Onward Christian Soldiers

Are groups such as the Moral Majority,the Christian Coalition, and the religious right the greatest threat to liberty since Hitler or the last defenders of religious freedom and family values in America? In this revised and updated second edition of Onward Christian Soldiers Clyde Wilcox tells us who they are, what their history has been in twentieth-century American politics, and how they might organize themselves for future political effectiveness. Clyde Wilcox tackles the sticky political dilemma of the proper role of religious groups in American politics and government while showing how the contemporary religious right does-and does not-fit into that context. They have money, influence, power-and they turn out to vote. They are credited with delivering a significant part of the Republicans' stunning 1994 electoral success, foreshadowed their status as major players in the elections of 1996. "They" are groups like the Moral Majority, the Christian Coalition, and the religious right. But are they the greatest threat to liberty since Hitler or the last defenders of religious freedom and family values in America? In this revised and updated second edition of Onward Christian Soldiers Clyde Wilcox tells us who they are, what their history has been in twentieth-century American politics, and how they might organize themselves for future political effectiveness. He tackles the sticky political dilemma of the proper role of religious groups in American politics and government while showing how the contemporary religious right does-and does not-fit into that context.

Table of Contents:
List of Illustrations; Preface; 1. Introduction: The Christian Right in Context; What Is the Christian Right; The Context; The First Amendment and Church and State; Religion and Politics in America; A Culture War?; Conclusion and Overview of the Book; 2. Revivals and Revolution: The Christian Right in Twentieth-Century America; The Fundamentalist Religious Revolt; The Fundamentalist Political Revolt; The Anticommunist Crusades; The Fundamentalist Right of the 1980s; The Robertson Campaign; The Christian Right, 1920-1990: Continuity and Change; A Second Coming? The Christian Right in the 1990s; The Target Constituency of the Christian Right; Conclusion; 3. The Christian Right in American Politics; The Christian Right in the 1990s; Christian Right Action in Electoral Politics; Lobbying Government; Conclusion; 4. Assessing the Christian Right; Is the Christian Right "Rational"?; The Christian Right and American Democracy; The Christian Right Agenda; Conclusion; 5. The Future of the Christian Right; Can the Christian Right Expand?; Can the Christian Right Come to Power?; Premillennialists in the New Millennium; Conclusion; Discussion Questions; Glossary; Notes; References; About the Book and Author; Index.

About the Author :
Clyde Wilcox is professor of government at Georgetown University. He has published a number of books on religion and politics in the U.S. and abroad, and on interest group politics, including Groups in American Elections: The New Face of Electioneering, Second Edition and The Values Campaign: The Christian Right in the 2004 Elections . He also writes on gender politics, campaign finance, and the politics of science fiction.