This thesis will address the political movement of the Christian Right, one of the most controversial movements in the American political system.
Its critics have accused it of trying to establish a theocracy in the United States, of trying to strip homosexuals of their civil rights, and called it fascist, to name but a few allegations. Leaders of the Christian Right, on the other hand, have harshly attacked those they made out as advocates of “secular humanism”, have accused them of anti-Christian bigotry, and have repeatedly employed extreme rhetoric when addressing their (political) adversaries. Within about twenty-five years, the movement developed from almost complete political abstinence into a highly organized political force.
The subject is appealing for research for several reasons: firstly, it is a good example of how vivid and influential religion and religiously motivated political action still are, in spite of the secularization theory widely adhered to in the respective period of time. It is also still current, as there has been some fluctuation in terms of activity and degree of organization, but so far the Christian Right has not ceased to exist.
The goal of the thesis is to explore the emergence of the movement, to portrait the developments that brought theologically conservative Protestants (Evangelicals) – from isolation and retreat into a subculture – to active and organized political involvement.
The central questions to be answered are linked to the controversy surrounding the movement: (1) Has the Christian Right been trying to accomplish what its critics fear, a theocracy, and a Christian nation in which there would be no place for dissenters?
(2) Is the Christian Right a legitimate movement operating within the frame of the political system, or is it set out to ultimately change that system?
Resulting from those questions is the evaluation of the Christian Right’s performance so far (regardless of what can be concluded to answer the above questions):
(3) Which of its goals have been achieved, what balance can be drawn?
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Structure and Goals of this Thesis
1.2 The Area of Focus and the Structure
1.3 Survey of Existing Literature
2. An Introduction to Evangelical Protestantism
2.1 Evangelical Denominations
2.1.1 Fundamentalism
2.1.2 'Classical' or Neo-Evangelicalism
2.1.3 Pentecostalism and Charismatics
2.1.4 Conclusion
2.1.5 Analysis of the Socio-Demographic Details of Evangelicals
3. Evangelicals and Politics
3.1 Religious Reasons for Political Abstinence
3.2 The 1920s – Sporadic Activism, Followed by Retreat
3.3 The Fundamentalist Comeback of the 1950s
3.3.1 Anticommunism
3.3.2 Further Organizations of the 1950s
3.4 The Height of Liberalism and its Consequences for Evangelicals
3.5 The New Right’s Formation
3.6 The Creation of the New Christian Right
3.6.1 Targeting Conservative Evangelicals
4. The First Generation of Organizations
4.1 The Moral Majority
4.2 Other Organizations of the 1980s
4.2.1 Religious Roundtable
4.2.2 Christian Voice
4.2.3 American Coalition for Traditional Values
4.3 Fundraising
4.4 Summary: The Christian Right of the 1980s
4.5 The First Wave’s Downfall
5. Pat Robertson – Bringing Charismatics and Pentecostals into Politics
5.1 Pat Robertson’s Presidential Campaign
5.2 Conclusion - The Campaign’s Impact
6. The Second Generation – The Christian Right in the 1990s
6.1 Christian Coalition
6.1.1 Ralph Reed
6.1.2 The launching of Christian Coalition
6.1.3 Membership and its Structure
6.1.4 Funding & Finances
6.1.5 The Christian Coalition and the GOP
6.1.6 Christian Coalition’s conflict with the FEC and the IRS
6.2 Focus on the Family
6.3 Family Research Council
6.4 Concerned Women for America
6.4.1 Strategy – Pioneering in Juridical Action
6.4.2 Structure and Organization
6.4.3 Funding
6.4.4 Membership
6.5 Eagle Forum
7. The Second Generation’s Strategies
7.1 A Transformation of Strategy
7.2 Focusing on legal action
7.3 Juridical Organizations of the Christian Right
7.3.1 American Center for Law and Justice
7.3.2 Rutherford Institute
8. Strategies & Issues
8.1 Homosexuality
8.2 Foreign Policy
9. The Development of Evangelical Party Affiliation
9.1 From Democrat to Republican
9.2 Infiltrating the GOP
9.2.1 Gaining Control at the Local Level
9.2.2 Conflicts between established Republicans and Christian Right Newcomers
9.2.3 Premises for Evangelical Involvement
10. Conclusion
10.1 What they really want: the ultimate goals of the Christian Right
10.2 Has the Christian Right been successful so far?
10.3 Looking Ahead – A Personal Forecast
Objectives & Core Themes
This thesis examines the political rise of the Christian Right in the United States, analyzing its transition from religious isolation to an organized political force between the late 1970s and the 1990s. The central research question explores whether this movement seeks to establish a theocracy or operates as a legitimate political actor within the American democratic system, while evaluating the extent to which its political goals have been realized.
- The historical emergence and theological foundations of Evangelicalism.
- The strategic evolution of Christian Right organizations across two generations.
