CH263: American Church History 2 — The Rise of the Christian Right and the New Pluralism (1970s–1990s)

This episode explores the transformation of American religion from 1970 to 1999, documenting the collapse of the mid-century tripartite moral consensus and the birth of a more fragmented landscape. The narrative traces how the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 introduced a new era of religious pluralism, while simultaneously, conservative believers formed the Christian Right to engage in fierce culture wars over secularization and legal shifts like Roe v. Wade. Structurally, the source contrasts the institutional decay of Mainline Protestantism with the entrepreneurial rise of the megachurch, highlighting a shift toward consumer-oriented faith. Ultimately, the author balances these stories of political and denominational friction with accounts of racial reconciliation and urban solidarity, presenting a complex portrait of a faith adapting to a rapidly diversifying and polarizing society.This podcast was created with the assistance of AI tools.