Onward Christian Soldiers: The Religious Right in American Politics (Dilemmas in American Politics)

In this revised and updated third edition of Onward Christian Soldiers? , Clyde Wilcox and Carin Larson present the history of a movement that has been active in politics for nearly 100 years, but whose influence has grown considerably in recent decades. They describe the groups, their agenda, and the tactics they have used to try to influence public policy. Their mobilization was critical in the Republicans' rise to power in 1994, in George W. Bush's reelection of 2004 in what many observers called the Values Election, and in the passage of constitutional amendments in many states banning same-sex marriage. Yet after years of mobilization, their policy agenda remains largely unfulfilled. Wilcox and Larson present a balanced account of the most controversial social movement of the 20th century. They see positive and negative effects of the movement in American politics, and see opportunities and dangers for the movement in the years ahead. Tackling the sticky political dilemma of the proper role of religious groups in American politics and showing how the contemporary religious right does--and does not--fit into that context, Onward Christian Soldiers?, Third Edition is a critical textbook for today's political science students and one sure to promote active classroom discussion.