Religion News Service
USA, August 25, 2008 (RNS): Religion News Service reports that a slim majority of Americans, including rising numbers of conservatives, say churches should stay out of politics, according to a survey released Thursday, August 21 by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.
Fifty-two percent of Americans say they think houses of worship should not express their opinions about political and social matters, while 45 percent say they approve of such expression. The center said this marks the first time since it started asking the question in 1996 that respondents who want churches to stay out of politics outnumber those with the opposite view. Conservatives, especially, have reconsidered the issue, with 50 percent saying congregations should stay out of politics. Only 30 voiced that opinion in 2004. The study was based on telephone interviews from with a national sample of 2,905 adults.