Over two years ago I wrote, but never published, the following article. It was immediately following the 2008 election and the Religious Right was being eulogized by the press. The topic is the transition of large numbers of Charismatic evangelicals from Dispensational to Dominionist theology.
Why should you care? In plain English this is a shift from an originally passive theology in which believers are waiting to be Raptured from the earth prior and escape imminent apocalyptic horrors, to a politicized theology in which believers must take control over society and government. End times narratives provide a blueprint for activism much like a platform defines goals of a political party. The narratives provide a clear picture of what we can expect from this particular stream of evangelicalism as it gains both religious and political clout and molds tomorrow's Religious Right.
The demise of the Religious Right is being announced with great fanfare in the media. It is an announcement that has been made repeatedly over the decades and, without fail, has been wrong every time.
It is difficult to juxtapose this image of the demise of the Religious Rights with the current reality in America - the growing popularity of spiritual warfare networks, spiritual mapping, the belief in generational curses, demon deliverance centers, health centers based on faith healing, and faith-based initiatives which have poured public funds into the hands of these spiritual warriors. A prominent religious leader can be labeled as moderate or mainstream despite advocating beliefs that only a few years ago would have been considered marginal.
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/1/3/122613/0240
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