The Impact Of New Christian Right On American Politics

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution specifies that"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion", thus there is no relationship between judicial system and religion in accordance with law. However, in practice, religions usually break the legal constraint by means of infiltrating into American politics. Consequently the change and reconstruction of American society, in addition to the trend of development of western culture, can be detected through American religious culture. It is beyond doubt the research on American religions is a significant topic, or we are supposed to make vain attempt to do research on politics, economy and society in western Christian world.New Christian Right (NCR) refers to the religious ultraconservatism among protestant members who take active participation in political affairs and social affairs holding orthodoxy theological and political views. The development of New Christian Right can be divided into two phases ever since. The first phase from the late1970s to end of 1980s, while the second one from end of 1980s up to present. The Moral Majority established by Falwell is the flagship organization of the first generation that attracts more public attention with less substantial political achievement. With the rise of Christian Coalition, which is the prominent one of second generation, the political accomplishment of New Christian Right has achieved unprecedented glory.This paper does overall research on the impact of NCR on political fields with focus on the second phase of the New Christian Right movement. After taking reformations, the second generation of NCR tries to extend itself to foreign affairs in 1990. NCR did excellently on"protecting"the persecuted Christian worldwide. Resorting to skillful lobbying, NCR succeeded in requiring Congress to pass International Religious Freedom Act of 1998(IRFA). In the light of IRFA, more than one hundred countries are guarded by US. The countries that disobey religious freedom would suffer economic sanction and withdraw of secure assistance. The IRFA has stood religious freedom reached unprecedented achievement, infiltrating in America's"human rights diplomacy". Moreover, in the terms of Middle- East issue all NCR organizations believe unilateralism and are suspicious about all international organizations. Thus they support President Bush launched Iraq war without permission of UN and laid aggressive foreign policy after 9/11 attack. In the case of diplomatic standpoint, they are totally for the Israel according Premillennialism, providing saint belief for Bush Doctrine. In support of anti- communism, the NCR groups always regard China as a potential hazard. For the purpose of opposing Family Plan practiced by China, they propose US denies visas to any Chinese official who enforced population policies resulting on forced abortion. They also jointed debate over renewing China's most favored nation status in 1997. Later, the Christian Right groups deter the granting of China's entry into WTO as well as China's bid to host 2008 Olympic Games. Though most above polices was not passes, as one of anti- China force, the Christian Right still try their best to fan up American's antagonistic passion toward China. In order to enact favored policy, NCR tries every means to put pressure on policy- makers adopting both outsider lobbying and insider lobbying. They spare no effort to channel conservative Christians into government branches and Congress, to some extent effect the result of presidential election and legislature.This paper makes tentative attempt to expound the influence that NCR exerts on American politics, for the purpose of enriching the research on NCR ignored by the major domestic scholars. The theme of this paper helps readers to understand background of Bush Doctrine, reasons for the tendency unilateral diplomatic policy and Christian culture behind American right- wing political power. By understanding the trace of development of American politics, economy and culture, we can take objective view on diplomatic relationship between China and US.