Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Political Polarization On Church Life In The Upper Midwest, Andrew Bramsen

Day of Scholarship

Political polarization in the USA has been rapidly increasing since the 1990s. During that same time period, demographic data has shown both a growing population of religious “nones” who no longer identify with a faith tradition and a declining influence for churches and church leaders as the political identities of American Christians becomes more and more central to who they are. This presentation explores this dynamic, examining how rising polarization is impacting church life by drawing on twenty-six interviews with upper Midwest pastors that the author conducted during his 2021 sabbatical. Across denominational lines and urban, rural and suburban contexts, …