For example, among Democrats and Democratic-leaning U.S. It also contributes to polarizing the two political parties overall, as religious belief becomes an increasingly important predictor of party affiliation. This growing religious divide helps to explain the rise of several of the most polarizing social issues in our politics, such as gay marriage and abortion.
But another trend is the continuing, and in some respects intensifying, robustness of religious faith and practice in many parts of the society. One consequence is an increasingly open contestation of Christianity’s once-dominant role in American public and political culture. One trend is growing secularization, including a declining share of Americans who are Christians, less public confidence in organized religion, and rising numbers of religiously unaffiliated Americans. Current trends in American religion reflect as well as contribute to political polarization. They are both right.” (Never mind here the possibly problematic usage of the terms “tribe” and “ tribal.”)ģ. The Right believes that left-wing tribalism-identity politics, political correctness-is tearing the country apart. As Amy Chua puts it in Political Tribes (2018): “The Left believes that right-wing tribalism-bigotry, racism-is tearing the country apart. On both the Left and the Right, the main conceptual frameworks have largely shifted in focus from unifying values to group identities. The West’s victory in the Cold War means that (with the possible exception of jihadi terrorism) there is no longer a global enemy to keep us united as we focus on a powerful and cohesive external threat.Ģ. I’m glad you asked! Behold a bakers-dozen worth of causes.ġ. Why do Americans increasingly believe that those in the other party are not only misguided, but are also bad people whose views are so dangerously wrong-headed and crazy as to be all but incomprehensible? What has created what Arthur Brooks in his forthcoming book calls a “culture of contempt” in American politics and public life?