The Gulf Coast region includes many religious influences – among them, evangelical Protestantism and strong Catholicism, intertwined with a deeply Southern sense of family rootedness and place. Read a Sept. 18, 2005, story from The Boston Globe about the “distinctively Southern” nature of Katrina’s impact, and about how some people have responded in religious terms.

The U.S. Religious Landscape Survey is an extensive survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life which details the religious makeup, beliefs and practices as well as social and political attitudes of the American public.

Read this July 15, 2009, Chicago Tribune article about the Episcopal Church, the American arm of the Anglican Communion, voting to make gays and lesbians eligible for any ordained ministry.

Nov 13, 2012, The Atlantic article about the weakening strength of Evangelicals in presidential elections, demonstrated in the 2012 election, and the increasing influence of minority voters in the U.S.

Read this May 3, 2012, New York Times article about the United Methodist Church voting overwhelmingly not to change language in its books of laws and doctrines about homosexuality, including ordination of gay clergy.

Read a June 21, 2012 Christianity Today article about Barack Obama and what Christians think they know about his faith.

Read this Aug. 22, 2009, Washington Post article about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s vote to allow gays in committed relationships to serve as clergy in the church. With more than 4 million members, the ELCA became one of the largest Christian denominations in the country to significantly open the pulpit to gay clergy.

May 20, 2013, article about the Church of Scotland moving towards allowing liberal congregations to ordain gay men or women if they wish.

Read this July 9, 2012, Christian Post article about the Presbyterian Church (USA) rejecting an attempt to reinstate the ban on gay clergy.