A Century of Movements Emerging from Evangelical Protestantism

1
A Century of Movements Emerging from Evangelical
Protestantism

• 1. 1920s defeat in the Battle for Protestant
  Hegemony
• 2. Withdrawal and Separatism
• 3. Anti-Communism
• 4. The Christian Right

2
The 1920s Last Stand in the Battle for
Protestant Hegemony

• Protestant Hegemony
• Challenges---Evolution
• Higher Criticism
• Immigration
• Urbanization/ Modernization
• Responses
• Fundamentalism
• Temperance
• The Klan

3
Fundamentalism

• 1910-1915 The Fundamentals (12 Pamphlets)
• Vs. The Social Gospel
• Higher Criticism
• Evolution
• From Post-Millenialism to Pre-Millenialism
• Struggle for control of the major North
  denominations

4
Temperance

• Small Town Morality
• Vs. Catholics, Immigrants
• (Note routes into the Klan)
• 18th Amendment 1919

5
The Klan

• Draws on fundamentalism
• Uses churches as bases of organization
  (pre-existing networks)
• Similar arguments on gambling, vice,
• Opposition to evolution
• Leaders and Cause from Temperance
• Membership of 3 million, governmental influence

6
Defeat

• Loss of Control of Major Northern Denominations
• 1925Scopes Monkey Trial
• Prohibition Repeal 1933-? Complete
  Marginalization of the Cause
• Klan Collapse
• From Three Million to 50,000 (1930s)
• Political Defeat Al Smith (1928)
• Roosevelt 1932 New Deal
  Coalition

7
Retreat and Growth

• Low Political Involvement
• Growth of Denominations and Institutions
• Birthrates
• Strictness

8
1950s and 1960s

• Anti Communist Crusades
• Carl MacIntire
• Billy James Hargis
• Communist Subversion as explanation for moral
  decline

9
1970s Emergence of the Christian Right

• Resources (Pre-existing Networks)
• ThreatInvasion of the Subculture makes
  separatism difficult
• Political OpportunityReagan and the struggle for
  control of the GOP

10
Klan vs. Christian Right

• Similarities
• Constituency
• Fear of Moral Decline/Defense of the
  Family
• Use of Religious Networks
• Anti-Communist Nationalism
• Race

11
Klan vs. Christian Right

• Differences
• Race
• Growing Religious Diversity
• Hegemony or Minority Rights
• Gender?