This is an updated version of a post from last month that I will probably revise and update from time to time as I discover ( or remember) relevant resources. -- FC
One of the challenges in writing about the Religious Right and what to do about it -- on this site and elsewhere -- is the matter of terms and definitions.
From the earliest days of Talk to Action, we have often written about how unfair labels and terms of demonization are not only inaccurate and opposed to basic standards of scholarship and journalism; but are also unrelated to the basic values of people of good will -- and are often politically counterproductive to boot.
The purpose of this post is not to go over all that again. I want to point to some useful resources on basic definitions and usage for those who are interested in trying to get it right.
Political Research Associates has an extensive glossary.
The Religion Newswriters Association has a helpful Religion Stylebook for journalists.
Religious Right Watch (the site of one of the founders of Talk to Action, Scott Isebrand) has a short glossary (with lots of links) down the right column.
Rachel Tabachnick posted a glossary of terms related to "Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare" as used by the New Apostolic Reformation.
Chip Berlet posted an extensive discussion of the definition of "dominionism" in the wake of a major media controversy last summer.
Knotty problems of usage come up in relationship to religiously motivated violence. I attempted to highlight and sort through the problems related to such terms as "faith-based," "Christian militia," and "Islamic terrorism" at Religion Dispatches.
Sara Diamond's 1989 book Spiritual Warfare: The Politics of the Christian Right included a pioneering glossary that remains useful today.
A Moment to Decide: The Crisis in Mainstream Presbyterianism by Lew Daly, (an investigative report on Religious Right "renewal" groups and their efforts to neutralize the Presbyterian Church USA also contains an extensive and still useful glossary, although it was published in 2000.)
If there are other relevant glossary and usage resources that I have not mentioned here -- please do tell us about them in the comments.
10:40 PM PT: Ha! Rec list for a diary about glossaries. Just when I thought I had seen it all ....