Religion and Political and Cultural Elites

Religious activism can be directed toward shaping culture, influencing elections, or lobbying government. To a large degree, the success or failure of religious activism hinges on the responsiveness of leaders in government. Many more people beyond political elites shape American public life. The elite press plays a highly significant role in shaping American social and political discourses. Another set of elites who have substantial influence on the American public, and thus on its religious and political discourses, are those who create popular media, including movies, television, books, and magazines. The intersections between religion, politics, and popular culture have not stimulated much research. Any discussion of elites, religion, and politics in the United States today needs to appreciate the presence of religious elites themselves in the mix. They are a significant factor when one considers elites&s; impact on religion and politics, and they are something of a refutation to those who insist that all American elites are hostile to organized religion.