Mainline Christians and U.S. Public Policy

This insightful reference work explores the relationship between mainline Christian denominations and U.S. politics and public policy, from colonial times to the present.

Mainline Christian Values and U.S. Public Policy: A Reference Handbook provides a revealing and unbiased look at the emergence of Christian denominations as a political force, primarily from the late 19th century to the present.

The book examines the origins, development, current organization and activities, and future prospects of nine mainline U.S. denominations: the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A., the Catholic Church, the Christian Church, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church, the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church. Readers will encounter a surprising variety of Christian voices offering a range of positions on the Iraq War, abortion, same-sex marriage, global warming, stem-cell research, the death penalty, and other controversial issues.

• Includes numerous quotations and primary source documents issued by mainline denomination leaders and activists on a wide range of issues
• Provides a chronology of the events that shaped the present beliefs, values, and concerns of nine mainline Christian denominations from colonial times to the present

Glenn H. Utter, PhD, is professor of political science and chair of the Department of Political Science at Lamar University in Beaumont, TX. His published works include ABC-CLIO's The Religious Right, Campaign and Election Reform, and Conservative Christians and Political Participation.