The Costs and Benefits of a Christian Coalition: A Response to Ralph Reed

Abstract:     
The author agrees on three points with Ralph Reed as elaborated in his book “Politically Incorrect.” First, America today is beset by a profound political, social, and legal crisis of unprecedented dimensions. Second, organized religions have been unduly marginalized and privatized in recent decades, and need to be restored to political participation and respectability. Third, Christianity and democracy, at one level, complement each other.

However, the author agrees with Steve Tipton’s learned sociological critique. The Christian Coalition’s core social diagnosis and core political remedies are those of Luther and Calvin. Thus, three instructive lessons can be learned. First, the Christian Coalition, despite its talk of openness and toleration, is fundamentally a conservative Protestant movement. Second, the Christian Coalition has not offered a solid theological grounding to drive its reformation. Finally, the Christian Coalition takes a far too uncritical and parochial view of American democracy.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 3

Keywords: Ralph Reed, Calvin, Luther, Christian Coalition

Accepted Paper Series