Televangelism, power, and politics on God's frontier

The relationship between religion and politics is given timely analysis by sociologists Hadden (University of Virginia) and Shupe (University of Texas). Focusing on the electronic-communications revolution, characterizing it as a catalyst for social movements, they see evidence that "the marriage of evangelical Christianity and politics is not a passing fad . . . and may be nothing short of a second Protestant reformation." They note that "Electric Christianity" is a hybrid, transmitting a message to mostly nonmainstream Americans that is not primarily theological but that supports the electronic empires of the highly organized transmitters. Recent scandals involving electronic evangelists are cited as cases in point that confessions of misbehavior rarely alienate loyal followers. Since one of the current presidential candidates is televangelist Pat Robertson, this picture of a New Christian Right emerging as a political force is especially thought provoking. Hadden and Shupe present an insightful view of an apparently formidable constituency. First serial to Boston Review; author tour. -- Publishers Weekly.