The Moral Nation: Appalachian Revivalism and the Religious Right
Abstract
This presentation analyzes Cold War era Appalachian evangelical revivalism and how these ideas influenced the later political preaching of Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority. It evaluates how earlier revival movements, particularly the Appalachian Preaching Mission, framed Christianity as a force that was necessary for the survival of the nation -- and how that moral framing influenced Falwell’s transition from pastor to political activist. While some historians argue that the Religious Right developed as a sudden response to the cultural upheaval during the 1960s and 1970s, this presentation argues that its talking points regarding anti-communism, moral decline, the defense of the Christian family, and America as a chosen nation were already present in earlier regional preaching traditions. This study features rhetorical and textual analysis of archival materials from the Appalachian Preaching Mission and the Moral Majority such as sermon manuscripts, pamphlets, mission reports, and television broadcasts. These materials show that revivalist preaching traditions were carried into and reshaped within the political and media landscape of the late twentieth century amidst the rise of the Religious Right as the dominating political faction. Similarities and differences in language, tone, and purpose across these sources demonstrate this transformation across time. This evidence suggests that Falwell’s activism was not just a response to perceived crises that happened during the 1970s like the advancement of the Equal Rights Amendment and the Supreme Court's decision in the case Roe v. Wade, but rather a development from an established evangelical culture that had long linked Protestant faith, American identity, and the survival of the nation. Situating the Moral Majority within a regional context that considers the events of the Cold War highlights how local religious movements and preaching traditions contributed to the emergence of organized national political activism.
Start Time
15-4-2026 11:00 AM
End Time
15-4-2026 12:00 PM
Room Number
252
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
UG Orals
Presentation Category
Arts and Humanities
Student Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor
Tom Lee
The Moral Nation: Appalachian Revivalism and the Religious Right
252
This presentation analyzes Cold War era Appalachian evangelical revivalism and how these ideas influenced the later political preaching of Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority. It evaluates how earlier revival movements, particularly the Appalachian Preaching Mission, framed Christianity as a force that was necessary for the survival of the nation -- and how that moral framing influenced Falwell’s transition from pastor to political activist. While some historians argue that the Religious Right developed as a sudden response to the cultural upheaval during the 1960s and 1970s, this presentation argues that its talking points regarding anti-communism, moral decline, the defense of the Christian family, and America as a chosen nation were already present in earlier regional preaching traditions. This study features rhetorical and textual analysis of archival materials from the Appalachian Preaching Mission and the Moral Majority such as sermon manuscripts, pamphlets, mission reports, and television broadcasts. These materials show that revivalist preaching traditions were carried into and reshaped within the political and media landscape of the late twentieth century amidst the rise of the Religious Right as the dominating political faction. Similarities and differences in language, tone, and purpose across these sources demonstrate this transformation across time. This evidence suggests that Falwell’s activism was not just a response to perceived crises that happened during the 1970s like the advancement of the Equal Rights Amendment and the Supreme Court's decision in the case Roe v. Wade, but rather a development from an established evangelical culture that had long linked Protestant faith, American identity, and the survival of the nation. Situating the Moral Majority within a regional context that considers the events of the Cold War highlights how local religious movements and preaching traditions contributed to the emergence of organized national political activism.
