In Texas, religion and politics are intertwined

DALLAS – KUT reports that on a Sunday earlier this month, Pastor Robert Jeffress began his sermon at First Baptist Dallas with a sentiment that might resonate with everyone at this point in election season. “Today, we’re going to talk about politics,” said Jeffress. “Yuck!” Jeffress went on to tell his congregation, which has around 16,000 members, that religion and politics are inseparable. “Government is God’s creation. Genesis Chapter 9. After the flood God gave to Noah the building block of government,” said Jeffers. The connection between the two can be seen everywhere: We pledge allegiance to “one nation under God.” Most swearing-in ceremonies for public officials involve putting one’s hand on a Bible or another holy text. And a faith leader is usually invited to give an opening prayer or blessing before the Texas Legislature meets for a session. That connection goes beyond the ceremonial, with faith — most often Christianity — impacting actual policy decisions. Just this week, the Texas State Board of Education met to discuss a newly proposed elementary school reading curriculum that includes Bible stories.

A Texas law that went into effect last year now allows members of the clergy to volunteer or be hired as school counselors. Religion was also invoked by Texas’ Republican lawmakers backing a bill that banned gender-affirming care in the state. And Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick recently said he’d try, once again, to pass a bill that would require the 10 Commandments to be displayed in public schools. Those are just a few examples. Andrea Hatcher, a professor of political science at The University of the South, traces the GOP’s embrace of religion back to the 1970s. “The Christian right didn’t just happen organically,” said Hatcher. “It was a creation of religious elites and political elites that saw how religion could be leveraged by the Republican Party for political power to benefit them both.” Hatcher said that played out in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. “When you have six Catholics on the Supreme Court and then all of a sudden they vote a particular way that happens to align with their religious views,” said Hatcher. While one of those Catholics, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, voted against overturning Roe, Hatcher said the decision still leads “one to question whether that is individual religious beliefs affecting, shaping policy outcomes for a religiously pluralistic nation at large.”