The Episcopal Church has long been regarded as the religion of choice among America's ruling elite. Yet after World War II a new generation of leaders emerged, eager to shake off the church's reputation as a bastion of privilege and transform it into an agent of social reform. Taking an active part in the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s, these leaders struggled to draw the church's membership into their vision of change. Despite their shortcomings,
these activist leaders played a pivotal role in the evolution of Episcopalianism from "establishment" church into a more diverse and inclusive denomination.