Lara Rusch ~ 38
organizing methods fit Catholic structure because no matter how influential a lay
Catholic becomes, they cannot usurp their priest or break off into a new congregation—
and remain Roman Catholics. In the context of different organizational structures, taking
responsibility can mean controlling or enabling lay involvement. In practice a laissez-
faire approach by clergy can amount to more internal freedom or a lack of leadership and
support. Regarding both Catholics and Protestants, interviewees mentioned instances
where pastors take on too much due to a sense of personal responsibility, do not
effectively delegate in the workings of the church, or behave parochially rather than
collaboratively with other organizations. In such cases, clergy are unprepared to “realize”
the potential of their congregations for political action.
These findings suggest that denominational differences in congregational
structure may encourage participation in different types of civic and political
engagement. Further research is needed to explain how, apart from community
organizing networks, norms and roles of authority within religious institutions matter for
participants’ opportunity for skill-building within their congregations, confidence to act
in the public sphere, and recruitment into inter-faith, issue-based or electoral politics.
The inclusive aspects of religious congregations provide space and opportunity
for people to work together for civic and political goals, in the supportive context of the
traditions and relationships they develop and maintain (Evans and Boyte 1986). But that
potential in congregations may go unfulfilled without access to a bridging mechanism,
such as a broad-based organizing network. Such a mechanism is essential for linking
individual concerns, and religious social capital, to shared, political problems. That
mechanism is also valuable for the development of individual leadership skills, political
Convention