The Unexpected Consequences of State Support for Religion

An Empirical Analysis of Christian-Majority Countries
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-041-33247-3
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 284 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 690 g

Reihe: Routledge Studies in Religion and Politics

The Unexpected Consequences of State Support for Religion: An Empirical Analysis of Christian-Majority addresses the consequences of one of the most basic decisions a government must make when dealing with religion: the decision to support a state religion or to provide separation of religion and state and religious freedom.

Drawing on the rational choice literature on religion and politics as well as the broader literature on religion in the social sciences, this book takes the perspective that politicians and governments decide on government-religion policy based on their own interests. It tests five potential consequences of supporting a state reli>gion in Christian-majority countries: religiosity (how religious are people in the country?), governmental legitimacy, levels of both public and private morality in a country, social trust, and patterns of violence and social unrest. Many empirical analyses reveal unexpected costs and benefits of supporting a state religion. For example, while most assume that when governments support a religion, it is at least in part because they believe it will increase their legitimacy, this book finds, with some exceptions, that this is not the case. Similarly, it finds an incentive structure that perversely incentivizes increased discrimination against religious

minorities.

The Unexpected Consequences of State Support for Religion will appeal to scholars and students of politics, religion, and sociology, particularly those interested in Christian nationalism and government and state politics.

Zielgruppe

Academic, Postgraduate, and Undergraduate Advanced

Autoren/Hrsg.

Fox, Jonathan

Eisenstein, Marie

Zellman, Ariel

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religion & Politik, Religionsfreiheit
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Kultur Politik & Religion, Religionsfreiheit
• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Christentum/Christliche Theologie Allgemein

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Chapter 1: Why Do Government Choose to Support a Religion? Chapter 2: Supply-Side Religion Chapter 3: Faith in Government Chapter 4: Morality Chapter 5: Social Trust Chapter 6: Societal Restrictions and Violence Chapter 7: The Costs and Benefits of Supporting Religion Appendix

Über Autor(innen)

Jonathan Fox (Ph.D. in Government and Politics, University of Maryland, 1997) is the Yehuda Avner Professor of Religion and Politics at Bar-Ilan University in Israel and director of the Religion and State project. He has received distinguished scholar awards from the International Studies Association and the American Political Science Association. His research focuses on a wide variety of aspects of religion and politics, including government-religion policy, religious minorities, religious conflict, and religion in international relations.

Marie Eisenstein (Ph.D. in Political Science, Purdue University, 2004) is an asso>ciate professor of political science at Indiana University Northwest. Her research expertise is in political behavior, predominantly focused on religion and politics. She has published extensively on the role of political tolerance. In addition, she publishes on issues of social trust.

Ariel Zellman (Ph.D. in Political Science, Northwestern University, 2012) is a senior lecturer in the Department of Political Studies at Bar-Ilan University in Israel and co-director of the Religion and State project. His primary research examines the causes of violent interstate and intrastate conflict, with a particular focus on religion, nationalism, and protracted territorial disputes. His broader work includes a quantitative comparative study of government-religion policy’s influences on political and societal outcomes.