The End of the Christian Right in American Politics?

This election cycle is something of a disaster for what remains of the Christian Right in American politics. On the one one hand, you have Mitt Romney, a Mormon, running against Newt Gingrich, a thrice married, newly converted Catholic with a history of ethics violations including leaving 2 sick wives for mistresses. Rick Santorum is also a Catholic who has strong conservative moral credentials, but he cannot get any traction. Ron Paul, a Baptist, is a libertarian and he also cannot get any traction among Conservative Christians. He was booed in South Carolina for trying to apply the Golden Rule to international relations.

There are no Ronald Reagans, George W. Bush's, or even Mike Huckabee's out there. So, where does what is left of the Christian Right go this November in the presidential election?  If history is any guide, whoever is running against President Obama will be re-baptized as a legitimate conservative with bona fide religious right credentials and be voted for en masse. But, what has happened to the movement overall?

The New Republic has an article out by Michael Kazin that says that the Christian Right is dying and is no longer influential in American politics. He says, "In fact, the Christian Right is a fading force in American life, one which has little chance of achieving its cherished goals." A counterpoint to this is found in the Salon.com article by Peter Montgomery where he says that the Christian Right is alive and powerful. So, which is it? Is the Christian Right still a political force to be reckoned with, or is it a shell of its former self?

Pesonally, as a Baptist pastor in the Deep South, I think that there is no doubt that the "movement" as we once knew it is in steep decline. The energy of the 80's and 90's culminating in the election of George W. Bush and the Republican Senate and House in 2000 has given way to a great deal of apathy and resignation regarding the idea that taking over the political process is not the best way to "restore" America or even make much of a difference. The drum-beat towards America embracing a more liberal present and future continues on, almost unchecked. Sure, a law is passed here and there in a state legislature or in Congress, but overall, things are continuing to unravel for the Christian Conservative, at least according to the standards put forth by the Christian Right.

I remember when I was younger and The Christian Coalition led by Pat Robertson or the Moral Majority led by Jerry Falwell or Focus on the Family led by James Dobson would issue statements on the next big fight over abortion or gay rights or a supreme court justice nomination.  People would talk, letters would be written, preachers would preach, and rallies would occur. No more. Those days are gone. No longer do we believe that winning a battle over a piece of legislation is going to make a major difference.

There are still millions of Christian Conservatives out there. But, by and large, I think that they are disillusioned. While they still have enormous potential political power, they have lost their political will, by and large. I think that most Christians have realized that winning elections does not equal winning the hearts and minds of people, and that is where the battle must be fought and won.

I see a return to grass-roots activism and a more holistic witness among Christians. I think that we have finally realized that we cannot take America back for God, whatever that means. I am seeing a return to an embrace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as our only hope and a greater desire to live out the implications of our faith in real and tangible ways. Personally, I think that Christians should be involved in politics just like we should be involved in every arena, since we should all play a role in how we govern ourselves. But, I think that our future engagement is going to look much different than it did in the past.

No, the Christian Right is not dead in America. But, may be less Republican and less "Right" and perhaps it is more prophetic in that it is not as beholden to any political party or ideological perspective. Perhaps we are better off if we lose our power here on earth so that we can exert influence derived from God's Kingdom instead of man's. Maybe if we are not tied to one party, we can critique and offer alternatives rooted in the Way of Jesus to BOTH parties.

Maybe we can be more prophetic than political, and in that, point to Christ as our only hope and the Savior of the world.

Comments

[Gary Snowden]

I resonate strongly with what you've written here, Alan. I shared some related thoughts in the most recent edition of our church's senior adult newsletter, which is also posted on my blog.

[Christiane]

By not providing someone from the 'A' Team for a Presidential candidate, it is fair for the nation to assume that the Republican Party, for all of it's criticisms of Obama, has conceded the battle before the battle has begun.

The contrast between the depth of what has been thrown at Obama (birther stuff, baby-killer, on and on) and
the lack of real solid effort to defeat him politically . . .

why?
Did people think all they had to do was to slander the man for the voters of this country to see it their way?

Didn't work, did it?

[P Hannam]

I personally don't think there was a significant movement on the ground that was either brought to life nor ended. The people Jerry Falwell termed "The Moral Majority" existed before him and existed after--whether or not they are called anything. The people that care about the issues identified with "The Religious Right" are not confined to the "group" identfied as the RR. And white Evangelicals were and are diverse both in their political allegiances and voting patterns.

To me the "Religious Right" was largely myth born out of a marriage of the media wanting the story and a group of leaders who were happy to go along with being identified as having a massive following.

[Davidrayt]

The christian right in american politics is a joke. During the eight years of Republican Bush what was done about abortion and homosexuality? Absolutely nothing. What we got was war mongering, a terrific national debt, tax breaks for the rich and the patriot act which took away more of our rights. When will you people finally see that our hope is in Christ and not our government?

[Charles Barnes Sr]

It is good to see someone finally get it. We were never called to spend so much time and energy trying to reshape American politics at the expense of trying to win people to Jesus Christ. I have watched for 30 years the Christian activism for Republicans while seeing the same individuals never witness by tract distribution or door-to-door evangelism. I am always reminded of an old quote, "For every 1,000 men chopping at the branches of evil, there is 1 man chopping at the roots." 30 years of chopping at branches has only weakened America and its churches...lets get back to chopping at the roots.

[Ray S]

Alan,

I share your sentiment, but would like to provide this for consideration:

Main reasons for Moral Majority Failure:
1. Dualism that comes from a separation of the secular and spiritual. This, of course, is a minor form of gnosticism. The reformers (from which worldview God employed to fashion our national freedom today) would have none of that. For them, all of life comes under the influence of Scripture. The idea that all we need to do is get people saved and stop worrying about the rest has good intentions but falls short of the full meaning of the Great Commission.

2. Antinomianism. The Moral Majority was by-in-large dispensational and often fundamental, where there was (and is) a curious rejection of God's Law as still binding on the believer today yet a imposition of what we (they) think is important. In reality, if you're going to tell other's how to live, you have to have a robust theology to support an objective Law that applies to believers and unbelievers alike.

3. Pessimistic Eschatology. As one writer put it, 'How can you motivate people to get out and work for a political cause if you also tell them that they cannot be successful in their efforts? How can you expect to win if you don't expect to win? How can you get men elected if you tell the voters that their votes cannot possibly reverse society's downward drift into Satan's kingdom?"

Thankfully, there is a new Christian movement (that is actually pulling from Reformation Theology) that will have much better success because it's based upon God's Law and a Biblical, presuppositional epistemology and an optimistic eschatology. I just pray it gains some strides before my kids have to see all this mess.

I enjoy your posts.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Ray