God and Guns
Examining Religious Influences on Gun Control Attitudes in the United States
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3387405 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Stephen M Merino (0000-0003-0710-7903, Colorado Mesa University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2018 |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 189 |
| Publication date | 2018-06-14 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Religions (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/rel9060189 |
| OpenAlex | W2808588459 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 14 |
| References cited | 16 |
Mass shootings in the United States have generated significant media coverage and public concern, invigorating debates over gun control. Media coverage and academic research on gun control attitudes and reactions to mass shootings have paid little attention to the role of religion. Recent research sheds light on the complex relationship between religion and guns, including higher rates of gun ownership and stronger opposition to gun control among white evangelical Protestants. Using nationally representative survey data, this study examines the relationship between religious identity, gun ownership, and support for a range of gun control policies, including proposed remedies for preventing mass shootings. Compared with individuals from other religious traditions, evangelical Protestants are most opposed to stricter gun control laws and enforcement, even with statistical controls for gun ownership and demographic characteristics. Rather, they favor individualistic solutions and putting more emphasis on religious values in their social surroundings. I discuss how these findings reflect the cultural tools evangelical Protestants use to construct their understandings of social problems, including gun violence, and the broader implications for gun policy in the United States
Criminology · Gun control · Individualism · Mass media · Political science · Politics · Social control · Sociology · Crime, Deviance, and Social Control · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · Law · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
Gun Problem or God Problem? Support for Teacher-Led Prayer in Public School and Solutions for School Shootings
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Gun Ownership
Depictions of Firearm Violence Perpetrators and Support for Firearm Policies
Why some states bring more laws to the gunfight
Is Gun Ownership Racialized
Why Gun Control Reform Is So Difficult
Voices from the Pulpit
Protecting Children With More Guns
Social Disruption, Gun Buying, and Anti-System Beliefs
Implicit Resentment and the Gun Policy Preferences of White Americans
Rural/Urban Differences
How Intersectional Threat Shapes Views of Gun Policy
Lay down your sword? Christian nationalism, race, and opposition to requiring gun permits
Peace through superior firepower
American Evangelicalism
Racism, Gun Ownership and Gun Control
Why do people support gun control
Gun Ownership and Self‐Serving Attributions for Mass Shooting Tragedies
Religion, Attribution Style, and Punitiveness Toward Juvenile Offenders
Awash in a Sea of Faith and Firearms
Self-Interest, Symbolic Politics, and Public Attitudes Toward Gun Control
Culture in Action
The Measure of American Religion
Equal in Christ, but Not in the World
Individualism and Collectivism in America
Gun Culture in Action
In-home firearm access among US adolescents and the role of religious subculture
| Unique citing works | 14 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2,33 |
| Citation span | 2020 - 2026 (7) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 12 |