Religious right groups attack broadening evangelical agenda
Major Christian right groups reject statement on global warming, ignore statement rejecting torture
by JewsOnFirst.org, March 21, 2007
Links to documents and reports cited in this summary immediately follow it.
 Top leaders of the biggest Christian right organizations are challenging the more moderate National Association of Evangelicals over its director's activism on global warming. Meanwhile, the major relgious right organizations have largely ignored a statement denouncing torture that the NAE endorsed.
The NAE (this slide comes from its website) claims to represent 45,000 evangelical churches. The big organizations such as Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council are not members. Nevertheless, their letter to the NAE asking it to rein in Executive Director Richard Cizik claims a religious commonality.
An accompanying statement by the critics, operating under the environmentalist-sounding name Interfaith Stewardship Alliance, challenges the wisdom of cutting consumption by reducing emissions.
A more moderate group of evangelicals, including such influential figures as Rev. Rick Warren, launched the Evangelical Climate Initiative last year with a statement last year calling for legislative action on global warming. A second statement from a coalition associated with the NAE was issued in January.
The big religious right groups have largely ignored the evangelical renunciation on torture. That statement was drafted by Evangelicals for Human Rights. JewsOnFirst.org interviewed the chairman of the group, Prof. David Gushee, in January. (Click here to listen to an audio recording of the conversation.)
In an essay last year entitled "Jesus is not a Republican," Prof. Randall Balmer, , remarked on the religious right's silence on torture:
Following the revelations that the U.S. government exported prisoners to nations that have no scruples about the use of torture, I wrote to several prominent religious-right organizations. Please send me, I asked, a copy of your organization's position on the administration's use of torture. Surely, I thought, this is one issue that would allow the religious right to demonstrate its independence from the administration, for surely no one who calls himself a child of God or who professes to hear "fetal screams" could possibly countenance the use of torture. Although I didn't really expect that the religious right would climb out of the Republican Party's cozy bed over the torture of human beings, I thought perhaps they might poke out a foot and maybe wiggle a toe or two.
I was wrong. Of the eight religious-right organizations I contacted, only two, the Family Research Council and the Institute on Religion and Democracy, answered my query. Both were eager to defend administration policies. "It is our understanding, from statements released by the Bush administration," the reply from the Family Research Council read, "that torture is already prohibited as a means of collecting intelligence data."
The Christian right groups are complaining that the NAE is broadening its agenda beyond reproductive rights issues and homophobia. Columnist E.J. Dionne notes with satisfaction this turn in direction by a new leadership.
On Torture
Evangelicals Condemn Torture
By Rachel Zoll, Associated Press, The Washington Post, March 12, 2007
The National Association of Evangelicals has endorsed an anti-torture statement saying the United States has crossed "boundaries of what is legally and morally permissible" in its treatment of detainees and war prisoners in the fight against terror.
Human rights violations committed in the name of preventing terrorist attacks have made the country look hypocritical to the Muslim world, the document states. Christians have an obligation rooted in Scripture to help Americans "regain our moral clarity." Continue.
NAE Leaders Advance Broad Agenda with Landmark Document on Human Rights and Torture
News release, National Association of Evangelicals, March 11, 2007
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., March 11, 2007-- The board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals advanced a broad public agenda at its annual meeting this week, endorsing a landmark document on human rights and torture, and reaffirming its "For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Public Engagement," first adopted in 2003.
The NAE board endorsed "An Evangelical Declaration Against Torture: Protecting Human Rights in An Age of Terror." The 18-page document, which was produced by Evangelicals for Human Rights and can be viewed at www.evangelicalsforhumanrights.org, states: "From a Christian perspective, every human life is sacred. Recognition of this transcendent moral dignity is non-negotiable for us as evangelical Christians in every area of life, including our assessment of public policies. We write this declaration to affirm our support for detainee human rights and opposition to any resort to torture." Continue.
