Obamagelicals: How the Right Turned Left
Author: Ronald Eric Matthews, Jr. and Michele A. Gilbert
Date Of Publication: Dec 2010
Isbn13: 978-1-4438-2550-4
Isbn: 1-4438-2550-6
Obamagelicals: How the Right Turned Left demonstrates how rhetorical strategies normalized, marginalized, and/or anaesthetized the traditional views of the white Protestant evangelical voter and gave younger white Protestant evangelicals, whose self-identify as being centrists or modernists, a voice that had otherwise been drowned out by the traditional old guard of the Protestant evangelical religious right. Obamagelicals argues President Obama capitalized on this completely different set of value issues that resonated with white Protestant evangelical centrists and modernists in ways never dreamed possible. Obamagelicals is a unique contribution to the current, interdisciplinary conversation about the role of white Protestant evangelicals in the democratic process and the victorious presidential election. It is unique because it treats Protestant evangelicalism not as a monolith but as a mosaic—comprised of numerous denominations and belief patterns. Through this creation of space on the theological continuum of Protestant evangelicalism, believers draw attention to themselves by creating distinction and attention. This book examines how the shift in theological interpretations of the Scriptures lead to shift in cultural and political issues that went undetected by Republican candidate Senator John McCain but embraced by President Obama. Obamagelicals provides a consistent methodological approach that is easy to understand for those interested in religion and politics. Using data analysis and cross-tabulations, each topic or theme employs simple, easy to understand variables thereby allowing for a cross-comparison. Obamagelicals allows us the opportunity to begin to examine the connections between religiosity and political participation on such key policy issues as the economy, war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and same-sex marriages, within the mosaic of Protestant evangelicalism in the shadow of the 2008 election.

Ronald Eric Matthews, Jr. received his PhD from Kent State University, Ohio, USA, and also attended the Pollsters and Parishioners Workshop at Calvin College, Michigan, USA. Matthews has written on Protestant evangelicalism and biotechnology and co-edited Perspectives on the Legacy of George W. Bush with Dr Michael Grossman. He teaches various courses public policy with emphasis in religion and politics.

Dr Michele A. Gilbert is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Maryland, USA; and Kent State University, Ohio, USA. Dr Gilbert is an independent researcher and adjunct instructor in Northeast Ohio. She has published articles on race and politics, public policy and urban politics.

"This book asks all the right questions and should be required reading for anyone interested in the intersection of religion and politics. Support for public policies that address the economy and poverty have never come from such a diverse electorate. This important research traces the roots of how religion matters in public policy, using the critical case of electing President Obama to tell the story. Their analysis provides a rich narrative to how the deep recession, with very real economic consequences, can shift political alignment in the most critical of cases. Few would have guessed that Christian evangelicals would align with an African American president, running on several progressive social and economic positions. This became the new swing vote, the new “soccer mom” of 2008.

What’s remarkable about this analysis is how it enables us to understand voting behavior and ideology across a myriad of demographics. This shift facilities an intriguing policy feedback loop between voters and policymakers. Only time will tell how permanent this shift will be. But to understand the real “why” questions of religion and politics, start with this book! "

- David Rothstein, Policy Analyst, Policy Matters Ohio, USA

Price Uk Gbp: 34.99
Price Us Usd: 52.99

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