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The Real Origins of the Religious Right - Randall Balmer - POLITICO Magazine

HISTORY DEPT.

The Real Origins of the Religious Right

Theyll tell you it was abortion. Sorry, the historical records clear: It was segregation.
By RANDALL BALMER

May 27, 2014

neofthemostdurablemythsinrecenthistoryisthatthereligiousright,the
coalitionofconservativeevangelicalsandfundamentalists,emergedasa
politicalmovementinresponsetotheU.S.SupremeCourts1973Roev.
Waderulinglegalizingabortion.Thetalegoessomethinglikethis:Evangelicals,who
hadbeenpoliticallyquiescentfordecades,weresomorallyoutragedbyRoethatthey
resolvedtoorganizeinordertooverturnit.
Thismythoforiginsisoftrepeatedbythemovementsleaders.Inhis2005book,
JerryFalwell,thefirebrandfundamentalistpreacher,recountshisdistressupon
readingabouttherulingintheJan.23,1973,editionoftheLynchburgNews:Isat
therestaringattheRoev.Wadestory,Falwellwrites,growingmoreandmore
fearfuloftheconsequencesoftheSupremeCourtsactandwonderingwhysofew
voiceshadbeenraisedagainstit.Evangelicals,hedecided,neededtoorganize.
SomeoftheseantiRoecrusadersevenwentsofarastocallthemselvesnew

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abolitionists,invokingtheirantebellumpredecessorswhohadfoughttoeradicate
slavery.
Buttheabortionmythquicklycollapsesunderhistoricalscrutiny.Infact,itwasnt
until1979afullsixyearsafterRoethatevangelicalleaders,atthebehestof
conservativeactivistPaulWeyrich,seizedonabortionnotformoralreasons,butasa
rallyingcrytodenyPresidentJimmyCarterasecondterm.Why?Becausetheanti
abortioncrusadewasmorepalatablethanthereligiousrightsrealmotive:protecting
segregatedschools.Somuchforthenewabolitionism.
***
Today,evangelicalsmakeupthebackboneoftheprolifemovement,butit
hasntalwaysbeenso.BothbeforeandforseveralyearsafterRoe,evangelicalswere
overwhelminglyindifferenttothesubject,whichtheyconsideredaCatholicissue.
In1968,forinstance,asymposiumsponsoredbytheChristianMedicalSocietyand
ChristianityToday,theflagshipmagazineofevangelicalism,refusedtocharacterize
abortionassinful,citingindividualhealth,familywelfare,andsocialresponsibility
asjustificationsforendingapregnancy.In1971,delegatestotheSouthernBaptist
ConventioninSt.Louis,Missouri,passedaresolutionencouragingSouthern
Baptiststoworkforlegislationthatwillallowthepossibilityofabortionundersuch
conditionsasrape,incest,clearevidenceofseverefetaldeformity,andcarefully
ascertainedevidenceofthelikelihoodofdamagetotheemotional,mental,and
physicalhealthofthemother.Theconvention,hardlyaredoubtofliberalvalues,
reaffirmedthatpositionin1974,oneyearafterRoe,andagainin1976.
WhentheRoedecisionwashandeddown,W.A.Criswell,theSouthernBaptist
ConventionsformerpresidentandpastorofFirstBaptistChurchinDallas,Texas
alsooneofthemostfamousfundamentalistsofthe20thcenturywaspleased:I
havealwaysfeltthatitwasonlyafterachildwasbornandhadalifeseparatefromits
motherthatitbecameanindividualperson,hesaid,andithasalways,therefore,
seemedtomethatwhatisbestforthemotherandforthefutureshouldbeallowed.
Althoughafewevangelicalvoices,includingChristianityTodaymagazine,mildly
criticizedtheruling,theoverwhelmingresponsewassilence,evenapproval.Baptists,
inparticular,applaudedthedecisionasanappropriatearticulationofthedivision
betweenchurchandstate,betweenpersonalmoralityandstateregulationof

