Jones is the CEO and co-founder of Public Religion Research Institute, a two-year-old nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that studies the role of religion in American public life, seeking to find how many people believe what and how that shapes their social and political views. Jones is also the author of two academic books about religion. He has a Ph.D. in religion from Emory University and a master’s of divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He spoke with The Washington Examiner about his own faith and how he sees religion shaping America’s future. Do you consider yourself to be of a specific faith?
I am first and foremost a scholar of religion, although I have been significantly shaped by my own religious experience. I was drawn to the academic study of religion both by personal history and by seeing how deeply religion influences public debates over critical issues in America. I grew up fairly religious as a Southern Baptist in Mississippi but now attend the Interfaith Families Project, an interfaith congregation in Silver Spring, with my wife who is Jewish. I most appreciate the way religious texts, beliefs and ritual can shape and give deep meaning to people’s lives. I’m fascinated by the power of religion, its ability to inspire both good and bad.
What led you to found the Public Religion Research Institute?
There was a real hunger among my academic colleagues and among journalists, opinion leaders, clergy and the wider public for objective, timely research that got to the heart of how religion and values influence American politics. What sets PRRI apart is our focus on understanding the underlying religious and cultural dynamics influencing the changing political landscape today. Along with Dan Cox, our research director, I founded PRRI as a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and education organization to meet this need.
Religion is becoming a hot topic in the 2012 presidential race, with two Mormon candidates, Rick Perry’s prayer rally and Michele Bachmann’s outspoken evangelicalism. Do you think religion will be a deciding factor in 2012?
Overall, Americans are exceptionally religious and have higher measures of religiosity than other residents of North America and every Western European country except Ireland. And religion is at least one important lens influencing Americans’ views of political candidates. The economy and jobs remain the most important issues to Americans, but religion should not be seen as irrelevant in 2012. A majority of Americans, including majorities within both political parties, say that it is important for presidential candidates to have strong religious beliefs, even if those beliefs are different from their own.
What do you think is the most overlooked story about how religion plays a role in public life?
The millennial generation, Americans ages 18 to 29, promises to transform the shape of political debates, especially around social issues like gay and lesbian rights. I don’t think the major political parties or churches have fully grasped this coming sea change. For example, nearly half of Republican millennials favor same-sex marriage and nearly two-thirds favor civil unions. Presently, we have only one Republican candidate, Jon Huntsman, clearly supporting civil unions. Churches have a wake-up call coming on this front as well: seven in 10 millennials say churches are alienating young people by being too judgmental about gay and lesbian issues. Seniors, ages 65 and older, disagree with this assessment. In the absence of some shift in perspective among older Americans, it’s fairly clear how that conflict will end. It’s also unlikely that the millennial generation will become more conservative as they age. In contrast to older Americans, millennials are much more likely to have close relationships with people who are gay and lesbian, and these relationships strongly shape their views on these issues.
At your core, what is one of your defining beliefs?
I believe that deeper understanding of religion and its role in politics, both in America and in the world, is vital. Too often in domestic politics or in foreign policy, religion is seen only as a problem or written off as irrational. But religion shapes consciousness and culture. It can be a critical tool in statecraft not only for understanding conflicts but also for envisioning possible solutions.
– Liz Essley
