The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party

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Many religious groups and conservative Christians oppose the Religious Right -- both in politics and in their church hierarchies. The Interfaith Alliance "is a non-partisan, clergy-led organization dedicated to promoting the positive, healing role of faith in civic life and challenging intolerance and extremism." (from their website)   Click Here

The Evangelical Environmental Network, is a coalition of Christian groups including World Vision, World Relief, InterVarsity, and the International Bible Society. In their Declaration they say, "We and our children face a growing crisis in the health of the creation in which we are embedded, and through which, by God's grace, we are sustained. Yet we continue to degrade that creation. These degradations of creation can be summed up as: 1) land degradation, 2) deforestation, 3) species extinction, 4) water degradation, 5) global toxification, 6) the alteration of atmosphere, 7) human and cultural degradation." The environment, as God's creation, should be protected and cherished. To read their website,   Click Here

Mainline Christian churches have become a launching pad in the battle for dominion. Efforts to control church infrastructure began with the Southern Baptists Convention and has now moved to the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Episcopal churches. To shed light on tactics used to take control of mainline churches, the Institute for Democracy Studies has produced a report titled: A Moment to Decide. For a summary and ordering information:   Click Here

Respected journalist, Leon Howell, has written a book United Methodism@Risk documenting efforts of groups from the Religious Right operating as "renewal groups" to take over mainline churches. To quote from the Martin Marty Center at the University of Chicago Divinity School, July 10, 2003:

"The political right-wing, operating in the guise of a gaggle of so-called "renewal groups," particularly one named the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD), has acquired the money and political will to target three mainline American denominations: The United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church USA, and the Episcopal Church. The IRD was created and is sustained by money from right-wing foundations and has spent millions of dollars over 20 years attacking mainline denominations. The IRD's conservative social-policy goals include increasing military spending and foreign interventions, opposing environmental protection efforts, and eliminating social welfare programs.

"In a document entitled "Reforming America's Churches Project 2001-2004," the IRD states that its aim is to change the "permanent governing structure" of mainline churches "so they can help renew the wider culture of our nation." In other words, its goal extends beyond the spiritual and includes a political takeover financed by the likes of Richard Mellon Scaife, Adolph Coors, the John M. Olin Foundation, and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation of Milwaukee."

Religious Beliefs

Terms such as Evangelical, fundamentalist, Pentecostal, and charismatic are frequently used, so it's helpful to understand the differences. Within each of these groups there is a wide range of doctrines and practices and this web site does not provide, nor claim to have expertise on the complexity and subtle nuances of beliefs and practices.

Evangelicals represent a wide range of beliefs, but, in general, have undergone a conversion experience, often referred to as "born again." The literature generally puts the number of people who identify as evangelical at about ninety-eight million. But the term "evangelical" does not mean a certain political belief.

The Religious Right supports policies that favor the powerful such as deregulation of corporations and tax cuts for the wealthy. The Rev. Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine, is a man who is very conservative theologically, yet progressive politically. In contrast to the Religious Right, he believes his faith mandates support for progressive policies, like government services for the poor. "The Bible is full of poor people," he said. "Biblical politics has the poor at the center."

Wallis describes an experience when he participated on a talk show on Fox News. "Whenever you mention poverty in a venue like that, they scream that you're engaging in class warfare and promptly declare war on you. I've decided that the right wing is correct on this: There is a class war, but they and their political allies are the ones who have declared it. As Episcopal Bishop John Chane said at a recent Sojourners/Call to Renewal chapel service: "We've gone from a war on poverty to a war on the poor." Click Here

Governor Bob Riley of Alabama tried to raise taxes to help the poor, calling this action his Biblical duty. On CBS News, Gov. Riley said, "we're supposed to love God, love each other, and help take care of our poor." His tax initiative was defeated in a statewide referendum, and one of the groups opposing him was the Christian Coalition of Alabama.

Fundamentalists are a subgroup of evangelicals who believe that the Scriptures -- both the Old and New Testaments --are the verbally inspired Word of God, written by men in God's control. Therefore, the Bible is inerrant and infallible. Christian Fundamentalists argue that the Bible must be accepted as the literal word of God, correct not only in its religious or moral teachings, but also in its scientific and historical claims. They believe that the theory of evolution is false, since it contradicts their reading of the Bible.

Pentecostalism is the fastest growing religion in the United States and the world today. Practitioners also believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, but differ from fundamentalists and other Christian denominations by practicing exorcism, speaking in tongues, faith healing, and, in general, seeking supernatural experiences. Some of the better known Pentecostal denominations are Assemblies of God and the United Pentecostal Church.

The Charismatic movement took shape in the 1960's. Followers share the basic doctrines of Pentecostalism but advocate working within affiliated churches rather than forming a separate denomination. The movement includes Roman Catholic churches as well as Protestant denominations. Some charismatic churches refer to themselves as "nondenominational."