An investigation of the political attitudes of members of Plymouth Brethren and Pentecostal churches in Christchurch : a research paper

Abstract

This research seeks to examine the voting patterns and political attitudes of members of the Plymouth Brethren and Pentecostal denominations. An attempt is also made to study the communication of political values within Plymouth Brethren and Pentecostal churches. In particular this study investigates the role of the church leaders in shaping the political attitudes of those in their congregations. This study also attempts to determine the type of people within these churches who were most likely to have been influenced by the church in their political attitudes. In particular, an effort was made to determine whether these people could be identified by certain sociological characteristics. The results indicated that a large majority of those in both the Plymouth Brethren and Pentecostal samples were conservative in their political orientation. However, the influence of the church leaders differed greatly between the two denominations. While the Pentecostal pastors seem to have played an important part in shaping the political attitudes of their congregation, the role of the Plymouth Brethren elders was very limited, in comparison. Finally, those influenced in their political attitudes by the church were not found to have distinctive sociological characteristics, except where these coincided with the acceptance or otherwise of certain church teachings.