What role, if any, should religion play in politics? By what authority
and methods does the Catholic Church apply its teachings to public
policy discourse? How do Bishops and lay leaders work together in
Catholic conferences, and how do they work with political leaders? What
impact do they have? The political advocacy of the American Catholic
Bishops at the state level is one of the Church's best-kept secrets. In
this groundbreaking work, David Yamane reveals the rich history,
accomplishments, and challenges of bishops and their lay colleagues in
local politics. Through sociological analysis, up-to-date examples, and
personal interviews, Yamane explains how the local Catholic advocacy
organizations in thirty-three states and Washington, D.C., negotiate the
tension between the prophetic demands of faith and the political
realities of secular political institutions. The Catholic Church in
State Politics invites readers to understand better the role of religion
in the public square.