Pre-Election Special SALE: 60% Off VIP Membership
BREAKING: Supreme Court Rules on Whether Virginia Can Remove Non-Citizens From Voter Rolls
Tim Walz's Gaming Session With Ocasio-Cortez Was a Trainwreck
Oregon Predicates Request to Judge on Self-Delusion
GDP Report Shows Economy 'Weaker Than Expected'
How Trump Plans to Help Compensate Victims of 'Migrant Crime'
NRCC Blasts the Left's Voter Suppression Efforts in Battleground Districts
Watch Trump's Reaction to Finding Out Biden Called His Supporters 'Garbage'
26 Republican AGs Join Virginia in Petitioning SCOTUS to Intervene in Voter Registration...
There Was a Vile, Violent Attack in Chicago, and the Media's Been Silent....
One Red State Just Acquired a Massive Amount of Land to Secure Its...
Poll Out of Texas Shows That Harris Rally Sure Didn't Work for Colin...
This Hollywood Actor Is Persuading Christian Men to Vote for Kamala Harris
Is the Trump Campaign Over-Confident?
Is This Really How the Kamala HQ Is Going to Respond to Biden’s...
OPINION

Poll: 29% of pastors discuss candidates in pulpit

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
WASHINGTON (BP) -- A majority of regular churchgoers say their pastor has discussed the importance of voting, while 29 percent say their pastor has taken sides, in sermons, in the presidential race, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.
Advertisement

The Oct. 24-28 poll shows that among all churchgoers -- Protestants and Catholics who attend church at least monthly -- 15 percent say their pastor's message has been more supportive of President Obama while 14 percent say the pastor's sermon has been more supportive of Mitt Romney. But what "people are hearing" from their pastor "varies greatly by race," the survey shows. For instance:

-- Among black Protestants, 45 percent say the pastor has supported Obama, with none in the sample saying the pastor backed Romney.

-- Among white evangelicals, 26 percent say their pastor has been more supportive in the pulpit of Romney but only 5 percent say the pastor has been more supportive of Obama.

-- Among white Catholics, 21 percent say the pastor has supported Romney, while 4 percent say the pastor has backed Obama. White mainline churchgoers say the pastor also was more likely to support Romney (13 percent to Obama's 7 percent).

Still, though, "most regular churchgoers say the messages they are hearing at church are neutral when it comes to the 2012 election" -- whether or not the pastor mentions the candidates directly.

Meanwhile, 52 percent of regular churchgoers say their pastor has discussed the importance of voting. Black Protestant pastors (79 percent) are the most likely to mention it, followed by white evangelical pastors (52 percent), white Catholic clergy (46 percent) and white mainline pastors (32 percent).

Advertisement

Pew also examined what issues pastors discuss and found, according to churchgoers:

-- Hunger/poverty has been discussed in recent months by 83 percent of white Catholic clergy, 74 percent of black Protestant pastors, 73 percent of white mainline pastors and 69 percent of white evangelical pastors.

-- Abortion has been spoken about by 58 percent of white Catholic clergy, 36 percent of white evangelical pastors, 29 percent of black Protestant pastors and 19 percent of white mainline pastors.

-- Homosexuality has been discussed by 40 percent of white evangelical pastors, 37 percent of black Protestant pastors, 24 percent of white mainline pastors and 20 percent of white Catholic clergy.

Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress ) and in your email ( baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp).

Copyright (c) 2012 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press www.BPNews.net

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos