Pastors remain opposed, Americans grow more open to political endorsements in church



By Aaron Earls - Posted at Baptist Press:

Published October 8, 2024
“Almost all Protestant pastors reserve the pulpit for promoting Jesus Christ rather than a woman or man running for public office,” McConnell said. “It is unclear whether the drop in candidate endorsements by pastors outside of their role at church is due to lack of excitement about this year’s candidates or concerns over disrupting unity within their churches.”
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Few pastors endorse political candidates outside their role at church. Even fewer endorse during a church service. Most Americans like it that way, but they’re growing more supportive of churches jumping into the political fray.

Lifeway Research studies of U.S. Protestant pastors and Americans found little practice or support for political endorsements from clergy and churches. Almost all pastors (98 percent) say they have not backed a candidate during a church service this year. Three in 5 Americans (60 percent) believe it is inappropriate for a pastor to endorse candidates at church, as opposed to 86 percent in a 2008 phone survey.

“As the nation becomes less religious, Americans have less concern about the church’s influence over politics,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Yet the majority of Americans still don’t want official candidate support coming from churches.”

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