DO THE PROMISES OF RELIGION TO DEMOCRACY STILL HOLD?

The long tradition of theoretical and empirical scholarship on democracy suggests a modest hypothesis: that religion typically serves to sustain and undergird democratic life across most, but not necessarily all, cultural contexts. Data from several recent national and multi-national surveys confirm that in most cases religion does hold promise for democracy, as it contributes to the development of citizens who exhibit qualities required of members of a democratic society, through: generating greater public engagement, creating a concern for the greater good, developing important civic capacities, and fostering democratic values and virtues.