I meant to write this up about a month ago (and I actually did, but Wordpress ate my homework). I do a lot of reading when I’m on vacation, so these are the books that I got to over my Christmas break and have since finished.

The Jesus Machine: How James Dobson, Focus on the Family, and Evangelical America Are Winning the Culture War by Dan Gilgof

This is a very fair and well-written account of the rise of the religious right in the last 30 years. The title  takes aim at James Dobson,  who is just the most recent face of the movement, but the  book covers a pretty wide array of individuals and groups who have acted as  power brokers in recent years. The book is even more pertinent given the apparent decline of  the movement’s influence in the 2008 election — something that Gilgof alludes  to in the book.

Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite by D. Michael Lindsay

A well-researched examination of the role of evangelicals in the areas of politics, business, and arts & entertainment. This book does a nice job exploding some of the myths about evangelicals, who are often portrayed as a homogeneous group when it comes to all aspects of society. Lindsay took the time to sit down and talk with a wide range of people who identify themselves as evangelicals, and he found some interesting similarities and differences among these people.

Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back by Frank Schaeffer

This is the autobiography of Frank Schaeffer, son of the late Francis Schaeffer. It’s a fascinating look into the development of L’abri and its metamorphosis. It’s hard to tell how much of what the younger Schaeffer writes is truth and how much is the product of years of bitterness and regret. The most fascinating part of the book centers around how the Schaeffers (along with C. Everett Koop) bridged the gap between evangelicals and Catholics on the pro-life issue, giving rise to the Christian right. During his latter years, the senior Schaeffer seemed to be regretting how his message has been hijacked for political purposes.

Started, but not yet finished —Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope by Brian McLaren. Thus far, I’m not finding it as compelling as McLaren’s earlier works, but it’s too early for me to make any judgments. Stay tuned for more details, once I get through the rest of it.