The proper role of religious beliefs in the political realm is a “hot-button” topic that is constantly being discussed in the U.S. See below for the work of two St. Olaf professors who have written on the topic.
“Religion in the Public Sphere” by Ed Langerak, Philosophy Compass (2007)
“A Christian Argument for Political Self-Restraint” by Ed Langerak, May 1999
Check out this video from Stanley Hauerwas about Christianity in the United States:
Also check out the platform for action from the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995. The conference aimed to address international issues regarding women related to religion, culture, and politics. The conference was faced with the tension between global notions of human rights and local, cultural understandings of the place and roles of women.