OU Sociology Professor Samuel Perry has co-authored an Op-Ed for the Washington Post that explains why white conservative protestants remain more likely to support Donald Trump, despite of the accusations of sexual impropriate from adult film stars and former Playboy models. Building upon research published in the Sociology of Religion journal, Perry and Colleagues suggest that white evangelical Christian are much more likely to believe that America is a ‘Christian’ nation and that Trump will protect and defend this understanding. These religious individuals, who may have previously decried sexual impropriety among political leaders, are giving Trump a pass on his alleged infidelity because of his rhetoric concerning Christian Nationalism. The authors state: “Many voters believed, and presumably still believe, that regardless of his personal piety (or lack thereof), Trump would defend what they saw as the country’s Christian heritage — and would help move the nation toward a distinctly Christian future.”
March 28th, 2018