Religion and Politics in the English-speaking World: Historical and Contemporary Links

Exploring the links between religion and politics in the early 21st century seems at once both arcane and of pragmatic interest. Certainly, in the United States, the relationship is of practical importance: it has become one of the key elements in deciding electoral outcomes. However, seen from a continental European perspective, still grounded in the French Enlightenment tradition, the growing importance of religion in the American political landscape would seem to be an unfathomable mystery: not only does this seem to be inconsistent with the cardinal principle of the separation of Church and state, but it also challenges the theory of an imperious process of secularisation in modern western societies. The present series of articles contributes to a deeper understanding of the links between religion and politics in the English-speaking world bringing together the perspectives of scholars working on 17th century England with those of academics concerned with 21st century America. It moves from Rutherford to Billy Graham, from Jerusalem to Edinburgh, and from the study of conservative Evangelicals and their influence on the George W. Bush administration to analyses of the left-leaning Christians who have played an active role in the political history of Great Britain and Canada