Engle boasted that his event would do nothing less than spark a nationwide revival. As Frederick Clarkson, a researcher of the Religious Right noted, the Kansas City, Mo.-based preacher asserted that “The Call Sacramento” event would be the “hinge of history” that opens the door to “the greatest awakening” and lead to “returning our nation to its righteous roots.”
It may sound ambitious, but Engle isn’t the only Religious Right leader with big plans these days. Indeed, it has been a busy fall for the theocrats, who are on the march nationwide in advance of next month’s elections.
Rebounding from two difficult years, an array of Religious Right organizations are waging a massive – often under-the-radar – campaign this fall to register church-going voters, drive congregants to the polls and elect favored candidates.
Their goal is simple: Help their political allies recapture the House of Representatives and Senate and move their issues front and center on the national stage.
Although many of the events are cast as benign-sounding prayer rallies or calls for revival, there is often a not-so-subtle political component as well. Many of the confabs include partisan speakers or incorporate voter mobilization activities.Why are there so many events, and why do so many of them feature voter mobilization?
In a nutshell, the Religious Right’s fortunes are closely tied to the Republican Party’s status. When the GOP lost power in Washington in 2008, the Religious Right also took a hit. Its legislative proposals have stalled, and it finds itself unable to block bills and court appointments and effectively influence governmental policy.
Eager to regain power in the nation’s capital (and in state legislatures), the Religious Right is going all out to do whatever it can to help more of its allies get elected to public office.
“These events may fairly be seen in the context of the ongoing transition of the Religious Right as the founding generation of movement leaders passes from the scene,” observed Clarkson. “R.J. Rushdoony, Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy, Bill Bright, and John Giminez (among others) have died. Pat Robertson, Don Wildmon, James Dobson, and Beverly LaHaye are in varying stages of passing the torch; and each of their designees are coalescing via Pray & A.C.T., which in turn is appealing to and seeking to register young people to vote.”Clarkson sees a political angle to the fall events, saying that Engle’s Sacramento gathering “has been repositioned as the kick-off of a major Christian Right fall political campaign initiative.”
Religious Right organizations are working to woo the Tea Party – or replicate its success. The Family Research Council held a special session at the Values Voter Summit for Tea Party activists last year and then did so again during this year’s conference.
Some right-wing figures, notably Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck, straddle both camps and may serve as a bridge between the two. But in the end, it almost doesn’t matter if the two movements formally cooperate or not. Their goal is the same: elect as many ultra-conservatives to public office as possible. They can work together on this or do it on parallel tracks.
...Religious Right groups are expected to receive a much more favorable reception in the halls of Congress in 2011. Religious conservatives are pulling out all the stops to help their friends, and some sort of accommodation will have to be made to repay the movement.
“The Religious Right is aiming for renewed power in Washington and the state legislatures,” said AU’s Barry Lynn. “Those of us who support the church-state wall should brace ourselves for a new round of attacks into next year and beyond.” Americans United
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