Chapter Eight, 1980-81, Facing Reality Summary and Analysis

In the late 1970s, a Christian political revolution was stirring. White would help the leaders of the new Christian Right, including Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, promote this movement with his writing. Falwell got into politics to speak out against communism, abortion and divorce on behalf of family values. White did not see Falwell as dangerous but as a sincere followed of Jesus. At the same time, Falwell formed his famous Moral Majority in part through the influence of Christian theologian Francis Schaeffer, who White got to know well. Schaffer was White's first client; White ghost-wrote How Should We Then Live. In these years, White also saw a dark, arrogant side to these men, despite their putative holiness.

At the time, he declined to write several books that were anti-gay; he could not...