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Religious Identity and Political Participation in the Mennonite Church USA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2012

Kyle C. Kopko
Kyle C. Kopko*
Affiliation:
Elizabethtown College
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Kyle C. Kopko, Elizabethtown College, Department of Political Science, One Alpha Drive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022. E-mail: kopkok@etown.edu
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Abstract

This article examines religious identity and its effect on political participation in the context of the Mennonite Church USA. Traditionally, Mennonite doctrine discouraged political activity because of its “worldly” nature. But it is uncertain if traditional doctrine influences the political behavior of contemporary church members. This article seeks to determine (1) to what extent there is a religious identity among contemporary Mennonites, (2) does this identity discourage support for political participation, and (3) if Mennonite identity discourages political participation, what is the substantive difference in support for political participation between low and high identity Mennonites? The analysis reveals that Mennonite religious identity is widespread in the Mennonite Church USA and high levels of identity decreases support for political activity. Despite this, Mennonites as a whole are fairly supportive of political participation, regardless of their level of identity.

Type
Articles
Information
Politics and Religion , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , August 2012 , pp. 367 - 393
Copyright
Copyright © Religion and Politics Section of the American Political Science Association 2012

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