I’ve been meaning to post a link to this article from Christian Ethics Today for awhile. Sociologist Tony Campolo has not joined the chorus south of the border which says the religious right is dying down, quieting down or laying down anytime soon.
There are reasons why Religious Right Evangelicals will continue to dominate religious discourse, not only in their own sector of the Christian community, but also in what transpires in mainline denominations. Moderate voices, for the most part, are being sidelined and those with liberal views will find fewer and fewer means to express their opinions or gain an audience for their convictions.
Of course, there will be side eddies to the dominating flow of the Religious Right’s rhetoric and its control of who and what will represent Christianity. We can be sure that there will be dissonant voices and spokespersons just like this publication, Christian Ethics Today, who give unashamed voice to the truth, and like Jim Wallis and his allies in his Sojourners community who will march to the beat of another drum. Also, there will be countervailing movements such as the Emergent church, led by the likes of Tony Jones and Brian McLaren; along with those radical countercultural advocates who relate to “the Simple Way” messages of Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, as well as several others.
Campolo says finances, technical know-how, broadcasting dominance, solid inroads into the publishing business as well as alliances with none religious conservative voices are going to keep the religious right in political play and front and centre in the US culture for years to come. As well Campolo points out that organized, concentrated, loud and publicized complaining gets attention. He believes hope lies with the younger generation.
While holding to traditional doctrines as those stated in the Apostles’ Creed, having a high view of Scripture, and declaring faith in a personal relationship with a resurrected Christ as essential for salvation, they clearly denounce as idolatry any attempt to make Jesus into either a Democrat or a Republican. With a deep commitment to living out the red letters of the Bible, which in many editions highlight the words of Jesus, these Red Letter Christians espouse what Glenn Beck and other conservative commentators might deride as “progressive social values.” But there is nothing that is ideologically identifiable with these Red Letter Christians. Coming from across the political spectrum, they do not want to be pigeonholed. What they do want as their identity is a recognition that they are endeavoring to embrace the radical lifestyle prescribed by Jesus on a personal level, especially as it is set forth in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).
When any religion has infiltrated a culture like Islam has in the Middle East or Christianity has in US and Canada, it should come as no surprise when the said religion seeks not only representation at the highest level of government, but the seat of power itself. In a predominantly christian nation, the ideology of the religious right wins the vote of the average, nominal christian by default. Mainline denominations, while perhaps not as militaristic in instituting Christian values/ideology in every sector of society as, say, the Evangelicals, still tend to lean to the right when casting their ballots, especially when encouraged to do so by their pastor or priest – no winking or nudging necessary. Even when the Right Wing leader’s own actions and lifestyle scream “Hypocrite!!” as in the following:
http://tinyurl.com/45jzp23
http://tinyurl.com/4mhdwaa
I know that in my own province of Saskatchewan, predominantly Christian, the Conservative candidate who wears his Christianity like a badge of honour, will beat the godless Liberal hands down every time. It’s really not about the political platform or the issues, it’s about the “values”, and more importantly, the “religious” values of the candidate here that gets them a seat in the House. Christians being “sheep” seems like an understatement considering how much trust and control over their lives and actions, (not to mention their thinking) they give to those both in the pulpit and in the Legislature. It’s positively dangerous.
Nevertheless, I agree with Campolo that the noisy RR Evangelicals will continue to be the political voice for the average Christian in America for some time to come. I believe the younger generation does offer some hope as they are less inclined to follow the traditional views of their parents, more independent critical thinkers, as each generation advances towards a higher state of being, advancing civilization by fighting ignorance. A secular society, without the apron strings of traditional religion, without inherited ideology, will always be a freer society. And as long as any organized religion thrives, no matter how seemingly benign, there will always be the struggle to keep religious values (and fascist propensities) out of democratic levels of government.