The Direct Political Role of Religion

Key Insight

Religion in North America directly supports democratic and republican institutions. The initial settlers, largely Protestants who had broken from supreme religious authority, brought a 'democratic and republican' form of Christianity to the New World. This historical alignment ensured that politics and religion were in harmony from the outset, favoring the establishment of a republic and democracy in temporal affairs.

The text specifically notes that American Catholics, despite their adherence to Roman Church doctrines and increasing numbers (over 1 million), constitute the 'most republican and democratic class.' This is explained by Catholicism's inherent tendency towards 'equality of conditions'; it places only the priest above the faithful, with all others being equal. It prescribes the same faith, practices, and austerities for all, regardless of social standing or intellectual capacity, blending all classes 'into one worshiping at the same altar.'

When priests are excluded from government, as in the United States, Catholicism's egalitarian principles readily translate into political support for equality. Given that most Catholics are poor and a minority, their social position compels them to advocate for broad participation in government ('all citizens govern') and respect for universal rights ('all rights be respected'). American Catholic clergy reinforce this by separating revealed dogmas from political truths, allowing parishioners to be both 'docile believers and the most independent citizens,' ensuring no major religious doctrine is overtly hostile to democratic institutions.