Republicans and Evangelicals: Bill Bright, Campus Crusade, and Cru

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William R. “Bill” Bright was born in 1921 in Coweta, Oklahoma. Though raised in a religious environment, he initially pursued business success and personal ambition. While attending the University of Southern California, Bright experienced a dramatic spiritual transformation through the influence of Christian leaders like Henrietta Mears. This encounter led him to surrender his life to Jesus Christ and ultimately shaped his calling toward full-time evangelism.

In 1951, Bill and his wife, Vonette, founded Campus Crusade for Christ at UCLA with a vision to reach college students with the Gospel. He later developed The Four Spiritual Laws, a simple evangelistic tract that became one of the most widely distributed Christian tools in history. Under his leadership, Campus Crusade grew into a global movement with ministries focused on students, athletes, families, the military, and professionals. Bright also launched the Jesus Film Project in 1979, which became one of the most-translated and widely viewed films in the world.

What's missing from most short bios of Bright is the depth of his involvement in the Religious Right. He organized or was present at some of their key gatherings, founded a publishing house to print their words, and raised funds among them.

Bill Bright remained dedicated to fulfilling the Great Commission, often engaging in long periods of fasting and prayer for spiritual guidance. He received the prestigious Templeton Prize in 1996 for his contributions to religion and reinvested the award into Christian ministry. When he died in 2003, Campus Crusade for Christ had expanded into nearly every nation, with thousands of staff and volunteers sharing the Gospel worldwide. Bright’s life stands as a testament to the global impact one person can have through faith, vision, and relentless obedience to God’s call.

My guest for this episode is historian John G. Turner, author of Bill Bright and Campus Crusade for Christ: The Renewal of Evangelicalism in Postwar America.

Sources:

• Bill Bright and Campus Crusade for Christ: The Renewal of Evangelicalism in Postwar America by John G. Turner
• The Evangelicals by Frances Fitzgerald
• Reaganland by Rick Perlstein
• God as Capitalist: Seminar Promotes Religion and Riches by Russell Chandler. Los Angeles Times (1923-1995); Jun 1, 1981; starts on page B3. Accessed via ProQuest (thanks to the Teton County Library for access!)
• Tract: The Four Spiritual Laws
• The Politics of Rage by Dan T. Carter
• The Invisible Bridge by Rick Perlstein
• Before the Storm by Rick Perlstein
• God's Own Party by Daniel K. Williams
• One Nation Under God by Rus Walton (page numbers mentioned in the episode correspond to the 1993 paperback edition). I also used the 1987 version from archive.org
• Birchers by Matthew Dallek
• In the Spirit of '76, published by Third Century Publishers Inc.
• Jimmy Carter, the Politics of Family, and the Rise of the Religious Right by J. Brooks Flippen
• The 700 Club's coverage of the "Washington for Jesus Rally"

Also, my guest, Dave Hopping, used to be in the comedy duo "Dave and Brian". They were pretty big! Here is one of their videos.

Discussion Questions:

• Have you read The Four Spiritual Laws?
• How has Campus Crusade/ Cru impacted your life? The life of your loved ones?
• What threats did Bright perceive to American Christians? Where was he right? Where was he wrong?
• What did you think of Rus Walton's book One Nation Under God?
• Was Bright part of the Religious Right? To what degree?

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