How Faith Shapes Politics: PRRI’s Melissa Deckman Breaks Down the Numbers

What do Americans really believe about LGBTQ rights, same-sex marriage, and religious liberty? In this episode of the Faithful Politics Podcast, we’re joined by Melissa Deckman, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), one of the nation’s most trusted voices on the intersection of faith, culture, and politics. Deckman unpacks PRRI’s groundbreaking American Values Atlas, a massive data project that tracks shifts in public opinion across all 50 states, and shares insights from new research on the growing number of exvangelicals leaving the church.

Together, we explore why support for non-discrimination protections remains strong—even among many faith communities—how attitudes toward same-sex marriage have evolved since the Obergefell decision, and why religious refusals continue to spark debate in the courts and in everyday life. Deckman also explains how generational divides, mistrust of institutions, and regional differences complicate the story of religion and democracy in America.

If you want to understand how religion is shaping political debates on LGBTQ rights, abortion, immigration, and the future of American democracy, this conversation provides clarity, context, and the data to back it up.

American Values Atlas

ExvangelicalsWho They Are, Why They Left, and What They Believe

Guest Bio

Melissa Deckman, Ph.D. is the CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), a nonpartisan research organization at the forefront of studying the intersection of religion, culture, and American politics. A political scientist and widely published scholar, Deckman has written extensively on gender, religion, and public opinion. Under her leadership, PRRI has produced landmark studies like the American Values Atlas and recent reports on the rise of exvangelicals. Her expertise makes her one of the leading voices on how faith communities influence—and are influenced by—the shifting tides of American democracy