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individualbehavior.Religiousliberty,humanequalityandjusticeareadvancedby
theSupremeCourtabortiondecision,wroteW.BarryGarrettofBaptistPress.
***
Sowhatthenweretherealoriginsofthereligiousright?Itturnsoutthatthe
movementcantraceitspoliticalrootsbacktoacourtruling,butnotRoev.Wade.
InMay1969,agroupofAfricanAmericanparentsinHolmesCounty,Mississippi,
suedtheTreasuryDepartmenttopreventthreenewwhitesonlyK12private
academiesfromsecuringfulltaxexemptstatus,arguingthattheirdiscriminatory
policiespreventedthemfrombeingconsideredcharitableinstitutions.Theschools
hadbeenfoundedinthemid1960sinresponsetothedesegregationofpublicschools
setinmotionbytheBrownv.BoardofEducationdecisionof1954.In1969,thefirst
yearofdesegregation,thenumberofwhitestudentsenrolledinpublicschoolsin
HolmesCountydroppedfrom771to28;thefollowingyear,thatnumberfelltozero.
InGreenv.Kennedy(DavidKennedywassecretaryofthetreasuryatthetime),
decidedinJanuary1970,theplaintiffswonapreliminaryinjunction,whichdenied
thesegregationacademiestaxexemptstatusuntilfurtherreview.Inthemeantime,
thegovernmentwassolidifyingitspositiononsuchschools.Laterthatyear,
PresidentRichardNixonorderedtheInternalRevenueServicetoenactanewpolicy
denyingtaxexemptionstoallsegregatedschoolsintheUnitedStates.Underthe
provisionsofTitleVIoftheCivilRightsAct,whichforbaderacialsegregationand
discrimination,discriminatoryschoolswerenotbydefinitioncharitable
educationalorganizations,andthereforetheyhadnoclaimstotaxexemptstatus;
similarly,donationstosuchorganizationswouldnolongerqualifyastaxdeductible
contributions.
OnJune30,1971,theUnitedStatesDistrictCourtfortheDistrictofColumbiaissued
itsrulinginthecase,nowGreenv.Connally(JohnConnallyhadreplacedDavid
KennedyassecretaryoftheTreasury).ThedecisionupheldthenewIRSpolicy:
UndertheInternalRevenueCode,properlyconstrued,raciallydiscriminatory
privateschoolsarenotentitledtotheFederaltaxexemptionprovidedforcharitable,
educationalinstitutions,andpersonsmakinggiftstosuchschoolsarenotentitledto
thedeductionsprovidedincaseofgiftstocharitable,educationalinstitutions.

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***
PaulWeyrich,thelatereligiousconservativepoliticalactivistandcofounder
oftheHeritageFoundation,sawhisopening.
InthedecadesfollowingWorldWarII,evangelicals,especiallywhiteevangelicalsin
theNorth,haddriftedtowardtheRepublicanPartyinclinedinthatdirectionby
generalColdWaranxieties,vestigialsuspicionsofCatholicismandwellknown
evangelistBillyGrahamsverypublicfriendshipwithDwightEisenhowerand
RichardNixon.Despitethesepredilections,though,evangelicalshadlargelystayed
outofthepoliticalarena,atleastinanyorganizedway.Ifhecouldchangethat,
Weyrichreasoned,theirlargenumberswouldconstituteaformidablevotingbloc
onethathecouldeasilymarshalbehindconservativecauses.
Thenewpoliticalphilosophymustbedefinedbyus[conservatives]inmoralterms,
packagedinnonreligiouslanguage,andpropagatedthroughoutthecountrybyour
newcoalition,Weyrichwroteinthemid1970s.Whenpoliticalpowerisachieved,
themoralmajoritywillhavetheopportunitytorecreatethisgreatnation.Weyrich
believedthatthepoliticalpossibilitiesofsuchacoalitionwereunlimited.The
leadership,moralphilosophy,andworkablevehicleareathandjustwaitingtobe
blendedandactivated,hewrote.Ifthemoralmajorityacts,resultscouldwell
exceedourwildestdreams.
Butthishypotheticalmoralmajorityneededacatalystastandardaroundwhichto
rally.Fornearlytwodecades,Weyrich,byhisownaccount,hadbeentryingout
differentissues,hopingonemightpiqueevangelicalinterest:pornography,prayerin
schools,theproposedEqualRightsAmendmenttotheConstitution,evenabortion.I
wastryingtogetthesepeopleinterestedinthoseissuesandIutterlyfailed,Weyrich
recalledataconferencein1990.
TheGreenv.Connallyrulingprovidedanecessaryfirststep:Itcapturedthe
attentionofevangelicalleaders,especiallyastheIRSbegansendingquestionnairesto
churchrelatedsegregationacademies,includingFalwellsownLynchburgChristian
School,inquiringabouttheirracialpolicies.Falwellwasfurious.Insomestates,he
famouslycomplained,ItseasiertoopenamassageparlorthanaChristianschool.
Onesuchschool,BobJonesUniversityafundamentalistcollegeinGreenville,South

