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From the Publisher:

An unprecedented look inside the battle for religion in America, Steeplejacking: How the Christian Right is Hijacking Mainstream Religion exposes how a strident theocratic minority is attacking—or “steeplejacking”—mainstream churches in order to eliminate progressive voices and take control of America’s historic mainline denominations.

An insider account by two ministers on the front lines of mainstream religion’s longtime shadow war against the religious right, Steeplejacking reveals how conservative renewal groups, backed by a right-wing organization called the Institute on Religion and Democracy, use social wedge issues like homosexuality to infiltrate mainline churches and stir up dissent among members of the congregation, with the goal of taking over the leadership of the church, and ultimately, the denomination. The book unmasks the covert methods that renewal groups and the IRD use to spread their propaganda, as well as showing how the pastor and other church leaders can act as either provocateurs or protectors in the face of an attack. Churches that have been “steeplejacked” are also examined to illustrate why some are able to withstand an attack, while others succumb.

Featuring a foreword by Michelle Goldberg, author of the bestselling Kingdom Coming, and an introduction by Frederick Clarkson, Steeplejacking shows how mainstream religion can fight back against the insidious tactics of the Christian right.

An ordained minister forover thirty years, Sheldon Culver serves on the conference staff of the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Comments from BuzzFlash.com: Who is behind the effort to take over individual churches from within and have them adopt a partisan radical agenda? "Steeplejacking" identifies the key culprits and names names.

It also describes the process that takes place when a church is "steeplejacked" by right wingers -- and, most importantly, how it can be prevented.

As with most issues of progressive versus the right wing, tactics come down to rational persuasion versus thuggish intimidation and insidious infiltration.

In the preface to "Steeplejacking," it is noted that "Andrew Weaver, a leading Methodist activist, has said, 'They are playing a different game. We still think the game is touch football, and they are playing tackle.'"

This is a fatal difference in progressive and reactionary strategies. The reactionaries play to win using any method -- whether unethical or illegal -- at their disposal, while progressives and rationalists believe in the power of discourse and thoughtful persuasion.

Such, alas, is also the case in Congress, where liberal Dems don't know how to put on a pair of boxing gloves -- and so they keep getting maneuvered into the corner of the ring and shellacked by the Busheviks.

"Steeplejacked" offers both an excellent analysis of right wing strategies to ideologically hijack churches. The book also spends considerable time offering advice on how to prevent such "church jackings."

An important contribution to the efforts to keep America's Constitutional separaton of church and state intact by taking back one church at a time.

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