An upcoming opinion piece by Erika Kirk in The New York Times, titled “I Never Thought I’d Miss the Religious Right,” is set to explore a provocative shift in political sentiment, reflecting on the evolution of American conservatism and expressing a surprising nostalgia for an earlier iteration of the religious right movement.
The essay, scheduled for publication in late 2025, is anticipated to delve into the historical landscape of the Religious Right, a powerful political and social force that emerged in the 1970s and 1980s. This movement, often associated with figures like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, championed a platform centered on traditional family values, opposition to abortion, and the promotion of Christian principles in public life, significantly shaping the Republican Party’s agenda for decades.
Shifting Sands of Conservatism
Kirk’s piece is expected to analyze how the conservative movement, including its religious factions, has transformed over time. While the Religious Right of past eras often faced criticism for its exclusionary rhetoric and its direct entanglement of faith with specific policy objectives, the author’s anticipated sentiment suggests a comparison to the contemporary conservative landscape. This comparison likely highlights perceived differences in ideological coherence, moral grounding, or even the nature of political engagement between the movements then and now.
The core of Kirk’s argument, as implied by the title, is an unexpected reflection on what might be perceived as a more predictable, perhaps even ideologically principled, form of conservatism that, despite its controversies, operated within a clearer framework. This contrasts with what some observers describe as the current state of right-wing politics, which might be characterized by a greater focus on personality-driven populism, cultural grievances divorced from deeper theological underpinnings, or a perceived fragmentation of traditional conservative tenets.
“I never thought I’d find myself saying this, but there are aspects of the old Religious Right that I now, surprisingly, miss,” Kirk is expected to write, signaling a contemplation of how the conservative movement has evolved into a form that, for some, evokes a peculiar longing for its earlier manifestations, even those previously critiqued.
The forthcoming article is poised to prompt discussion on the enduring legacy of the Religious Right, the ongoing transformations within American conservatism, and the broader implications for the nation’s political and social fabric.
Source: Read the original article here.
