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1 Introduction Since 1970, the United States has experienced a large number of social developments that have brought religion face to face with government and with the wider community in often unanticipated and sometimes conflictive ways. These developments include the mobilization of religious forces on the abortion issue following Roe v. Wade in 1973; Jimmy Carter’s successful bid for the presidency as an avowed, born-again, evangelical Christian in 1976; the escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran following the rise to power of militant Islamic leader Ayatollah Khomeni in 1978; the emergence of the Moral Majority under the leadership of the Reverend Jerry Falwell in 1980; Pat Robertson’s 1988 bid for the presidency and subsequent formation of the Christian Coalition; the 1993 conflict between the Department of Justice and the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas; and new legislation and White House initiatives that permit churches and other faith-based organizations to play a more active role in public welfare and social service provision. All of these developments make it abundantly clear that religion is here to stay—not only in the hearts and minds of individual Americans but in the public life of our nation and world.1 But the juxtaposition of religion and public life poses difficult questions, not the least of which concern changing understandings of separation between church and state. Forged from two centuries of religious conflict in Europe, the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom to practice religion without fear of reprisal or repression by the agents of government, but in return promises government autonomy from direct intervention by religion as well. Recent efforts on the part of religious groups to influence the electoral process or to gain the passage of legislation favorable to their own views of morality have thus been regarded with concern by many in re- 2 / Introduction ligion and politics alike. At the same time, religion is also regarded as a source of personal and public morality that is essential to the preservation of democracy. Not only is there a close relationship in American culture between conceptions of conscience and understandings of citizenship; there is also a well-established tradition of grassroots participation in public life through the activities of local churches and synagogues. Thus, while concerns are evident about the appropriate uses of religious belief and practice in the public life of the nation, most leaders are reluctant to argue that religion should be less publicly involved than it is; indeed, evidence of weakening in institutional religion is more likely to be regarded as an indication of possible decline in the strength of civil society itself.2 Discussions of the public role of religion invariably emphasize the divisions among religious groups. Protestant evangelicals receive a great deal of attention in the media and among scholars of religion because of the national influence of some of their leaders. In comparison, mainline Protestantism is discussed far less often. Despite the large numbers of Americans who still affiliate with mainline churches, and despite the historic importance of these churches, their activities and the ways in which they seek to influence public policy are poorly understood. This volume aims to enhance our understanding of the public role of mainline Protestantism and to encourage reflection among mainline Protestant leaders, academics, and concerned members of the wider public about how to engage more effectively in the important challenges that face our nation at the start of the twenty-first century. Our focus is the period from 1970 to the present (although we also provide a longer historical view of the activities leading up to this period). We begin with the 1970s because a considerable amount has already been written about the political role of mainline Protestantism in the 1960s, including the civil rights movement and the so-called new breed of activist clergy. That work provides a valuable background for the present volume. Beginning in 1970 means taking a relative high point of mainline activity as a starting point: clergy activism was still prominent, especially in the protests against the Vietnam War and to some extent in the black power movement. The question is: What happened after that? And what potential does mainline Protestantism hold for being more effective in the future? what we mean by public Nearly everything churches do is public: their worship services are open to the public, their buildings are usually marked by distinctive architecture [18.216.190.167...

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