The Religious Right: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues) - Hardcover

Utter, Glenn H.; Storey, John W.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0874367786 ISBN 13: 9780874367782

Publisher: ABC-CLIO, 1995

Synopsis

This timely work presents an unbiased examination of the religious right and its role in American life. From the fight to outlaw the teaching of Darwin's theory of evolution to the struggle to outlaw abortion, the religious right is continually exerting an influence on public policy. This book explores the influence of religion on legislation and society, while examining the alignment of the religious right with the political right. A historical survey of the movement highlights the shift to a "hands-on" approach to politics and the struggle to present a unified front. Biographies of the men and women who have defined the movement and a detailed chronology provide a thorough understanding of the movement's agenda and goals. Annotated listings of print and nonprint resources, as well as of organizations affiliated with the religious right and those opposing it, aid in further research. Comprehensive in its scope, this work offers easy-to-read, pertinent information for those seeking to understand the religious right and its evolving role in American society.
The Religious Right: A Reference Handbook is part of ABC-CLIO's award-winning Contemporary World Issues series. Other books in the series deal with issues such as homelessness, abortion, domestic violence, gun control, global development, and capital punishment.

About this title

About the Author

Glenn H. Utter is professor of political science and chair of the Department of Political Science at Lamar University, Beaumont, TX.

John W. Storey is professor of history and chair of the History Department at Lamar University, Beaumont, TX.

Reviews

Especially relevant during an election year, this book in ABC-Clio's Contemporary World Issues series contains information that high-school and college students will find useful. With a topic as volatile as this, it is difficult to make an unbiased presentation, but the authors appear to have done so. Utter, a political science professor, and Storey, a history professor, provide a resource to use when writing a paper on the religious right, searching for debate material, or doing political analysis. In the preface they define their terminology and give the rationale for including certain groups and individuals and for excluding others.

Like other titles in the series, each chapter offers information in a different format. The most fascinating chapter gives the results of a 1994 survey of attitudes among both mainline and evangelical Protestants from across the country. This chapter also includes quotations on a variety of topics and reproduces voting guides from the Christian Coalition. The introduction shows the tie of the religious right to the anti-Communist hysteria of the 1950s, the movement against secular humanism of the 1960s and 1970s, and its evolution as a political entity in the 1980s, focusing on Pat Robertson and the Christian Coalition.

A chronology covering 1835 to 1995 lists events with an explanation of their relevance to the religious right. Events covered include prohibition, the Scopes trial, Engel v. Vitale (school prayer), Roe v. Wade, and the Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart scandals. Another chapter contains biographies of such people as Father Coughlin, William Jennings Bryan, Jerry Falwell, Billy Graham, Ralph Reed, and Robert Welch. A directory of organizations covers organizations no longer in existence in addition to those currently active and a few critical of the religious right. The address, phone number, executive director, and publications of the organization are included. The annotated bibliography and mediography list titles by and about the religious right, including radio and TV programs and Internet sites. An extensive glossary and index are appended.

Patrons of high-school, academic, and public libraries will find this an invaluable source.

Edition details

• Publisher: ABC-CLIO
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0874367786
• ISBN 13: 9780874367782
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 1