Many people today seem to think that religion in politics is somehow a new phenomenon.
Religion has never stayed out of politics, especially in America. During the Revolutionary War, ministers urged their congregations to resist King George. During the early 1800s, clergy and laity alike spearheaded campaigns to defend the rights of the Indians, to abolish slavery, to help the poor and reform prison conditions. In our own era, people of faith have championed civil rights at home and human rights abroad. At the same time, however, it is true that religion can be a terribly disruptive influence in public life.