Writing about the Religious Right
Frederick Clarkson printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Wed May 07, 2014 at 09:16:37 PM EST
This is a post I update from time-to-time as the need arises or as resources come my way regarding terms we use to define and discuss the religious and political right. -- FC

One of the challenges in writing about the Religious Right and what to do about it is the matter of terms and definitions.  

From the earliest days of Talk to Action, we have often written about how unfair labels and terms of demonization are not only inaccurate and opposed to basic standards of scholarship and journalism; but are unrelated to the basic values of people of good will, and often politically counterproductive to boot.

The purpose of this post is not to rehash all that. I should also hasten to say that there are often controversies large and small about terms, just as there are about the movements, organizations and individuals they may be used to describe. I post this not to say that there are always perfect answers, but to point to some resources on basic definitions and usage for those who are interested in trying to get it right.

Political Research Associates has an extensive glossary.

Religious Right Watch (the site of one of the founders of Talk to Action, Scott Isebrand) has a short glossary (with lots of links down the right column).

The Southern Poverty Law Center has a short list of terms categorizing elements of the far right and providing detailed definitions.  

Rachel Tabachnick posted a glossary of terms related to "Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare" as used by the New Apostolic Reformation.  Here at Talk to Action.

The Social Movement Study Network has a glossary of terms, many of which specifically apply to movements of the religious and political right.

The Religion Newswriters Association has a helpful Religion Stylebook for journalists.

Chip Berlet posted an extensive discussion of the definition of "dominionism" here at Talk to Action in the wake of a major media controversy.

Knotty problems of usage come up in relationship to religiously motivated violence. I attempted to highlight and sort through the problems related to such terms as "faith-based," "Christian militia," and "Islamic terrorism" at Religion Dispatches.

I published a long essay in The Public Eye in 2008 on the uses and misuses of the term "secular."

Political Research Associates published Reconsidering Hate: A Forum on the "Hate" Frame in Policy, Politics and Organizing by Kay Whitlock, in 2012. The main article and several responses reflect on the use of the term "hate" to frame our understanding of and response to elements of the religious and political right.

Sara Diamond's 1989 book Spiritual Warfare:  The Politics of the Christian Right includes a pioneering glossary that remains useful today.

A Moment to Decide: The Crisis in Mainstream Presbyterianism by Lew Daly, (an investigative report on Religious Right "renewal" groups and their efforts to neutralize the Presbyterian Church USA also contains an extensive and still useful glossary, although it was published in 2000.)

If there are other relevant glossary and usage resources that I have not mentioned here -- please do tell us about them in the comments.



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