Tolerant (in)civility? A longitudinal analysis of white conservative Protestants' willingness to grant civil liberties

Past research has found conservative Protestants to be less willing than mo st Americans to grant civil liberties to unpopular groups. In light of evid ence of high and growing civility by Smith (2000) and Hunter (1984), there is good reason to believe that conservative Protestants are becoming less d istinctive with regard to granting civil freedoms. We update and expand pre vious research on conservative Protestants and civil liberties by examining the civil liberties measures in the General Social Survey over a 26-year p eriod, with special attention to explaining conservative Protestantism's re jection of civil liberties. In comparison to mainline Protestants and Catho lics, we find that conservative Protestants are still less willing to grant civil liberties to unpopular groups, though important qualifications apply . Various explanations are examined.