What did evangelicals get from Ronald Reagan?
A bunch of evangelicals like Tim LaHaye, Pat Robertson, and Jerry Falwell pushed many in the evangelical movement to support Ronald Reagan for president. The New Right tied them to the Republican Party. But… what did they get for their efforts?
In this mini-episode, Chris lays out some of the few things they got. And some of the things that Reagan did that upset these evangelicals with large followings.
Evangelical opposition to Sandra Day O’Connor
One thing they didn’t like was the appointment of Sandra Day O’Connor as the first female Supreme Court judge. But Reagan did dedicate a day of prayer and offered an amendment to protect prayer in schools (though it was never going to pass).
It’s possible that what Reagan really left these evangelicals with large followings was not legislation, but permission to use deeply flawed individuals to achieve their goals.
Sources:
- God’s Own Party by Daniel K Williams
- The Invisible Bridge, Nixonland, and Reaganland by Rick Perlstein
- Proclamation 4999. National Family Week 1982
- Reagan: An American Journey by Bob Spitz
- The Evangelicals by Frances Fitzgerald
- New York Times article about the O’Connor opposition
- Christianity Today article about O’Connor’s opposition
- New York Times Article “Reagan Proposes School Prayer Amendment, May 18, 1982.
- Bill Bright and Campus Crusade for Christ by John G Turner
- Article on National Ice Cream Day
- Letter from Gary North to Paul Weyrick
- Article on the US overthrow of Grenada
- Revive Us Again by Joel Carpenter
Discussion Questions:
- What did evangelicals get from Reagan?
- How did these evangelicals with large followings continue after Reagan?