An Evangelical Declaration Against Torture
Protecting Human Rights In An Age Of Terror
Evangelicals for Human Rights, March 12, 2007
From a Christian perspective, every human life is sacred. As evangelical Christians, recognition of this transcendent moral dignity is non-negotiable in every area of life, including our assessment of public policies. This commitment has been tested in the war on terror, as a public debate has occurred over the moral legitimacy of torture and of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of detainees held by our nation in the current conflict. We write this declaration to affirm our support for detainee human rights and our opposition to any resort to torture. Continue
National Association of Evangelicals Endorses Statement Against Torture
Declaration calls for churches and individuals to act on "non-negotiable" issue.
Sarah Pulliam, Christianity Today, March 16, 2007
Torture is not an option, says the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), which endorsed a statement against the practice of torture this week.
The newly-formed Evangelicals for Human Rights, comprised of 17 activists and scholars, spent more than six months drafting the 18-page document, "An Evangelical Declaration Against Torture: Protecting Human Rights in an Age of Terror." The document is intended to be both a moral and theological statement.
"From a Christian perspective, every human life is sacred. As evangelical Christians, recognition of this transcendent moral dignity is non-negotiable in every area of life, including our assessment of public policies," the statement begins.
The NAE endorsed the document at their annual March 11 meeting, with one dissenting vote. Continue
 Ethicist: National Association of Evangelicals torture declaration 'irrational'
Erin Roach, Baptist Press, March 15, 2007
An anti-torture statement endorsed by the National Association of Evangelicals "is a moral travesty managing not only to confuse but to harm genuine evangelical witness in the culture," a Southern Baptist ethics professor said March 15.
"The main problem I have with the NAE declaration is not moral but rational," Daniel R. Heimbach, professor of Christian ethics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote in a statement to Baptist Press. "While it loudly renounces ‘torture,’ it nowhere -- in 18 pages of posturing -- defines what signers of the document claim so vehemently to reject."
The NAE, which claims to represent 45,000 evangelical churches but does not include the Southern Baptist Convention, said in the statement approved March 11 that the United States has crossed the "boundaries of what is legally and morally permissible" in the war on terror. Continue
Jesus Is Not a Republican
By Randall Balmer, The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 23, 2006
Randall Balmer, a professor of American religious history at Barnard College and himself an Evangelical Christian, is author of the forthcoming book Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America: An Evangelical's Lament, from which this essay is excerpted. Continue
Christian activist says National Association of Evangelicals continues move to liberalism
Allie Martin, OneNewsNow.com (Focus on the Family), March 15, 2007
The founder of Olive Tree Ministries says it is no surprise a recent meeting of the board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) focused on liberal causes and not on evangelism. The organization's board of directors met last week and advanced what it called a "broad public agenda." Among other things, that agenda included the board's endorsement of a document titled "An Evangelical Declaration on Torture: Protecting Human Rights in An Age of Terror."
Jan Markell, founder of Olive Tree Ministries, has followed the activities of the NAE for years. She says the organization continues to move to the left while minimizing the Great Commission. Continue
Conversation with Dr. David P. Gushee, founder of Evangelicals for Human Rights
The interviewer is Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak of JewsOnFirst.org, January 11, 2007
 David P. Gushee, PhD, is the Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy and Senior Fellow of the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Christian Leadership at Union University, a Baptist school in Jackson, Tennessee.
This wide-ranging, half-hour recorded conversation moves from Gushee's founding work with Evangelicals for Human Rights and his argument that torture is always wrong, to Jewish-Christian relations, then to Christian Zionism. That discussion proceeds to considering end-times scenarios and Christian environmental activism, in which Gushee is involved. He also mentions the book he is currently writing about an emerging evangelical center -- as contrasted with the Christian right.
The conversation concludes with a brief discussion about what a centrist evangelical position on homosexual relationships would look like. Gushee, who blogs at CounterCulture, says he rejects the hatred and homophobia expressed by religious right organizations. Click here to listen to the conversation.
