A surge in faith-based lobbying

The number of religious advocacy groups in the nation's capital has
more than tripled since the 1970s, with conservative groups experiencing
the biggest growth, according to a new report.

Together,
faith-based lobbying and advocacy groups spend $390 million a year in
Washington to influence lawmakers, mobilize supporters and shape public
opinion, according to the nonpartisan Pew Forum on Religion & Public
Life.

The study reflects shifting fortunes in religion and
politics: the rise of the religious right 35 years ago, the decline of
mainline Protestant churches and the outsized presence of the Roman
Catholic Church.