Religion and Politics in Presidential Elections: The Toxic Influence of Religion in Recent Presidential Elections

My frustration and disappointment with the media coverage of the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections prompted me to write this book. I feel strongly about correcting the misinformation, the presentation of fabrications as truth, and the blatant demonizing of the experiences and perspectives of others. I made up my mind that I wanted to address these issues the best way that I know how. Politics involving religion and moral issues, particularly in the areas of Christianity, African American religion, and Black Liberation Theology—are my areas of interest and expertise. At different times, I have taught classes at the university level involving these topics, and with the encouragement of my students, I wish to address them in this book. Drilling down to the root cause of the anti-Obama rhetoric coming from Republicans and Christian conservatives not only provided useful talking points for my introductory course in Africana Studies, but the issue became personal and convinced me to embark on this project.