Rethinking culture wars religious rationalism and Orthodox pluralism in Southern California Charismatic congregations

The non-mainline Charismatic faith tradition is amongst the fastest growing upstart Christian sect movements in America. Generally, these highly sectarian organizations are adept and skillful at utilizing informal socialization mechanisms to reinforce accountability networks, disseminate doctrinal traditions, and build civic skills among less invested congregants. This paper seeks to identify the role institutional contexts play in the political learning of congregant members. Research hypotheses suggest that congregational sectarianism may have an impact on contexts of learning (environmental influences) and content of learning (assessed as political leanings and policy perceptions). Data for the research is gathered primarily from two original survey instruments, one designed for leaders and the other for congregation members across eight 'Word of Faith', Charismatic Christian congregations in Southern California. Emphasis in data collection is focused on expanding the current scope of empirical research to ethnically diverse faith communities such as the African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. Methodologically, the paper features an original assessment tool, which is designed to capture congregational sectarianism on a quantitative scale. Results indicate that there are significant differences between groups within a single religious tradition, and these differences are driven by institutional features at the congregational level. Research should provide further evidence for a supply-side approach to religion and politics toward understanding the role informal information exchange plays in maintaining a culturally pluralistic religious market in America. Thus, I suggest a paradigm shift in the way we consider socio-political conflict in America away from a dualist approach toward a more pluralistic approach.