From the Pew to the Voting From the Pew to the Voting Booth: Political Activism and Booth: Political Activism and

AmericanAmerican

Christian EvangelicalsChristian Evangelicals

Chris Grant, Ph.D.Chris Grant, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Political ScienceAssistant Professor of Political Science

Assistant Director of Service Learning, MCSCDAssistant Director of Service Learning, MCSCDMercer UniversityMercer University

Some TermsSome Terms Born-AgainBorn-Again

– Salvation experience defined by Salvation experience defined by accepting Christ as personal savioraccepting Christ as personal savior

FundamentalistFundamentalist– Belief in the literal interpretation of Belief in the literal interpretation of

the Biblethe Bible EvangelicalEvangelical

– Takes the command to share the Takes the command to share the Gospel seriouslyGospel seriously

PentecostalPentecostal– Infilling of the Holy Spirit in a second Infilling of the Holy Spirit in a second

step to salvationstep to salvation CharismaticCharismatic

– Usually Pentecostal using Usually Pentecostal using contemporary worship stylecontemporary worship style

The Core of the Modern The Core of the Modern Christian Conservative Christian Conservative

MovementMovement Core Issues:Core Issues:– Preservation of Preservation of

Traditional Cultural Traditional Cultural NormsNorms

– God’s blessings are God’s blessings are usually evidenced in usually evidenced in material wealthmaterial wealth

– America’s “Manifest America’s “Manifest Destiny” as a “City on Destiny” as a “City on a Hill”a Hill”

– U.S. is Caretaker of U.S. is Caretaker of God’s promise to God’s promise to IsraelIsrael

The Southern Origins of the The Southern Origins of the Modern Christian Conservative Modern Christian Conservative

MovementMovement

Southern Southern DistinctivenessDistinctiveness– States’ RightsStates’ Rights

Traditions under Traditions under siegesiege

– SegregationSegregation Painful Painful

enforcementenforcement

– Religious Religious HomogeneityHomogeneity

The Perception of Threat to The Perception of Threat to Conservative ChristiansConservative Christians

Threats in the 1960sThreats in the 1960s– Women’s rightsWomen’s rights– Viet Nam protestsViet Nam protests

HippiesHippies

– Free SexFree Sex– Drug CultureDrug Culture

Galvanizing MomentGalvanizing Moment– Roe v. Wade (1973)Roe v. Wade (1973)

Presidential Election in Presidential Election in 1976: Politics of the “Born 1976: Politics of the “Born

Again”Again” Carter won 10 of Carter won 10 of 11 southern 11 southern statesstates

First modern First modern candidate from candidate from the “deep south”the “deep south”

First candidate to First candidate to discuss faith as a discuss faith as a political issuepolitical issue

Last Democrat to Last Democrat to win a majority in win a majority in the Souththe South

The Carter Presidency: The Carter Presidency: A Battle Cry for TraditionalistsA Battle Cry for Traditionalists

1977 Conference on the Status of Women1977 Conference on the Status of Women 1978 Conference on the Family1978 Conference on the Family ““Malaise” SpeechMalaise” Speech Iran-Hostage CrisisIran-Hostage Crisis

Origins of a MovementOrigins of a Movement

A sense of betrayal on the part of CarterA sense of betrayal on the part of Carter Issue Specific OrganizationsIssue Specific Organizations

– Eagle Forum (Phyllis Schlafly)Eagle Forum (Phyllis Schlafly) Fight ERAFight ERA

– Focus on the Family/Family Research Council (James Focus on the Family/Family Research Council (James Dobson)Dobson) Preserve Traditional Family NormsPreserve Traditional Family Norms

– American Family Association (Douglas Wildmon)American Family Association (Douglas Wildmon) Eliminate indecency on televisionEliminate indecency on television

The first fully political organization: The Moral The first fully political organization: The Moral Majority 1979Majority 1979– Pro-lifePro-life– Pro-traditional familyPro-traditional family– Pro-national defensePro-national defense– Pro-IsrealPro-Isreal

Presidential Election in 1980Presidential Election in 1980 Ronald Reagan made Ronald Reagan made

a direct appeal to a direct appeal to religious religious conservatives and conservatives and southernerssoutherners– Traditional American Traditional American

Values on family and Values on family and GodGod

– Peace through strengthPeace through strength– Subtle race messageSubtle race message

Won in an Electoral Won in an Electoral College landslideCollege landslide

The 1980s the Movement The 1980s the Movement SolidifiesSolidifies

Reagan adopts most of the agendaReagan adopts most of the agenda Congress is an obstacleCongress is an obstacle

