Religion and social protest

Bruce 2003, was interested in the relationship between religion and social change, comparing two case studies of the role of religously inspired protest movements in America: the civil rights movements and the New Christian Right.

The American civil rights movement

The black civil rights movements of the 60's attempted to end racial segregation as blacks were denied legal and political rights in many southern states.

• The movement began in 1995, and direct action throughprotest marches, boycotts and demonstrations followed until in 1964 segregation was outlawed.
• The black clergy led by Dr Martin Luther King was the back bone of the movement, giving support and moral legitimacy to activists. They shamed whites into changing the law by appealing to their shared christian values of equality

Bruce sees religion in this…