Traumatic events have increasingly severe political consequences, but the mechanisms that determine their political consequences remain under-studied. One enduring and particularly devastating type of traumatic events is that of arson attacks on places of worship (APOW). These horrific acts of terror disproportionately affect Black, Muslim, and Jewish-Americans, threatening democracy through their de-mobilizing effects. The proposed research project uses the lens of trauma to theorize and empirically measure the political effects of APOW. The project identifies the role religion plays in developing resiliency in response to traumatic events and in shaping a more democratic politics by providing policy-demanders with de-polarizing tools.