– Senate controlled by Republicans (but not all are Senate controlled by Republicans (but not all are aligned with movement)aligned with movement)

– Efforts made to engage in internal politics of the GOPEfforts made to engage in internal politics of the GOP The end of the Moral Majority The end of the Moral Majority The Robertson campaign (1988)The Robertson campaign (1988) The birth of the Christian Coalition (1989)The birth of the Christian Coalition (1989)

The Objectives of the Christian The Objectives of the Christian Coalition of AmericaCoalition of America

•Represent the pro-family point of view before local councils, school boards, state legislatures and Congress •Speak out in the public arena and in the media •Train leaders for effective social and political action •Inform pro-family voters about timely issues and legislation•Protest anti-Christianity bigotry and defend the rights of people of faith

www.cc.org/about/cfm (accessed 9/13/2005)

The Clinton YearsThe Clinton Years 1993-2001 1993-2001

Christian Coalition Regrouping Christian Coalition Regrouping and Outreachand Outreach– Ralph ReedRalph Reed– African-Americans, Catholics, and African-Americans, Catholics, and

JewsJews The Republican Revolution of The Republican Revolution of

19941994 Rush Limbaugh and the Rise of Rush Limbaugh and the Rise of

Conservative Media OutletsConservative Media Outlets The Next GenerationThe Next Generation

– Tom DeLayTom DeLay– Rick SantorumRick Santorum– Sam BrownbackSam Brownback

The “W’ Years 2001-The “W’ Years 2001-

BushBush v. v. GoreGore ““W” stands for VICTORYW” stands for VICTORY 2004 (The Rove Plan)2004 (The Rove Plan)

– Estimated 1.5 million conservative Estimated 1.5 million conservative Christians did not vote in 2000 Christians did not vote in 2000

– I-4 CorridorI-4 Corridor– Gay Marriage Initiatives in 11 statesGay Marriage Initiatives in 11 states

Exit Polling from 2004Exit Polling from 2004

Born-Again Christians voting for Bush Born-Again Christians voting for Bush 78% (278% (2ndnd most powerful pillar) most powerful pillar) – 23% of the sample23% of the sample

African-Americans voting for Kerry 88%African-Americans voting for Kerry 88%– 11% of the sample11% of the sample

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.0.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.0.html accessed 9/13/2005 accessed 9/13/2005

GOP Gains in the U.S. House GOP Gains in the U.S. House 1976-20041976-2004

The realignment of Conservative Christian The realignment of Conservative Christian Voters contributed to the 1994 GOP takeover in Voters contributed to the 1994 GOP takeover in the House of Representatives the House of Representatives

Other factors included white southerners, Other factors included white southerners, growth of suburbs, redistricting, and increased growth of suburbs, redistricting, and increased American affluenceAmerican affluence– Data taken from Data taken from Congress and Its MembersCongress and Its Members. 2005. 2005

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002

Democrats

Republicans

Presidential Election in 1992Presidential Election in 1992 Last Democrat to Last Democrat to

carry Georgia in a carry Georgia in a Presidential Presidential Election was Bill Election was Bill Clinton in 1992Clinton in 1992

Won in 89 Won in 89 Counties, tied in Counties, tied in 11

Clinton was a Clinton was a member of a member of a Southern Baptist Southern Baptist CongregationCongregation

2004 Presidential Election in 2004 Presidential Election in GeorgiaGeorgia

Kerry won only Kerry won only 25 counties.25 counties.

Kerry did not Kerry did not carry any of the carry any of the majority white majority white suburban suburban countiescounties

Lost many rural Lost many rural countiescounties

Concluding ThoughtsConcluding Thoughts

Future of the MovementFuture of the Movement– New Threats?New Threats?

Republican MajorityRepublican Majority– A Blessing or a Curse?A Blessing or a Curse?

Changing Christian TheologiesChanging Christian Theologies– RaceRace– Role of WomenRole of Women

Further ReadingFurther Reading

““God’s Politics” Jim Wallis God’s Politics” Jim Wallis ““Dixie Rising” Peter Applebaum Dixie Rising” Peter Applebaum ““God at the Grassroots” Mark Rozell God at the Grassroots” Mark Rozell

et al.et al. “ “The Christian Right in American The Christian Right in American

Politics” John Green et al. Politics” John Green et al. Maps from Maps from www.presidentelect.orgwww.presidentelect.org . .