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are discussed in the media or academia, they have already become institutionalized because they
are recognized most often by their institutional structures and the exploits of these structures.
But, can the Christian Right legitimately be characterized as a social movement?
The Christian Right as a Social Movement
Some may object to the idea of the Christian Right as a social movement for two reasons.
First, the Christian Right is conservative and most studies of social movements have focused on
leftist movements. Second, the Christian Right has now gained a measure of power in
government and become an “insider” rather than an “outsider”.
However, the Christian Right has much in common with liberal social movements. For
instance, both need a common identity, resources and an appropriate environment in order to
develop; and, they both must deal with the “pragmatist versus purist” split that often arises as
movements mature. Therefore, the theories developed by studying leftist social movements will
prove useful for understanding rightist movements as well.
Some may also argue that an “outsider” status is a requirement of a social movement.
While the Christian Right has made great gains in government institutions, it would be farfetched
to say that it “controls” the government. Therefore, at some level it will continue to have some
combination of insider and outsider status. It will continue to petition the government as
lobbyists and grassroots organizers, and it will continue to have sympathizers in government that
push its agenda. This is not unusual among social movements. This could describe the
Women’s Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Gay-Rights Movement as well.
Another question to consider when asking whether or not the Christian Right should be
considered a social movement is, “does social movement theory help us understand the Christian
Convention