S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 2 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 6 3 3 Amir Azarvan 1 Introduction Is Christian spirituality systematically associated with patterns in people’s political attitudes and worldview? Are spiritually active Christians predominantly conservative or liberal? If so, does this imply anything about the correctness of their political views? Is greater spiritual involvement associated with a friendlier disposition towards those with whom one otherwise strongly disagrees on social and political matters? In my review of the Orthodox spiritual literature, as well as my survey analysis of Orthodox Christians throughout the United States, I make a preliminary effort to address these and other questions. I point to the importance of transcending the liberal-conservative ideological dichotomy when studying Christians’ political outlooks. Communitarians, in particular, merit greater attention, given their apparently large size and high level of spiritual commitment. I also presents findings that suggest that spiritual commitment can result in friendlier attitudes towards those viewed as sociopolitical threats. The next two sections expound on the transformative effects of involvement in the spiritual life, as well as their social implications. I then discuss caveats that ought to be borne in mind when interpreting the findings of empirical studies on spirituality. After elaborating on the research design and methods used in my investigation, I present and interpret my findings. The final section consists of a brief summary and suggestions for further study. About the author Amir Azarvan (1979) holds a Ph.D. in political science from Georgia State University. He is an assistant professor at Georgia Gwinnett College, and is the editor of Re-Introducing Christianity: An Eastern Apologia for a Western Audience (Wipf & Stock). Amir’s email contact is aazarvan@ggc.edu.
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