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What is Evangelicalism? How has it changed? - Coggle Diagram
What is Evangelicalism? How has it changed?
"The Historian’s Pickaxe:
Uncovering the Racist Origins of the Religious Right" (Balmer)
The Myth of Origins –– Where did the Religious Right come from?
"The myth of origins has Falwell and other evangelical leaders emerging like a mollusk out of their apolitical stupor to fight the moral outrage of legalized abortion" (p. 1).
Is this really when Evangelicals got involved in politics (i.e. is was Roe the beginning of the Religious Right)? Balmer says no (and so does Paul Weyrich, referencing Barry Goldwater's run for the presidency in 1964).
Weyrich says it was tax exemptions for religious,
not abortion
, that got Evangelicals involved in politics (p. 3).
The abortion origin myth collapses quickly if you look into it––many Evangelicals were silent about the decision, while some even
applauded
it (p. 4-5).
"'I have always felt that it was only after a child was born and had a life separate from its mother that it became an individual person,' [W. A. Criswell], one of the most famous fundamentalists of the twentieth century declared, 'and it has always, therefore, seemed to me that what is best for the mother and for the future should be allowed'" (p. 5).
Segregated schools "were not – by definition – charitable organizations, and therefore they had no claims to tax-exempt status; similarly, donations to such organizations would no longer qualify as tax-deductible contributions" (as decided by Green v. Kentucky (1970) and Green v. Connally (1971)) (p. 6).
Weyrich used these decisions as his opening to politically rally Evangelicals, which were a large voting bloc, and get them involved in conservative causes as the "moral majority" (which he had been trying to do since 1964).
Weyrich still needed a catalyst.
He had tried issues "including pornography, school prayer, the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution, and abortion" but they wouldn't bite (p. 8).
Weyrich said that "'what changed their mind was Jimmy Carter’s intervention against the Christian schools, trying to deny them tax-exempt status on the basis of so-called de facto segregation" (p. 8).
Bob Jones University (tax-emeption revoked under
Ford
not Carter)
Christian School Action
"Although many evangelicals certainly felt troubled by abortion and viewed it as part of the broader problem of promiscuity in American society, most of them regarded it as a “Catholic issue” in the realm of politics until the late 1970s" (p. 12).
The Moral Majority
"In ramping up for political activism, evangelicals portrayed themselves as defending what they considered the sanctity of the evangelical subculture from outside interference" (p. 12).
The Religious Right didn't really start growing until 1977-1978 with government "attacks" on private Christian schools (not with Roe in 1973).
" Unless these leaders could enlist rank-and-file evangelicals, Weyrich’s dream of a politically conservative coalition of evangelicals would remain unfulfilled. And here is where abortion finally figures into the narrative" (p. 14).
These rank-and-file Evangelicals emerged for the 1978 midterms (in which abortion became a central uniting issue about
morality
for Evangelicals and fundamentalists) and signaled the beginning of Weyrich's nascent coalition (p. 16-17).
"By the late 1970s, Schaeffer was beginning to cite abortion as one consequence of a troubling cultural shift away from the mores of evangelical Christianity and toward the reviled “secular humanism" (p. 18).
Abortion became more than just a Catholic issue, "demanding" the political activism of Evangelicals.
"Oranges and Peanuts: The Orange Wave (Episode 0)" (podcast)
What is an Evangelical?
The percentage of Americans who fit this definition has ranged from 35-46% of the population over the decades. A safe bet is probably 33%.
Balmer has a three part definition
(2) "Somebody who believes in the centrality of a conversion experience or a born-again experience." This conversion experience represents a transition from death to live, from hell to heaven.
(3) "Somebody who takes seriously the mandate of what we call 'The Great Commission' in the New Testament, where Jesus tells his followers to go out into all the world, preach the gospel, and baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
(1) "Somebody who takes the Bible very seriously as God's revelation to humanity." Somebody who takes a
literal
approach to the Bible.
What is the Religious Right and how does it relate to Evangelicalism?
"The Religious Right is a political marriage between certain forms of Evangelicalism and far-right conservative political ideologies. It emerged in the 1960s, but really became noticed in the 1980 presidential election when Evangelicals supported Ronald Reagan over Jimmy Carter."
~20% of white Evangelicals did not vote for Trump in 2016 (but ~80% did).
Members of the Religious Right are the most conservative voting bloc in the US and score high on metrics of Christian nationalism.
The Religious Right has not
become
extreme, it was
born
in extremism.
Notable moments in the history of the Religious Right
The Second Great Awakening
1795-1835
Great increase in church membership (especially for Methodists and Baptists). "The Second Great Awakening made evangelical protestantism the most formidable subculture in nineteenth century America."
Combined conversion (being born again) with social reform and action (making the world more humane).
"Finney and other Evangelicals believed that Christian reformers would establish a thousand-year reign of peace and justice on Earth, at the end of which Christ would return."
Fueled the Women's Rights Movement.
Chicago Declaration for Evangelical Social Concern (1973)
This was a
progressive
document written and disseminated by
progressive
Evangelical leaders.
These Evangelicals were very much in support of women's rights and expanded suffrage.
This was
not
a movement that commanded the support of a majority of Evangelicals.
1976 Presidential Election
Jimmy Carter elected over Gerald Ford
1976 was declared "The Year of the Evangelical"
Carter, even though he was a Democrat,
was an Evangelical
From Jimmy Carter to Donald Trump ––> How did this transformation happen?
Balmer identifies as politically liberal and doesn't see how any true understanding of Evangelicalism could lead someone to be politically conservative.