Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Hmm, No Mainline Protestants In Republican Presidential Field?

This is a very interesting article about a potentially strange fact.
That whoever the Republican presidential nominee is, it will not be one from a mainline Protestant Christian denomination.
Think about it for one moment. The next president of the Untied States may be a Roman Catholic (Newt Gingrich, a convert, Rick Santorum), a non-denominational Christian (Sarah Palin), a Lutheran (Michelle Bachmann and John Bolton), a Baptist(Tim Pawlenty and Herman Cain), a Mormon (John Huntsman, Jr, and Mitt Romney).
That is the basic Republican field at the moment.
Note, not one Episcopalian, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran (Mrs. Bachmann and Mr. Bolton are not members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Mrs. Bachmann is Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran and Mr Bolton is Missouri Synod Lutheran), American Baptist (Mr. Cain is a National Baptist), or a member of the United Church of Christ. That is the denomination of the Dear Leader, President Obama.
It shows a real sea change in American politics that tops racial demographics.
The Republican party was once the natural home of the Mainline Protestant. Of all the American presidents, most have been members of the Episcopal Church. Next comes the Presbyterians. And three of those Episcopalians were Republicans. And three Presbyterians were Republicans. Two Methodists were Republicans. The only two Quaker presidents were Republicans. Being a Mainline Protestant and Republican went hand in hand.
Those not part of the Mainline, the Roman Catholics and or evangelicals were Democrats for many a moon.
But as the Dems moved left, the RCs and evangelicals were welcomed into the Republican fold.
And that was led by Presbyterian Ronald Reagan.
Now the transformation is nearly complete.
The Republican is now the party of the observant church-goer, temple-attender and mosque-worshiper.
The Democrat is now more secular, Mainline and nominal RC.
So, if the Dear Leader, President Obama does not win reelection, the next president will be from a religion that many Americans will not be familar with. Especially if it is either Mr. Huntsman (God forbid!) or Mr. Romney.
It is a good thing for the United States that non-Mainline Protestants are about to have a seat at the political table like they have never had before.
And it should be a wake-up call that the Mainline Protestants are not just declining in numbers, but serious influence as well.
An interesting trend this 2012 election season. No Mainline Protestant Republican in the running for president of the United States.

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