We assess clergy political activism dynamics using data from a national survey of Roman Catholic priests. Like their elite counterparts in interest groups and other secular political institutions, clergy encounter expectations and demands from competing principals when determining how to publicly act on key political issues. Building on insights from decades of clergy politics scholarship, we leverage new perspectives of principal-based influence by examining how Catholic priest perception of both local parish finances and diocesan bishop expectations affect their reported political actions. Our findings are consistent with the notion that parish and bishop principals condition priest political behavior, controlling for priest ideology. However, priest political action proves more sensitive to parish financial concerns than bishop encouragement.
AlstonJon PMcIntoshWm AlexDeterminants of religious participation: An assessmentSociological Quarterly197920149–6210.1111/j.1533-8525.1979.tb02184.x
2.
AmmermanNancy TThe civil rights movement and the clergy in a southern communitySociological Analysis198141339–35010.2307/3709888
3.
Austen-SmithDavidCampaign contributions and accessThe American Political Science Review199589566–58110.2307/2082974
4.
BeeghleyJohn KBockE WilburCochranMitchell BReligious change and alcohol use: An application of reference group and socialization theorySociological Forum19905261–27810.1007/BF01112595
5.
ByrnesTimothy AThe politics of the American catholic hierarchyPolitical Science Quarterly1993108497–51410.2307/2151701
6.
CalfanoBrian RobertChoosing constituent cues: reference group influence on clergy political speechSocial Science Quarterly20099088–10210.1111/j.1540-6237.2009.00604.x
7.
Calfano, Brian R., Elizabeth A. Oldmixon, and Jane Suiter. 2013. Assessing clergy attitudes: Ideology and institutional superiors. Journal of Church and State: cst028v1-cst028.
8.
CampbellErnest QPettigrewThomas FChristians in racial crisis: A study of littlerock's ministry1959Washington, DCPublic Affairs Press
9.
CBS News. 2012. Catholics hear anti-Obama letter in church. January 30.
10.
ChappellHenry WCampaign contributions and congressional voting: A simultaneous probit-tobit modelThe Review of Economics and Statistics19826477–8310.2307/1937945
11.
CieslakMichael JParish responsiveness and parishioner commitmentReview of Religious Research198426132–14710.2307/3511698
12.
CoffinBrentBaneMary JoCoffinBrentHigginsRichardMoral deliberation in congregationsTaking faith seriously2005Cambridge, MAHarvard University Press
13.
CrawfordES SueOlsonR LauraCrawfordES SueOlsonR LauraClergy in politics: Political choices and consequencesChristian clergy in American politics2001Baltimore, MDJohns Hopkins University Press
14.
DavisBill CMass appeal1981New York, NYDramatists Play Service, Inc.
15.
DjupePaul AGilbertChristopherThe political influence of church2009New YorkCambridge University Press
16.
DjupePaul AGrantJ TobinReligious institutions and political participation in AmericaJournal for the Scientific Study of Religion2001402303–31410.1111/0021-8294.00057
17.
DjupePaul ANeiheiselJacobClergy deliberation on gay rights and homosexualityPolity200840411–43510.1057/palgrave.polity.2300095
18.
DurkheimEmileThe division of labor in society1933New YorkThe Free Press
Fox News Latino. 2012. Bishops urge catholics to promote humane immigration reform. February 7.
21.
GerberAlan SGreenDonald PKaplanEdward HShapiroIanSmithRoger MMassoudTarek EThe illusion of learning from observational researchProblems and methods in the study of politics2004New York, NYCambridge University Press
22.
GreeleyAndrew MCatholic schools in a declining church1976Mission, KansasSheed and Ward, Inc.
23.
Green, Donald P., Brian R. Calfano, and Peter Aronow. Field experimental designs for the study of media effects. Political Communication. (forthcoming).
24.
Grier, Kevin B., and Michael C. Munger. 1991. Committee assignments, constituent preferences and campaign contributions. Economic Inquiry 29: 24–43.
25.
GuthJames LGreenJohn CSmidtCorwin EKellstedtLyman APolomaMargaret MThe bully pulpit: The politics of protestant clergy1997LawrenceUniversity of Kansas Press
26.
HaddenJeffrey KThe gathering storm in churches1969Garden City, NYDoubleday
27.
Hagerty, Barbara Bradley. 2012. “Catholic bishops revolt against birth control rules.” National Public Radio: Morning Edition (aired February 2).
28.
Hilbe, Joseph M. 2011. Negative binomial regression. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
29.
HoffmannJohn PLottBruce RJeppsenCatherineReligious giving and the boundedness of rationalitySociology of Religion201071323–34810.1093/socrel/srq047
30.
HofrenningDaniel JBIn Washington but not of it: The prophetic politics of religious lobbyists1995Philadelphia, PATemple University Press
31.
HogeDean RIntroduction: The problem of understanding church givingReview of Religious Research199236101–11010.2307/3511402
32.
