A matter of discretion : the politics of Catholic priests in the United States and Ireland / Brian R. Calfano, Melissa Michelson, and Elizabeth A. Oldmixon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Calfano, Brian Robert, 1977- author.

Michelson, Melissa R., 1969- author.

Oldmixon, Elizabeth Anne, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Priests--Political activity.

Priests.

Catholics--Political activity.

Catholics.

Clergy--Political activity.

Clergy.

Political participation.

Physical Description:

xii, 210 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Maryland ; Rowman & Littlefield, [2017]

Summary:

At their core, Roman Catholic priests are opinion leaders and public representatives of their church. But exactly how priests determine their political acts and attitudes remains a puzzle. In this book, Brian R. Calfano, Melissa R. Michelson, and Elizabeth A. Oldmixon suggest that such determination stems from an interactive institutional, social, and psychological milieu. Though conventional wisdom may bolster the image of priests as profiles in apolitical courage, priests are variably responsive to disparate principals (or reference groups). These principals represent specific dimensions of their professional context with differing expectations for priests' political engagement Leveraging randomized experiments on samples of Roman Catholic priests in the United States and Ireland, the authors find that how priests determine and represent their political views is at least partially a matter of individual discretion. Book jacket.

Contents:

Catholicism and politics

Priests as political entrepreneurs of varying desire

Reflecting on ministry and politics

The dynamics of priest cue reliance

Cognitive frames, group cues, and priest political responses

Priest discretion in the field.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Calfano, Brian Robert, 1977- Matter of discretion.

ISBN:

9781442237247

1442237244

OCLC:

967202212