Professor Smidt earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Iowa, and specializes in American public opinion and electoral behavior. Dr. Smidt is well known as a writer, scholar and expert in the area of religion and politics.

Dr. Smidt is the author, co-author, and editor of numerous books, including:

The Oxford Handbook of Religion and American Politics

Pews, Prayers and Participation: Religion and Civic Responsibility in America

Divided by a Common Heritage: The Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church in America at the Beginning of the New Millenium

Pulpit and Politics: Clergy in American Politics at the Advent of the Millenium

In God We Trust: Religion and American Political Life

Religion as Social Capital: Producing the Common Good

Evangelicalism: The Next Generation

The Bully Pulpit: The Politics of Protestant Clergy

Culture Wars: Dispatches from the Front

Sojourners in the Wilderness: The Christian Right in Comparative Perspective

Professor Smidt has served as the Program Chair, an Executive Committee member, and Newsletter Editor of the Religion and Politics section of the American Political Science Association. In addition he has been the President of Christians in Political Science, a national association of Christian scholars engaged in the study of political science, and President of the Michigan Conference of Political Scientists.

Dr. Smidt's expertise and knowledge in the field of religion and politics have led to numerous media interviews and consultations, including interviews with Reuters, the Associated Press, the Washington Times, the Denver Post, the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Grand Rapids Press. He has been invited to speak at various conferences and events, among them:

The Conference on Law and Religion in Transitional Societies in Oslo, Norway

The Symposium on Civil Society, Civic Engagement, and Catholicism in the U.S. at PfalzAcademie in Lambrecht, Germany

The School of Government at Peking University in Beida, the People's University in Renda and Tsinghua University, all in China

The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion in Rochester, New York

The Values, Vision and the Via Media Conference at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

The Religion and the American Presidency Conference at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California

The Religion and the Presidency Conference at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Religion and the 2004 Election Conference at Syracuse University in New York, New York

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