by James Risen
First published 1998
For twenty-five years, abortion has dominated American politics like no other issue. James Risen traces how this single controversy transformed Protestant fundamentalists from isolated believers into a powerful political force. The movement began with Catholic antiwar protesters in the 1960s but evolved into something entirely different. Fundamentalist Christians abandoned their traditional separation from politics and took to the streets. They organized massive protests, embraced civil disobedience, and ultimately turned to violence. Doctors were shot in the 1990s by extremists who believed they were doing God's work. Risen conducted exclusive interviews with convicted killers to understand their motivations. The campaign failed to overturn Roe v. Wade, but it succeeded in mobilizing evangelical America. What started as a moral crusade became the foundation of the Religious Right. The movement collapsed as a protest force when violence discredited its cause, yet its political legacy endures.
Genres: christian, political-science, religion, non-fiction, activism, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: moral-crusade, protest-movement
Period: 1960s, 1990s, 25 Years
416 pages · Hardcover · Basic Books
Content warnings: violence