April 29 1996

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"Religion and Politics in America: Faith, Culture, and Strategic Choices," by Robert Booth Fowler and Allen D. Hertzke (Westview Press, 287 pp.; $55, hardcover; $18.95, paper).

"On the Eve of the Millennium: The Future of Democracy Through an Age of Unreason," by Conor Cruise O'Brien (Free Press, 167 pp.; $12, paper).

"Political Religion: A Liberal Answers the Question, 'Should Politics and Religion Mix?' " by Charles R. Stith (Abingdon, 160 pp.; $14.95, paper).

"Saints as Citizens: A Guide to Public Responsibilities for Christians," by Timothy R. Sherratt and Ronald P. Mahurin (Baker/ Center for Public Justice, 123 pp.; $7.99, paper).

"Building a Community of Citizens: Civil Society in the Twenty-first Century," ed. by Don E. Eberly (University Press of America/Commonwealth Foundation, 376 pp.; $75, hardcover; $29.50, paper).

When even the textbooks refer to the Christian Right's style of politics as "angry," it is clear that the movement has an image problem. That revealing word choice, which occurs twice in Robert Booth Fowler and Allen D. Hertzke's impressive survey text, "Religion and Politics in America," speaks volumes about the popular perception of Christian Right politics as sub-Christian in spirit. It also reminds us that, while performing commendably on specific issues and in practical politics, the Christian Right is not positioned to address the problems of increasing polarization and civic disintegration in modern America.

Fowler and Hertzke's solid text can be used as a measuring stick to examine how religion and politics get along in contemporary America. It has a few disappointing omissions: its content is almost strictly limited to national rather than state or local politics, and it concentrates solely on how ...