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Carolinawasespeciallyobdurate.TheIRShadsentitsfirstlettertoBobJones
UniversityinNovember1970toascertainwhetherornotitdiscriminatedonthe
basisofrace.Theschoolrespondeddefiantly:ItdidnotadmitAfricanAmericans.
AlthoughBobJonesJr.,theschoolsfounder,arguedthatracialsegregationwas
mandatedbytheBible,FalwellandWeyrichquicklysoughttoshiftthegroundsofthe
debate,framingtheiroppositionintermsofreligiousfreedomratherthanindefense
ofracialsegregation.Fordecades,evangelicalleadershadboastedthatbecausetheir
educationalinstitutionsacceptednofederalmoney(exceptfor,ofcourse,nothaving
topaytaxes)thegovernmentcouldnottellthemhowtoruntheirshopswhomto
hireornot,whomtoadmitorreject.TheCivilRightsAct,however,changedthat
calculus.
BobJonesUniversitydid,infact,trytoplacatetheIRSinitsownway.Following
initialinquiriesintotheschoolsracialpolicies,BobJonesadmittedoneAfrican
American,aworkerinitsradiostation,asaparttimestudent;hedroppedouta
monthlater.In1975,againinanattempttoforestallIRSaction,theschooladmitted
blackstothestudentbody,but,outoffearsofmiscegenation,refusedto
admitunmarriedAfricanAmericans.Theschoolalsostipulatedthatanystudents
whoengagedininterracialdating,orwhowereevenassociatedwithorganizations
thatadvocatedinterracialdating,wouldbeexpelled.
TheIRSwasnotplacated.OnJanuary19,1976,afteryearsofwarningsintegrateor
paytaxestheagencyrescindedtheschoolstaxexemption.
Formanyevangelicalleaders,whohadbeenfollowingtheissuesinceGreenv.
Connally,BobJonesUniversitywasthefinalstraw.AsElmerL.Rumminger,
longtimeadministratoratBobJonesUniversity,toldmeinaninterview,theIRS
actionsagainsthisschoolalertedtheChristianschoolcommunityaboutwhatcould
happenwithgovernmentinterferenceintheaffairsofevangelicalinstitutions.That
wasreallythemajorissuethatgotusallinvolved.
***
Weyrichsawthathehadthebeginningsofaconservativepoliticalmovement,
whichiswhy,severalyearsintoPresidentJimmyCartersterm,heandotherleaders
ofthenascentreligiousrightblamedtheDemocraticpresidentfortheIRSactions

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againstsegregatedschoolseventhoughthepolicywasmandatedbyNixon,andBob
JonesUniversityhadlostitstaxexemptionayearandadaybeforeCarterwas
inauguratedaspresident.Falwell,Weyrichandotherswereundeterredbythe
nicetiesoffacts.Intheirdeterminationtoelectaconservative,theywoulddo
anythingtodenyaDemocrat,evenafellowevangelicallikeCarter,anothertermin
theWhiteHouse.
ButFalwellandWeyrich,havingtappedintotheireofevangelicalleaders,werealso
savvyenoughtorecognizethatorganizinggrassrootsevangelicalstodefendracial
discriminationwouldbeachallenge.Ithadworkedtorallytheleaders,butthey
neededadifferentissueiftheywantedtomobilizeevangelicalvotersonalargescale.
Bythelate1970s,manyAmericansnotjustRomanCatholicswerebeginningto
feeluneasyaboutthespikeinlegalabortionsfollowingthe1973Roedecision.The
1978SenateracesdemonstratedtoWeyrichandothersthatabortionmightmotivate
conservativeswhereithadntinthepast.ThatyearinMinnesota,prolife
RepublicanscapturedbothSenateseats(onefortheunexpiredtermofHubert
Humphrey)aswellasthegovernorsmansion.InIowa,Sen.DickClark,the
Democraticincumbent,wasthoughttobeashooin:Everypollheadingintothe
electionshowedhimaheadbyatleast10percentagepoints.Onthefinalweekendof
thecampaign,however,prolifeactivists,primarilyRomanCatholics,leafleted
churchparkinglots(astheydidinMinnesota),andonElectionDayClarklosttohis
Republicanprolifechallenger.
InthecourseofmyresearchintoFalwellsarchivesatLibertyUniversityand
WeyrichspapersattheUniversityofWyoming,itbecameveryclearthatthe1978
electionrepresentedaformativesteptowardgalvanizingeverydayevangelicalvoters.
CorrespondencebetweenWeyrichandevangelicalleadersfairlycrackleswith
excitement.InalettertofellowconservativeDanielB.Hales,Weyrichcharacterized
thetriumphofprolifecandidatesastruecauseforcelebration,andRobertBillings,
acobelligerent,predictedthatoppositiontoabortionwouldpulltogethermanyof
ourfringeChristianfriends.Roev.Wadehadbeenlawformorethanfiveyears.
Weyrich,Falwellandleadersoftheemergingreligiousrightenlistedanunlikelyally
intheirquesttoadvanceabortionasapoliticalissue:FrancisA.Schaefferagoateed,
knickerswearingtheologianwhowaswarningabouttheeclipseofChristianvalues

