We’ve heard a lot about shifting political demographics in the lead up to this fall’s elections, notably the Republican Party’s inroads with Latino voters in the once-reliably blue Rio Grande Valley. But the voting patterns of Black voters are also becoming harder to predict.
Research is showing that changes in religious affiliation may have a role in that shift.
Jason E. Shelton joined Texas Standard to discuss these changes. He is a professor of sociology and the director of the Center for African American Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington. His latest book, “The Contemporary Black Church: The New Dynamics of African American Religion,” was published in August. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below.
This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity:
Jason E. Shelton is the author of “The Contemporary Black Chuch.” Courtesy photo
Texas Standard: You wrote that “the idea of the Black church as one monolithic institution is inaccurate.” Could you say something about the main political and social differences between some of the major denominations?
Jason E. Shelton: Well, the Black Methodist tradition is far more mainline. It’s disproportionately middle class. And it has a social gospel that emphasizes education.
The Black Baptist tradition is also one that’s focused on social problems in society. When you think about the civil rights movement, it was disproportionately led by Black Baptists and Methodist preachers. And they both tend to lean to the Democratic side.
The Holiness Pentecostal tradition is more religiously conservative and evangelical. They tend to support and be involved with Democratic political issues, but they’re not at the forefront the way that the Baptists and Methodists would be.
But of course, one of the big changes in American religion over the last few decades has been the growth of nondenominational Protestantism. And those African Americans who move to the non-denominational Protestant tradition are twice as likely than the Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals to vote for Republican presidential candidates. That’s where there are some big political, social and cultural changes that are taking place in Black America.
Say more about these religious and political shifts. You’ve touched on socioeconomic changes. What factors would you point to directly?
What you see, particularly with nondenominational Protestants in Black America, is they are far more educated than Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals. They are far more affluent and more likely to live in the suburbs. They’re far more likely to be a part of the American mainstream.
I think that’s why they’re more open to different beliefs about discrimination– that it’s declining or less prevalent in American society. And there’s some statistical data in my book that shows this.
That’s where we get to these political and cultural changes. They’re all rooted in the growth of the Black middle class and a new feeling of success in Black America.
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Professor, I know you’ve been thinking about the math here. What could this all mean for the upcoming presidential election?
Well, this seems to be a very close election. So, if I am Donald Trump and I’m trying to find African American votes, it’s more likely to find them among African American, nondenominational Protestants. What he also wants to hope for is that African American religious non-affiliates sit this one out, that those folks aren’t the souls that go to the polls.
For Kamala Harris, what she’s trying to do is the exact opposite. She’s trying to get those Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals out to the polls in big numbers, as they typically do. But then she also wants to make sure that she keeps the nondenominational Christians on her side. And she also wants to make sure that those African American non-affiliates get up and get out to the polls.
Now, you expressed some concern about this religious disaffiliation. Could you say more about that?
The data is very clear that Black folks who disaffiliate from the Church are less involved in African American life. They are less likely to vote. They are less likely to join community organizations. They are less likely to even get married and have children. So what does this mean for the future of Black America?
Of course, inequality remains a fact of American life and racial discrimination continues to be persistent in our society. People who are a part of the Church fight against and stand up against discrimination.
Well, there’s more and more Black folks leaving the church and they’re not connected to the community. What happens? Who’s left to stand up to mobilize against persistent inequality in our society?
