Brad Lichtenstein — Associate Producer
Episodes 2
And Who Shall Lead Them?: 1985-1988
Anti-abortion activists cheered when Reagan named one of their own, C. Everett Koop, as Surgeon-General. By the mid-'80s, though, AIDS tragically hits home even in fundamentalist circles, and Koop splits from his former allies over the proper Christian response to this 'sign of God's judgment.' Hearing the call of God, Pat Robertson mobilizes an 'invisible army' of fervent believers, many of whom had never before engaged in politics, to support his bid for the Presidency. Though dogged by the televangelist scandals, the Robertson campaign — with its calls for renewed patriotism and its fierce attacks on liberalism — sets the agenda for George Bush's victory over Michael Dukakis.
Read MoreGod's Armies: 1989-
While George Bush strains to win their trust, Religious Right leaders turn to a new crusade: building a true grassroots power structure from the ashes of the Robertson campaign. The fruit of their efforts, the Christian Coalition, is now one of the most politically adept membership organizations ever. Yet many inside the movement question if, in gaining power in the secular world, conservative Christians have lost their evangelical soul. This final episode lays bare the struggle for the future of the Religious Right — and of America.
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