2.1.3.3 Post WWII Religion and Politics Through the Reagan Era
II. The Crucial Last 70 Years of American Politics and Religion
During the last 70 years, various extremist forms of faith (religious and secular) and politics (right and left) have sought to impose their unhealthy ideologies onto everyone else by seeking dominating power. While there’s always been resistance to these forces, since the 2004 election there’s been a resurgence of center-left/center-right positions and movements in both faith and politics promoting healthier forms of power.
Those centrist individuals and groups played an important role in the election of a center-left Democrat, Barack Obama, to the presidency in 2008. That was a healthy response to the politically extremist neoconservative take over of the Republican Bush administration after 9/11, which had been victorious in 2000 and 2004 by co-opting the support of extreme-right Christian fundamentalists and evangelicals. This political/religious wedding of convenience--sometimes called by its detractors an "unholy alliance"--lost credibility and power because their ideological extremism and power-grabbing overreach had corrupted both their faith and politics.
Those centrist individuals and groups played an important role in the election of a center-left Democrat, Barack Obama, to the presidency in 2008. That was a healthy response to the politically extremist neoconservative take over of the Republican Bush administration after 9/11, which had been victorious in 2000 and 2004 by co-opting the support of extreme-right Christian fundamentalists and evangelicals. This political/religious wedding of convenience--sometimes called by its detractors an "unholy alliance"--lost credibility and power because their ideological extremism and power-grabbing overreach had corrupted both their faith and politics.
Toulouse, Mark G. (2006) God in Public: Four Ways American Christianity and Public Life Relate. 6.1
Pasewark, Kyle A. and Paul, Garrett E. (1999) The Emphatic Christian Center: Reforming Christian Political Practice. 6.2
Pasewark, Kyle A. and Paul, Garrett E. (1999) The Emphatic Christian Center: Reforming Christian Political Practice. 6.2
III. The End of the Last Major Era?--Reagan and the Religious Right
For me, this 2011 HBO documentary presents the most useful overall picture of Reagan (click on this button to go to the HBO page where you can either order it or watch it on HBO Go, if you have an account).
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My involvement 2004 especially and retirement
Outline of this section - matrix (not context - Crossan video)
"test block quote" |