Here is a review of a new book that is going on my after-the-semester-is-over reading list: The Future of Faith in American Politics by David Gushee.
I agree with this assessment by Gushee:
I think there are some fractures emerging among the people who identify themselves as Religious Right. I think some are starting to deemphasise partisan politics to a certain extent. Others are attempting to reframe their message. I think the new book by Tony Perkins and Harry Jackson (mentioned above) is a reframing effort. A lot of the things I critique in my book, they say ‘you’re right we need to work on those things.’ Things like disentangling from the Republican Party, having a more positive and less negative kind of tone, emphasising a broader range of issues. I think there is a feeling on the Religious Right that those things are a problem for them.
(1) Fractures emerging among the people who identify themselves as Religious Right (2) Starting to deemphasise partisan politics to a certain extent. (3 Attempting to reframe their message?
(4) Disentangling from the Republican Party, (5) Having a more positive and less negative kind of tone, (6) Emphasising a broader range of issues, (5) A feeling on the Religious Right that those things are a problem for them?
I think so — and it’s about time. I think it[s because most Americans are sick to death of the “Religious Right” speaking for them and acting as if they are the only “real” Americans and the only “true” Christians. Enough already! The R.R. is only making these “changes” becasue they know they are going to lose the Presidency this time around.
I’ll order and read. Thanks for the info!
without getting into it in any detail… that is exactly right from what I have seen.
🙂