"The authors' scholarly expertise in the academic field of religion and politics is evident in their careful and informative conceptualization of evangelical identity, beliefs, and behavior. ... There is no doubt that Melkonian- Hoover and Kellstadt have produced a very thoughtful deep dive into evangelical policy attitudes. Their expertise and tenacious approach to a huge amount of data makes Evangelicals and Immigration an essential resource for those interested in religion, race, and politics." (Janelle Wong, Sociology of Religion, Vol. 80 (4), 2019)
"As national debates over issues like border walls, Dreamers and asylum continue, Evangelicals and Immigration is a helpful text for anyone seeking to better understand the important role evangelicals play in these debates." (Napp Nazworth, The Christian Post, christianpost.com, January 17, 2019)
Ruth M. Melkonian-Hoover is Chair and Professor of Political Science at Gordon College, Wenham, MA, USA.
Lyman A. Kellstedt is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, USA.
The topic of immigration is at the center of contemporary politics and, from a scholarly perspective, existing studies have documented that attitudes towards immigration have brought about changes in both partisanship and voting behavior. However, many scholars have missed or misconstrued the role of religion in this transformation, particularly evangelical Protestant Christianity. This book examines the historical and contemporary relationships between religion and immigration politics, with a particularly in-depth analysis of the fault lines within evangelicalism—divisions not only between those of different races, but also the increasingly consequential disconnect between elites and laity within white evangelicalism. The book’s empirical analysis relies on original interviews with Christian leaders, data from original church surveys conducted by the authors, and secondary analysis of several national public opinion surveys. It concludes with suggestions for bridging the elite/laity and racial divides.