Zambiras, Ariane

Religious Dynamics in California and Their Political Effects - 2010.


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“€˜Competitive marketplace”€™, “€˜pluralism”€™, and “€˜fluid identities”€™ are terms often used to describe the Californian religious landscape. Probably nowhere else better than in the Golden State is expressed the capacity of religion to be a factor of innovation: first, from the point of view of practices, with taking and borrowing happening across denominational boundaries; but also from a political perspective, with some Evangelicals and progressive Christians siding together to make the environment a top priority. This contribution first presents the defining characteristics of the California religious landscape, and then focuses on a precise case of religious involvement in the political sphere.