The Religious Right, is a broad label applied to a number of political and religious movements with particularly conservative and right wing views. While such elements are found in many nations, this term is most commonly applied to groups within the United States. Sometimes the term Religious Right is used interchangeably with the term Christian Right, although some argue for a distinction. Internationally, many of the same trends are seen as reflecting forms of religious Fundamentalism.
Proponents of using the term Religious Right argue that in addition to Christians, there are conservative Jews and Muslims active in a broad coalition. Opponents argue that Christians vastly outnumber Jews and Muslims in this coalition, and that using the term Religious Right masks this fact.
Use of the term Religious Right is thought by some to be an example of stereotyping by an allegedly liberal media. Others believe that there is no stereotyping at all, and the term "religious right" is used more often than other similar terms (such as "religious left") simply because in the United States the Christian Right forms a more unified group than others of the Christian community.
External Links
See also
Contrast: Christian left
References
Diamond, Sara. 1995. Roads to Dominion: Right-Wing Movements and Political Power in the United States. New York: Guilford.
Martin, William. 1996. With God on Our Side: The Rise of the Religious Right in America, New York: Broadway Books.
Ribuffo, Leo P. 1983. The Old Christian Right: The Protestant Far Right from the Great Depression to the Cold War. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Last updated: 08-02-2005 01:13:29
