Those who mistakenly assume the new Christian Right is a theocratic colossus threatening to control policy through electoral institutions need to read this book, written by many of the best scholars in the religion and politics field. Its painstaking analyses not only trace the political styles of religious movements in American history, with comparisons with other political systems, but define the real limitations of the current Christian Right. Beyond the big (and growing) evangelical tent, the movement has not met with much success as political proselytizer and mobilizer. Interestingly, the book also shows how absolutistic group goals are transformed by a gradualistic democratic system.