Lara Rusch ~ 7
Jones-Correa and Leal argue that churches matter politically because they
function like other civic associations, and their characteristics of associations are similar
across denomination (763). Therefore, denominational differences are not as significant
for lay civic and political engagement as Verba et al. suggest. Instead, it is the people’s
church attendance and their use of the congregation as a civic association that appears to
make the most difference for individual measures of political participation. But aside
from involvement in the congregation’s civic activities, I think denomination may matter
for direct engagement in community politics, guiding beliefs about appropriate political
views or organizationally supporting certain kinds of political behavior. Historical
evidence on population migration has demonstrated that the structure of denomination
guides individuals’ investment in the place-based community, and therefore shaped
political choices and behavior in that community (Gamm 1999; Sugrue 1996). Taking
into account denominational differences should help us understand actors’ choices in the
context of different traditional institutions. Church membership and attendees have
agency to direct the use of their congregation’s resources towards civic outreach or
external political behavior. Unique navigation of, and approaches to, structural hierarchy
by church attendees and other actors such as community organizers may lead to different
civic and political outcomes. Additionally, relationships across congregations such as
interfaith alliances or collaboration with other organizations must be affected by
institutional structures’ willingness and methods of collaboration. For a church to serve
as an ethnic association, its chosen activities are partly a result of the structure of the
denomination and religious beliefs, and also of the congregation’s internal response to
Convention