FOR RELEASE: JUNE 2005

Stillwater---As public officials wrestle with hot-button issues ranging from abortion to gay rights to the death penalty, they may find thinner ranks of Americans supporting compromise. That was one of the findings from a national survey by Public Agenda that compares how Americans’ views of religion in public life have changed between the years 2000 and 2004.

The survey, conducted before the November election and released in January 2005, found a smaller number of Americans who believe that deeply religious elected officials sometimes have to compromise in the political area, with major decreases among those who attend religious services weekly.

For example, in 2000, 84% of Americans overall said “Even elected officials who are deeply religious sometimes have to make compromises and set their convictions aside to get results while in government.” In 2004, that number had dropped to 74%, with even sharper drops among weekly service attenders.

“Compromise has a long history in American politics,” said Ruth A. Wooden, President of Public Agenda. “But in 2004, there were more Americans who wanted elected officials to keep their religious principles in mind when they vote on issues like abortion and gay rights. We found double-digit decreases in support for compromise on these issues among those who attend services weekly. The changes are really quite dramatic.”

The research was widely discussed in the media from many perspectives. In his nationally syndicated column, The Washington Post’s William Raspberry said, “We may all agree that ‘working things out’ is the right thing to do when it comes to secular disagreements. But as many deeply religious Americans see it, compromise between righteousness and sin is: sin.”

The Raspberry column quoted Public Agenda President Ruth A. Wooden saying, “Some say compromise is essential in a diverse society. But others see compromise as a retreat from core values and beliefs.”

Source: Public Agenda, Spring Newsletter 2005.

Prepared by:

Sue E. Williams

Family Policy and Leadership Development Specialist

333 HES

Oklahoma State University

Stillwater, OK 74078-6111

Phone: 405-744-6282

FAX: 405-744-1461

sue.williams@okstate.edu