Political Discourse in Church Congregations: Active Engagement and Active Avoidance During the 2024 Election Season

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  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 16

Abstract

The relationship between political engagement and church congregations has been previously examined in the Sociology of Religion and Political Science. Building on prior literature, I examine and compare two Lutheran church congregations in a Midwestern city during the Presidential Election season of 2024. At Rolling Hills Lutheran and Christ Lutheran, I examine how church members perceive political discourse in their church congregation during the election season. My research answers the following questions: What types of political conversations occur in church congregations during election seasons? How do members of church congregations perceive political discourse during a political election season? I argue that church congregations vary in terms of their political engagement during election seasons based on the political makeup of their congregation. Through 28 total interviews with congregation members and Pastors, along with over 60 hours of ethnographic fieldwork at these sites, I learn how these congregations are involved with politics. At Rolling Hills Lutheran, the congregation appears to actively engage in politics during the election. At Christ Lutheran, the congregation appears to actively avoid politics, at least explicitly, during the election season. Insights from this project contribute to a growing literature that examines relationships between churches and their role in political action.

Author

• Lauren Jae Knudson, Indiana University-Bloomington