Sojourners in the Wilderness The Christian Right in Comparative Perspective

by Smidt, Corwin E.; Appleby, R Scott; Bendyna, Mary E.; Berkowitz, Laura A.; Calhoun-Brown, Allison; Green, John C.; Guth, James L.; Hallum, Anne Motley; Hoover, Dennis R.; Jelen, Ted G.; Kellstedt, Lyman A.; Lienesch, Michael; Moen, Matthew C.; Penning, Ja

• ISBN13: 9780847686445
• ISBN10: 0847686442
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1997-08-28
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

While the Christian Right has been the subject of a good deal of scholarly analysis, it has not been adequately studied within a comparative context -- across time, across different institutional systems, or across different religious communities. In Sojourners in the Wilderness, a host of distinguished scholars examine these dimensions of the Christian Right. The contributors analyze the Christian Right historically -- what is its relationship today with earlier manifestations? How have its organizational structures and strategies changed over time? Sociologically -- what are the current opportunities for Christian Right inroads within African-American, Catholic, and Jewish communities?; and politically -- what accounts for the affinity between many evangelical Protestants and the Christian Right within the American political context, while such an affinity appears to be lacking in other political contexts? All of those interested in religion's role in politics and history will find this book valuable.

Table of Contents

List of Tables	vii
Foreword	ix
Ronald A. Wells
Introduction	xi
Corwin E. Smidt
James M. Penning
Part I: The Christian Right in Historical Perspective
The Origins of the Christian Right: Early Fundamentalism as a Political Movement	3	(18)
Michael Lienesch
The Changing Nature of Christian Right Activism: 1970s-1990s	21	(20)
Matthew C. Moen
Part II: Organization and Strategy of the Christian Right
The Christian Right Old and New: A Comparison of the Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition	41	(16)
Mary E. Bendyna
Clyde Wilcox
Charting the Coalition: The Local Chapters of the Ohio Christian Coalition	57	(18)
Laura Berkowitz
John C. Green
Part III: The Christian Right across Religious Communities
Bringing in the Sheaves: The Christian Right and White Protestants, 1976-1996	75	(18)
John C. Green
Corwin E. Smidt
Lyman A. Kellstedt
James L. Guth
Catholics and the Christian Right: An Uneasy Alliance	93	(22)
R. Scott Appleby
Still Seeing in Black and White: Racial Challenges for the Christian Right	115	(24)
Allison Calhoun-Brown
Romancing the Jews: The Christian Right in Search of Strange Bedfellows	139	(32)
Kenneth D. Wald
Lee Sigelman
Part IV: Cross-National perspectives of the Christian Right
Divided by a Common Religion: The Christian Right in England and the United States	171	(22)
J. Christopher Soper
The Christian Right under Old Glory and the Maple Leaf	193	(24)
Dennis R. Hoover
The Transformation of the Christian Right in Central America	217	(18)
Anne Motley Hallum
Part V: Evaluation of the Christian Right
Growing Up Politically: The New Politics of the New Christian Right	235	(14)
Mark J. Rozell
Citizenship, Discipleship, and Democracy: Evaluating the Impact of the Christian Right	249	(20)
Ted G. Jelen
Conclusion	269	(8)
Corwin E. Smidt
James M. Penning
Index	277	(10)
About the Contributors	287