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andtheadvanceofsomethinghecalledsecularhumanism.Schaeffer,consideredby
manytheintellectualgodfatherofthereligiousright,wasnotknownforhispolitical
activism,butbythelate1970shedecidedthatlegalizedabortionwouldlead
inevitablytoinfanticideandeuthanasia,andhewaseagertosoundthealarm.
Schaefferteamedwithapediatricsurgeon,C.EverettKoop,toproduceaseriesof
filmsentitledWhateverHappenedtotheHumanRace?Intheearlymonthsof1979,
SchaefferandKoop,targetinganevangelicalaudience,touredthecountrywiththese
films,whichdepictedthescourgeofabortioningraphictermsmostmemorably
withasceneofplasticbabydollsstrewnalongtheshoresoftheDeadSea.Schaeffer
andKooparguedthatanysocietythatcountenancedabortionwascaptivetosecular
humanismandthereforecaughtinavortexofmoraldecay.
BetweenWeyrichsmachinationsandSchaeffersjeremiad,evangelicalswereslowly
comingaroundontheabortionissue.AttheconclusionofthefilmtourinMarch
1979,SchaefferreportedthatProtestants,especiallyevangelicals,havebeenso
sluggishonthisissueofhumanlife,andWhateverHappenedtotheHumanRace?is
causingrealwaves,amongchurchpeopleandgovernmentalpeopletoo.
By1980,eventhoughCarterhadsought,bothasgovernorofGeorgiaandas
president,toreducetheincidenceofabortion,hisrefusaltoseekaconstitutional
amendmentoutlawingitwasviewedbypoliticallyconservativeevangelicalsasan
unpardonablesin.NevermindthefactthathisRepublicanopponentthatyear,
RonaldReagan,hadsignedintolaw,asgovernorofCaliforniain1967,themost
liberalabortionbillinthecountry.WhenReaganaddressedarallyof10,000
evangelicalsatReunionArenainDallasinAugust1980,heexcoriatedthe
unconstitutionalregulatoryagendadirectedbytheIRSagainstindependent
schools,buthemadenomentionofabortion.Nevertheless,leadersofthereligious
righthammeredawayattheissue,persuadingmanyevangelicalstomakesupportfor
aconstitutionalamendmentoutlawingabortionalitmustestfortheirvotes.
Carterlostthe1980electionforavarietyofreasons,notmerelytheoppositionofthe
religiousright.Hefacedaspiritedchallengefromwithinhisownparty;EdwardM.
KennedysfailedquestfortheDemocraticnominationunderminedCarterssupport
amongliberals.AndbecauseElectionDayfellontheanniversaryoftheIranHostage
Crisis,themediaplayedupthestory,highlightingCartersinabilitytosecurethe
hostagesfreedom.Theelectorate,onceenamoredofCartersevangelicalprobity,had

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tiredofasoureconomy,chronicenergyshortagesandtheSovietUnionsrenewed
imperialambitions.
Aftertheelectionresultscamein,Falwell,nevershytoclaimcredit,wasfondof
quotingaHarrispollthatsuggestedCarterwouldhavewonthepopularvotebya
marginof1percenthaditnotbeenforthemachinationsofthereligiousright.I
knewthatwewouldhavesomeimpactonthenationalelections,Falwellsaid,butI
hadnoideathatitwouldbethisgreat.
GivenCarterspoliticaltroubles,thedefectionofevangelicalsmayormaynothave
beendecisive.Butitiscertainlytruethatevangelicals,havinghelpedpropelCarterto
theWhiteHousefouryearsearlier,turneddramaticallyagainsthim,theirfellow
evangelical,duringthecourseofhispresidency.Andthecatalystfortheirpolitical
activismwasnot,asoftenclaimed,oppositiontoabortion.Althoughabortionhad
emergedasarallyingcryby1980,therealrootsofthereligiousrightlienotthe
defenseofafetusbutinthedefenseofracialsegregation.
***
TheBobJonesUniversitycasemeritsapostscript.Whentheschoolsappealfinally
reachedtheSupremeCourtin1982,theReaganadministrationannouncedthatit
plannedtoargueindefenseofBobJonesUniversityanditsracialpolicies.Apublic
outcryforcedtheadministrationtoreconsider;Reaganbackpedaledbysayingthat
thelegislatureshoulddeterminesuchmatters,notthecourts.TheSupremeCourts
decisioninthecase,handeddownonMay24,1983,ruledagainstBobJones
Universityinan8to1decision.ThreeyearslaterReaganelevatedthesoledissenter,
WilliamRehnquist,tochiefjusticeoftheSupremeCourt.
RandallBalmeristheMandelfamilyprofessorintheartsandsciencesat
DartmouthCollege.HismostrecentbookisRedeemer:TheLifeofJimmy

Carter.
Additional credits:

Lead image by AP Photo.

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