HogeDean RShieldsJoseph JSorokaStephenSources of stress experienced by catholic priestsJournal for the Scientific Study of Religion1993353–18
33.
HogeDean RShieldsJoseph JGriffinDouglas LChanges in satisfaction and institutional attitudes of catholic priests, 1970–1993Sociology of Religion199556195–21410.2307/3711763
34.
JelenTedCrawfordES SueOlsonR LauraNotes for a theory of clergy as political leadersChristian clergy in American politics2001Baltimore, MDJohns Hopkins University Press
35.
JelenTedCatholic priests and the political order: The political behavior of catholic pastorsJournal for the Scientific Study of Religion.200342591–60410.1046/j.1468-5906.2003.00205.x
36.
JelenTedSmidtCorwin ERoman Catholic priestsPulpit and politics: Clergy in American politics at the advent of the millennium2004Waco, TXBaylor University Press
37.
KingGaryHow not to lie with statistics: avoiding common mistakes in quantitative political scienceAmerican Journal of Political Science198630666–68710.2307/2111095
38.
KingdonJohn WModels of legislative votingJournal of Politics197739563–59510.2307/2129644
39.
MayhewDavid RCongress: The electoral connection1974New Haven, CTYale University Press
40.
MoeTerry MRegulatory performance and presidential administrationAmerican Journal of Political Science198226197–22410.2307/2111036
41.
MoscaGaetanoThe ruling class: Elementi di Scienza politics1939New YorkMcGraw- Hill
42.
NeustadtRichard EPresidential power and the modern presidents1990New York, NYFree Press
43.
NiebuhrRichard HChrist & culture1951New York, NYHarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
44.
NortonEdward CWangHuaAiChunrongComputing interaction effects and standard errors in logit and probit modelsThe Stata Journal20044154–167
45.
OlsonLaura RFilled with spirit and power: Protestant clergy in politics2000Albany, NYState University of New York Press
46.
OlsonMancurThe logic of collective action: Public goods and the theory of groups1965CambridgeHarvard University Press
47.
Pew Research Center. 2006. Attitudes toward Immigration: In the pulpit and the pew. Washington, DC: Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 4/26/2006.
48.
Pew Research Center. 2009. Support for abortion slips: Issue ranks lower on the agenda. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 10/1/2009.
49.
Pew Research CenterFew say religion shapes immigration, environment views2010Washington, DCPew Center for the People and the Press
QuinleyHarold EThe prophetic clergy: Social activism among protestant ministers1974New YorkWiley
52.
RosenstoneSteven JHansenJohn MarkMobilization, participation, and democracy in America1993New YorkMacmillan Publishing Company
53.
SauterSLMurphyLRHurrellJJJrPrevention of work-related psychological disordersAmerican Psychologist1990451146–115810.1037/0003-066X.45.10.1146
54.
ScholzJohn TWoodB DanControlling the IRS: Principals, principles, and public administrationAmerican Journal of Political Science199842141–16210.2307/2991750
55.
ScholzJohn TTwomblyJimHeadrickBarbaraStreet-level political controls over federal bureaucracyAmerican Political Science Review1991801249–127010.2307/1960866
56.
SegalJeffreySpaethHarold JThe Supreme Court and the attitudinal model1993New YorkCambridge University Press
57.
ShipperFWilsonCLClarkKClarkMCampbellDThe impact of managerial behaviors on group performance, stress, and commitmentImpact of leadership1992Greensboro, NCCenter for Creative Leadership
58.
SmidtCorwin EPulpit and politics: Clergy in American politics at the advent of the millennium2004Waco, TXBaylor University Press
59.
SmithGregory AllenPolitics in the parish: The political influence of catholic priests2008Washington, DCGeorgetown University Press
60.
StarkRodneyFosterBruce DGlockCharles YQuinleyHaroldWayward shepherds: Prejudice and the Protestant Clergy1971New YorkHarper and Row
61.
SteinfelsPeterA people adrift: The crisis of the Roman Catholic Church in America2003New YorkSimon and Schuster
62.
TwiggNicholas WKangBomiThe effect of supervisory style, perceived support, idealism, and self esteem on burnoutJournal of Behavioral Studies in Business2012498–117
63.
VerbaSidneySchlozmanKay LehmanBradyHenry EVoice and inequality: Civic volunteerism an American politics1995Cambridge, MAHarvard University Press
64.
WaldKenneth DOwenDennis EHillSamuel SChurches as political communitiesAmerican Political Science Review198882531–54810.2307/1957399
65.
WeingastBarry RMoranMark JBureaucratic discretion or congressional control: Regulatory policy making by the Federal Trade CommissionJournal of Political Economy198391765–80010.1086/261181
66.
WinterAlan JPolitical activism among the clergy: Sources of a deviant roleReview of Religious Research197314178–18610.2307/3510805
67.
WilsonJohnIntroduction to social movements1973New YorkBasic Books
68.
WoodB DanModeling federal implementation as a systemAmerican Journal of Political Science19923640–6710.2307/2111424
