Timely and unbiased, this new fourth edition explores the influence of religion on legislation and society, while examining the alignment of the religious right with the political right.

Table of Contents

• Publisher's Note
• Introduction
• About the Author
• Chapter 1: The Emergence and Development of the Religious Right in America
• Early Political Involvement: The Anti-Communist Movement
• Emergence of the New Religious Right
• Political Buildup to the 1980 Election
• Fallout from the 1980 Election
• Reorganization of the Religious Right and the Contract with America
• Fall of the Christian Coalition
• Troubled Relationship with the Republican Party
• The Religious Right, the 2000 Election, and George W. Bush
• George W. Bush's First Term
• The 2004 Election
• “The Great Recession” and Barack Obama
• Evangelicals and Roman Catholics: Together?
• Evangelicals and Mainline Protestants: Analysis of Survey Data
• Religion and the American Population
• Preferences
• Policy Preferences
• Social and Moral Issues
• Potential for Success
• The Religious Right Today
• Chapter 2: Chronology
• Chapter 3: Biographical Sketches
• Pre-World War I Figures (Before 1920)
• William Jennings Bryan, 1860-1924
• Edgar C. Bundy (1915-2008)
• Charles E. Coughlin (1891-1979)
• John Nelson Darby (1800-1882)
• William (“Billy”) Franklin Graham (1918-2018)
• Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968)
• J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937)
• Clarence E. Manion (1896-1979)
• Carl McIntire (1906-2002)
• Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899)
• Francis Schaeffer (1912-1984)
• Frederick Charles Schwarz (1913-2009)
• Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843-1921)
• Robert H. W. Welch Jr. (1899-1985)
• Between the World Wars (1921-1945)
• Robert J. Billings (1926-1995)
• Bill Bright (1921-2003)
• James C. Dobson (1936-)
• Jerry Lamon Falwell (1933-2007)
• Robert Grant (1936-)
• John Hagee (1940-)
• Billy James Hargis (1925-2004)
• D. James Kennedy (1938-2007)
• Beverly LaHaye (1930-)
• Tim LaHaye (1926-2016)
• Hal Lindsey (1929-)
• Edward A. McAteer (1927- 2004)
• Joyce Meyer (1943-)
• Richard John Neuhaus (1936-2009)
• Cardinal John O'Connor (1920-2000)
• Paige Patterson (1942-)
• Paul (Herman Paul) Pressler (1930-)
• Marion Gordon “Pat” Robertson (1930-)
• James Robison (1943-)
• Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016)
• Robert Charles “R. C.” Sproul (1938-2017)
• John Calvin “Cal” Thomas (1940-)
• Paul Weyrich (1942-2008)
• Donald Ellis Wildmon (1938-)
• Post-World War II Figures
• David Barton (1954-)
• Gary L. Bauer (1946-)
• Colonel V. Doner (1949-)
• Jerry Lamon Falwell Jr. (1962-)
• Franklin Graham (1952-)
• Ted Haggard (1956-)
• Hendrick “Hank” Hanegraaff (1950-)
• Gary Jarmin (1949-)
• Robert James Jeffress Jr. (1955-)
• Richard D. Land (1948-)
• Russell D. Moore (1971-)
• Marvin Olasky (1950-)
• Rodney Lee (Rod) Parsley (1957-)
• Anthony Richard “Tony” Perkins (1963-)
• Ralph Reed (1961-)
• Hugh Norman Ross (1945-)
• Rick Santorum (1958-)
• Jay Alan Sekulow (1956-)
• Randall John “Randy” Tate (1965-)
• Richard Duane “Rick” Warren (1954-)
• Paula White (1966-)
• Chapter 4: The Religious Right and Science
• Science and Religion
• Postmodernism, Attacks on Science, and the Religious Right
• Evolution and the Religious Right
• The Religious Right and Climate Change
• Preserving the Integrity of Science
• Chapter 5: Electoral Politics and Voting
• Alabama Special Election for the U.S. Senate, 2017
• Moore's Post-Removal Electoral Politics
• Reentering Electoral Politics
• Republicans, Conservative Christians, and Roy Moore's Political Future
• The 2018 Congressional Election: A Case Study
• The Religious Right and the Uncertainties of Elections
• Chapter 6: Cultural Issues
• Homosexuality and Gay Marriage
• Amending the Constitution
• Freedom of Religion and Gay Marriage
• Conversion Therapy
• Abortion: The Right to Life Versus the Right to Choose
• RU-486 Abortion Pill
• Crisis Pregnancy Centers
• The Surge in Antiabortion Legislation
• Antiabortion Protests
• Trump Administration Action on Abortion
• Pro-Choice Political Action
• Embryonic Stem Cell Research
• Sex Education
• Prayer In the Public Schools
• Euthanasia and the Right to Die
• Pornography and Obscenity
• The Rise and Demise and Rise Of the Religious Right
• Chapter 7: Economic Issues
• The Great Depression and the Welfare State
• The Religious Right and Political Philosophy
• A Christian Model for Economics
• The Prosperity Gospel
• Criticisms of Prosperity Theology from Conservative Christians
• Conservative Christian Financial Guidance
• The Religious Right and the Politics of the Economy
• Progressive Evangelicals and Economic Policy
• Charitable Choice
• Opposition to Government Involvement in the Economy
• Conclusion
• Chapter 8: American Foreign Policy
• The Religious Right and Anti-Communism
• Foreign Policy Toward Israel
• Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement
• The Religious Right and Islam
• Immigration, Legal and Illegal
• Missionaries and U.S. Foreign Policy
• International Religious Freedom
• Conclusion
• Glossary
• Appendix A: Primary Documents
• General Background and the History of the Religious Right
• Holding The Line
• Apocalypse Now
• Science, Religion, and Evolution
• Sean Carroll: Five Questions
• Natural ‘Knowledge’ And Natural ‘Design’
• Case Study: What About Intelligent Design? Where's Your ID?
• Climate Change and Global Warming
• When Wolves Infiltrate the Sheepfold: Discerning Climate Truth From Falsehood in Churches
• Left Behind: How End Times Heresies Undermine Evangelical Action on Climate
• The Religious Right and President Donald Trump
• Defending Trump
• Abortion
• How Abortions Restrictions Protect Human Dignity: The Importance of Legislation for the Pro-Life Cause
• Same-Sex Marriage
• Mohler Responds to Supreme Court's Same-Sex Marriage Decision
• Ten Reasons to Support Gay Marriage
• Appendix B: Suggested Readings
• Works About the Religious Right
• Science and the Religious Right
• Works From the Religious Right
• Appendix C: Multimedia Resources
• Appendix D: Directory of Organizations
• Organizations Supporting the Religious Right
• Organizations Critical of the Religious Right