructor Date  A Reflection on the Relationship Between Religion and Politics in the United States today Part 1: Application: Direct Religious Appeals As a Christian, I belong to the protestant’s denomination which values freedom, family and faith. Our belief system is strongly informed by the teachings of the Bible where we hold a very deep sense of commitment towards upholding family values as well as defending our religious liberty. Religion and politics have a very dynamic and complex relationship and such a link is essential in finding expression in the public sphere. In this reflection, I examine the Family Research Council (FRC), which is a religious interest group which advocates for policies which are socially conservative on the basis of biblical principles. The family Research Council (FRC) is a religious interest group which has got a very strong advocacy for socially conservative policies on the basis of biblical principles. FRC group was founded in 1983 and its mission is the advancement of freedom, faith and family both in culture and public policy (FRC, 2022). The FRC is a strong promoter of policies which flow in line with the conservative Christian values such as preservation of the traditional marriage, protection of the unborn and defending religious liberty (FRC, 2023). The FRC appeals to the members of my protestant denomination because of its unwavering stance on values concerning the family as a unit as well as its commitment to defending the religious liberty. The evangelical Protestantism has traditions which are conservative and it places a very high importance on the sanctity of marriage as well as the family unit. For instance, the advocacy of the FRC for traditional marriage as well as the opposition to same-sex marriage go in alignment with the beliefs which are held by many protestants whose view for marriage as a sacred Godly institution which is also God-ordained. Again, the emphasis of the FRC on religious freedoms appeals greatly to the protestants who would be concerned about the erosion of their fundamental rights in regard to practicing their faith in liberty in every area of life. Protestantism has got a long history of valuing freedom of religion which dates back to the protestant reformation as well as the fight against religious persecution. The efforts of the FRC in protection of religious liberty involving defending the rights of organizations and individuals so as to act according to their religious beliefs without facing any kind of coercion or discrimination resonates with the protestants who see their faith as a very central aspect of identity and wish to uphold their beliefs in the public spaces (Grant, 2013) Furthermore, the FRC use of biblical rhetoric and references may be appealing to the members of my denomination. Protestantism is rooted in biblical authority and its adherents are usually seeking to align their beliefs and actions with the teachings of the Bible. The language and the arguments of FRC are usually grounded in scripture and may resonate with the protestants whose priority is the Bible as their singular source of all moral guidance and also seek to apply Biblical principles into their political arena. In our class discussions regarding religious movements, we have learnt that religious groups tend to often mobilize themselves around social issues and connect with political activism so as to promote their influence on public policy as well as their values. The FRC operates in advocacy of policies which are in alignment with Christian values in reflection of such dynamism. Through a focus on issues such as religious liberty, marriage and abortion, the FRC taps into the priorities and concerns of most of the protestants giving them a platform to support the causes which they consider to be paramount to their faith. Part 2: Application: Indirect Religious Appeals An example of a multivocal (coded) religious appeal from a politician to your religious denomination. "As a politician, am led by my unwavering trust in God as well as the Biblical teachings. I believe that our nation is actually at its best the moment we uphold the values of justice, compassion and love. These principles are deeply rooted in my protestant upbringing which has instilled in me a sense of responsibility to care for the smallest among us while building a society where every one of us has got the opportunity for thriving. I am much committed towards fighting for policies which promote a culture of life, protection of the sanctity of marriage and preservation of our religious liberties. Together, let us focus on building a future where freedom, family and faith are celebrated and cherished and also where the transformative Christian principles thrusts us forth”. Discuss the context surrounding this appeal. Explain why this language would appeal to members of your group. For example, what religious themes and references is the politician making? This political appeal is made in the context of a very polarized political landscape where religion takes a very important role in garnering support and shaping discourse of the public. The politician is employing the religious themes of justice, compassion, love which are in resonation with the protestant values (Parker, 2006). By doing so, the appeal is tapping into the core beliefs for most protestants whose perspective is that freedom, family and faith are foundational pillars of their religious practice. The politician again references to Biblical teachings which is a signal of commitment and alignment of such political stances with religious beliefs. The reference is very appealing to protestants whose priority is to the scriptural authority and they expect their leaders to uphold principles of Biblical teachings. Emphasis for a society which has opportunities for every person is in alignment with the value for the mandate to care for the vulnerable and the marginalized as well as valuing social justice. Which political party do you expect to appeal to your denomination? Why? Do you think this appeal will be successful? Why or why not? I am of the expectation that the Republican party is able to appeal to members of my protestant denomination because as an advocate of the right-wing, the party has had historical alignments with conservative religious values and particularly issues on freedom, same-sex marriage, and abortion of which the protestants also value so much (Chapman, 2013). The platform of the republican party often reflects on the conservative Christian principles like support for traditional family values, advocacy for limited intervention of the government and defending religious liberties. Such policy positions and values strongly resonate with very many conservative protestants. Further, the Republican has active religious voters and it has made efforts to appeal to many religious groups. Republican politicians often speak in religious languages using biblical references and highlights of their faith so as to connect with religious constituents (Baggett, 2020). They also give priority to issues which are important to religious groups like appointment of conservative judges who support pro-life policies and defending religious freedom in public spaces. The success of this appeal is dependent on a number of factors. First, it depends on how well the party is able to communicate its policy positions and message to the members of my protestant denomination. Effective communication which is in resonation with conservative protestant values and employs religious language and references can strengthen and sway their support. Again, the success is dependent on the wider political landscape as well as the effectivene...