- The increasingly intense and controversial relationship with the Republican Party.
- The adoption of juridical and legal strategies to influence American public policy.
- The impact of internal factionalism and societal shifts on the movement's long-term influence.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3.1 Anticommunism
The emergence of a single foe image sparked another wave of organized political involvement by the Christian Right: the rise of the Soviet Union as the U.S.’s main rival, and the following rising “fear of domestic communist influence”. Furthermore, the Korean War had influenced American society in the same way, anticommunist sentiments were amplified, the Chinese and the Russians were adopted as new foe images. Prosecution of Soviet spies was only a part of what expanded into a system of controlling suspected communist attitudes of federal employees, artists, and intellectuals; this culminated in Senator Joseph McCarthy’s radical anticommunism. On a broader scale, McCarthyism had been the manifestation of the attempt to allow as little discrepancy from the political and cultural norms of the middle-class; an attempt which stood diametrically against the slow but steady decline of social conformity and the resulting alteration of norms and values. Anticommunism, however, had been a part of the Fundamentalist’s agenda since the end of the 1920s, and remained so throughout the following decades, it was not adopted as recently as the beginning of the 1950s.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the research scope, central goals, and existing literature regarding the Christian Right as a controversial political movement.
2. An Introduction to Evangelical Protestantism: Defines the theological and socio-demographic parameters of Evangelicalism, outlining its major denominations and internal diversity.
3. Evangelicals and Politics: Traces the historical trajectory of Evangelical political engagement, from early 20th-century retreat to the emergence of the New Right in the late 1970s.
4. The First Generation of Organizations: Analyzes the rise and fall of pioneering Christian Right groups like the Moral Majority, focusing on their lobbying efforts and organizational challenges.
5. Pat Robertson – Bringing Charismatics and Pentecostals into Politics: Examines Pat Robertson’s presidential campaign and its critical role in expanding the movement's base to include Charismatics and Pentecostals.
6. The Second Generation – The Christian Right in the 1990s: Explores the professionalization of the movement through the Christian Coalition, Focus on the Family, and Concerned Women for America.
7. The Second Generation’s Strategies: Details the shift toward institutionalized legal action and strategic assimilation into mainstream political processes.
8. Strategies & Issues: Discusses the movement's involvement in socio-moral debates, particularly homosexuality and foreign policy positions.
9. The Development of Evangelical Party Affiliation: Tracks the strategic transition of Evangelicals from the Democratic to the Republican Party and their efforts to infiltrate the GOP.
10. Conclusion: Evaluates the ultimate goals, successes, and future outlook of the Christian Right within the American political landscape.
Keywords
Christian Right, Evangelicalism, Fundamentalism, American Politics, Republican Party, Political Activism, Moral Majority, Christian Coalition, Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed, Conservatism, Socio-moral Issues, Juridical Strategy, Church and State, Grassroots Organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central subject of this thesis?
The work examines the political mobilization and organizational development of the Christian Right in the United States from the late 1970s through the end of the 1990s.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the evolution of Evangelical theology into political activism, the strategies of two generations of religious organizations, the movement's relationship with the Republican Party, and the shift toward using legal and juridical channels to influence policy.
What is the main objective of this research?
The primary goal is to evaluate whether the Christian Right functions as a standard interest group within the democratic framework or as an anti-system movement aiming to transform the U.S. into a theocratic nation, while also assessing its overall effectiveness.
Which research methodology is employed?
The thesis utilizes a historical and descriptive analytical approach, examining the emergence, strategies, membership, and organizational performance of leading Christian Right institutions through existing literature and primary source data.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body chronicles the transition from the Moral Majority's initial efforts in the 1980s to the more sophisticated, grassroots-oriented, and legally strategic approach of organizations like the Christian Coalition in the 1990s.
Which keywords define this thesis?
The research is characterized by terms such as Christian Right, Evangelicalism, political activism, GOP, conservatism, and grassroots mobilization.
How did the Christian Right's strategy change between the 1980s and 1990s?
The movement transitioned from relying on broad, often contentious televised rhetoric and top-down management to employing professionalized grassroots networking, targeted lobbying, and institutionalized legal action through specialized juridical organizations.
How does the work assess the success of the Christian Right?
The author concludes that while the movement achieved significant visibility and local influence, its impact on national legislative policy, such as overturning abortion rights or reversing perceived moral decay, has been limited, leading to a state of humble success rather than total systemic transformation.
What role did Pat Robertson play in the movement?
Pat Robertson was instrumental in mobilizing Charismatic and Pentecostal voters who were initially overlooked by earlier Fundamentalist-led groups, and his 1988 presidential campaign helped transition the movement toward a more robust, independent organizational structure.
- Quote paper
- Nils Schnelle (Author), 2008, The Christian Right in the United States - Origin, Structure, and Political Activism, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/121005
