A Christian Politics of Vulnerability

Authors

Anna Mercedes, College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's UniversityFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2008

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | Christianity | Religion

Abstract

Book description: The triumph of American political conservatism in the last two decades has been paralleled by the ascendance of Christian evangelicalism. More importantly, the political Campaigns of 2000 and 2004 marked a convergence between these two political entities with an effectiveness never before seen in national elections. On the one side, conservatives have successfully set the terms of debate around so-called "family values" and the status of religion in the public sphere. On the other side, evangelicals have mobilized in a new self-awareness of their formidable political power and now demand representation at all levels of government.

Upon what fundamental ideas does this convergence rest? What potential dangers does it present for the concepts of "religion," "politics" and "America"? How secure is this alliance, and what does each side sacrifice in order to sustain it? Must all religion in America now become similarly engaged in the political sphere?

This volume is a collection of articles by a group of young scholars addressing the nexus between political conservatism, evangelical Christianity, and American consumerist culture.

Comments

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Recommended Citation

Mercedes, Anna. “A Christian Politics of Vulnerability.” In The Sleeping Giant Has Awoken: The New Politics of Religion in the United States, edited by Jeffrey W. Robbins and Neal Magee. New York: Continuum, 2008.