Encouraging accountability

Evangelicals and American health care reform

Dados Bibliográficos

ID3868020
AutoresB Franz (0000-0003-2091-1891, Ohio University, autor correspondente)
Ano2018
Volume6
Fascículo2
Páginas184-204
Data de publicação2018-08-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoCritical Research on Religion (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2050-3032 • E-ISSN: 2050-3040
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/2050303218757319
OpenAlexW2793660080
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas5
Referências citadas47

Although scholars have thoroughly assessed American Evangelical Protestants' beliefs about government intervention in addressing socioeconomic stratification and racial discrimination, they have paid considerably less attention to interpretations of health care reform. Especially important is that American Evangelicalism in recent years has incorporated personal accountability in such a way that makes this group distinctive when considering social responsibility toward others. Whereas earlier Evangelicals were instrumental in furthering the social gospel, American Evangelicals today prioritize matters of personal accountability ahead of social action. The cultural toolkit available to Evangelicals includes a rationale for caring for others, but an emphasis on personal accountability shapes how they evaluate government health care interventions. This paper employs qualitative methods to understand how Evangelicals link such individualism with strategies for caring for others in the context of health care. The findings suggest that Evangelicals emphasize personal accountability, especially when evaluating government programs. However, personal accountability is accompanied by a conflicting ethical responsibility to provide care to others. The priority given to personal accountability or an ethic of care, however, varies according to the situational context or social location of white Evangelicals. These findings may be helpful in framing future health policies to draw Evangelical support

Accountability · Business · Health care · Individualism · Moral responsibility · Political science · Public relations · Social accounting · Social responsibility · Sociology · Law · Public Administration · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Society, and Development · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology