Directory of Caribbean Theological Libraries

The 2008 U.S. Presidential election provides the context for an examination of the information behavior of Christian clergy members engaged in the regular task of preparing and delivering a religious message. The research project sought to explore the nature of political cue giving by clergy members within the message of the weekly sermon and to do so at a greater depth of analysis than previously accomplished. The paper reports on an occurrence of serendipitous juxtaposition, the coincidental connection between particular data sets and current events, which provides a helpful interpretative framework for an extended research agenda focused on the information behavior of religious leaders. The paper contributes to the literature on the information behavior of religious leaders; particularly in the use of the information resource knows as the Revised Common Lectionary. The paper also contributes to the literature on the nature of political cue giving by religious leaders.