Paul Weyrich, 65   Free Congress Foundation

Don Wildmon, 69   American Family Association, Arlington Group

Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, 70   Institute on Religion and Public Life; Institute on Religion and Democracy

James Dobson, 71   Focus on the Family

Lou Sheldon, 72   Traditional Values Coalition

Jerry Falwell, 73   Liberty University, Moral Majority

Richard Viguerie, 74   direct mail entrepreneur

Pat Robertson, 76   Christian Broadcasting Network, Regent University, Christian Coalition

D. James Kennedy, 76   Coral Ridge Ministries, Center for Reclaiming America

Beverly LaHaye, 78   Concerned Women for America

Robert L. Simonds, 81   Citizens for Excellence in Education

Tim LaHaye, 81   Left Behind series of novels (one of the founders of the Moral Majority and Council for National Policy)

Phyllis Schlafly, 82   Eagle Forum

Sun Myung Moon, 87   Unification Church, Washington Times

R.J. Rushdoony, deceased   Chalcedon Foundation

Bill Bright, deceased   Campus Crusade for Christ

Kennedy, although always part of the religious right, did not get operationally involved in politics until his first Reclaiming America for Christ in 1994. The huge political conference was a first for Kennedy, and replaced his annual fundraising cruise to the Caribbean that he called "The Bible Boat." Kennedy brought his constituency on a slower path to political mobilization, than had Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, although Kennedy was part of the Moral Majority and other early organization and other movements of the religious right. I think that a better way to look at it is that the conferences (which may continue) and the activities of the center are likely to be felt for a long time, and politically activated individuals will find no shortage of outlets for their activism; and no shortage of opportunities to exercise the skills they have acquired through years of political involvements and training.

Cal Thomas quotes a professor who makes a good point however,

Corwin Smidt, executive director of the Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., told the Herald that evangelical groups that are built around a single charismatic leader often struggle when the leader is gone. "These televangelists are able to generate a fair amount of money," he said, "but in terms of their institutional longevity, it's really at risk."

Of course, any organization that loses its founder, may very well go through a difficult transition period. Some organizations, and not just those founded by televangelists, or even of the religious right, that are built entirely around the personality and work of the founder, often struggle when the founder dies or retires. Some do not survive.

While there are many dynamic up-and-coming younger religious right leaders, it is clear that the political landscape will be shifting as the founding generation gradually departs from public life. Whether the religious right gets stronger or weaker; more divided or more unified during the transition, entirely remains to be seen.

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