The Decline of the Christian Right: Generational Shifts and the Transformation of American Family Values

• In Event: 40820 - Section on Sociology of Sex and Gender Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 8: Family and Gendered Division of Labor

Abstract

This paper explores the rise and decline of the Christian Right’s influence over American family values, focusing on how generational shifts and cultural changes have transformed these ideals. Throughout the late 20th century, the Christian Right positioned itself as the moral guardian of the “traditional family,” promoting rigid gender roles, heterosexual marriage, and procreative sexuality while resisting social movements like feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and reproductive autonomy. Drawing on the works of Seth Dowland, R. Marie Griffith, Vern L. Bengtson, and Robert Putnam, the analysis traces how the Christian Right successfully politicized family values but now faces challenges from younger generations who increasingly reject exclusionary doctrines in favor of inclusivity, equality, and justice. The paper examines how personal relationships, religious pluralism, and disillusionment with the politicization of faith have fueled this transformation, leading to the erosion of traditionalist authority. It also highlights the rise of progressive Christianity, which reinterprets scripture through the lens of compassion and social justice, offering a more inclusive vision of family that embraces diverse identities and structures. Ultimately, this historiographical analysis reveals how evolving cultural attitudes and generational change have reshaped American family values, diminishing the Christian Right’s influence while redefining morality through principles of love, equality, and acceptance.

Author

• Taylor Macchia, George Mason University