According to Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell, authors of the new book American Grace: How Religion Divides Us and Unites Us, the growing link between churches and politics explains the recent rise in the number of Americans who claim they have no religion.
During the 1980s, the public face of American religion turned sharply right. Political allegiances and religious observance became more closely aligned, and both religion and politics became more polarized. Abortion and homosexuality became more prominent issues on the national political agenda, and activists such as Jerry Falwell and Ralph Reed began looking to expand religious activism into electoral politics. Church attendance gradually became the primary dividing line between Republicans and Democrats in national elections.
This political “God gap” is a recent development. Up until the 1970s, progressive Democrats were common in church pews and many conservative Republicans didn’t attend church. But after 1980, both churchgoing progressives and secular conservatives became rarer and rarer. Some Americans brought their religion and their politics into alignment by adjusting their political views to their religious faith. But, surprisingly, more of them adjusted their religion to fit their politics.
Up until the 1970s, progressive Democrats were common in church pews and many conservative Republicans didn't attend church.
How come religion and politics wasn't a problem then, do you suppose?