On the Environment
Evangelical’s Focus on Climate Draws Fire of Christian Right
By Laurie Goodstein, The New York Times, March 3, 2007
Leaders of several conservative Christian groups have sent a letter urging the National Association of Evangelicals to force its policy director in Washington to stop speaking out on global warming.
The conservative leaders say they are not convinced that global warming is human-induced or that human intervention can prevent it. And they accuse the director, the Rev. Richard Cizik, the association’s vice president for government affairs, of diverting the evangelical movement from what they deem more important issues, like abortion and homosexuality.
The letter underlines a struggle between established conservative Christian leaders, whose priority has long been sexual morality, and challengers who are pushing to expand the evangelical movement’s agenda to include issues like climate change and human rights. Continue.
Christians Who Won't Toe the Line
Anti-action group calls itself Interfaith Stewardship Alliance
By E. J. Dionne Jr., The Washington Post, March 16, 2007;
Evangelical Protestantism in the United States is going through a New Reformation that is disentangling a great religious movement from a partisan political machine. This historic change will require liberals and conservatives alike to abandon their sometimes narrow views of who evangelicals are.
The reformers won an important victory this month when the board of the National Association of Evangelicals faced down right-wing partisans and reaffirmed its view that solving global warming was an important moral cause. In so doing, it also expressed confidence in the Rev. Rich Cizik, the NAE's vice president for governmental affairs. Continue.
Inside the evangelical war over climate change.
Greener Pastors
by Bradford Plumer, The New Republic Online via Faith in Public Life, March 15, 2007
When James Dobson gets angry, people notice. And, in early March, the influential chair of Focus on the Family fired off a very angry letter to the board of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). Tony Perkins of The Family Research Council signed it. So did Gary Bauer. So did 22 other conservative Christian leaders. Their complaint? It seems that Richard Cizik, NAE's vice-president for governmental affairs, had been sounding the alarm on global warming. For years now, Cizik has ruffled feathers by imploring evangelicals to pay more attention to environmental issues--"creation care," as it's called. But the foray into climate change proved a step too far; the letter-writers called it "divisive and dangerous." A no-no.
Right-wing Christian leaders have ample reason to fear the burgeoning green evangelical movement. A focus on the environment might divert attention away from the issues that really matter--namely, abortion and gay marriage. Worse, eco-minded Christians might start voting for Democrats. Or thinking like environmentalists. The Dobson letter went into hysterics over a speech Cizik gave at the World Bank last year, in which he said, "I'd like to take on the population issue." His critics raged: "[H]ow is population control going to be achieved if not by promoting abortion, the distribution of condoms to the young, and even by infanticide in China and elsewhere?" (Cizik says he was misunderstood, and was merely referring to birth control.) Continue.
Evangelicals feud as religious right founders leave public stage
Associated Press, The Boston Herald, March 19, 2007
As they court the evangelicals who have become so crucial to their party, Republican presidential candidates are stepping into the middle of a family fight.
Christian conservative activists are more split than ever over whether to keep the movement’s focus on abortion, marriage and sexual chastity - or scrap that approach as too narrow.
The founders of the religious right, now in the twilight of their leadership, see even the suggestion of expanding the agenda as a dangerous distraction. In public, and sometimes in personal ways, they are trying to beat back the challenge. Continue.
Letter to National Association of Evangelicals from major leaders of the Christian right
Letter signed by Dr. Don Wildmon, Chairman American Family Association Tony Perkins, President Family Research Council James C. Dobson, Ph.D. Chairman Focus on the Family Gary L. Bauer, President Coalitions for America Paul Weyrich, Chairman American Values Jim Daly, President Focus on the Family Bishop Harry Jackson High Impact Leadership Coalition Phil Burress, President Citizens for Community Values, Ohio Dick Bott, President Bott Radio Network Rich Bott, Vice President Bott Radio Network Alan Chambers, President Exodus International Ron Shuping Executive Vice President, Programming The Inspiration Television Networks, Gary Cass, Executive Director Center for Reclaiming America Dr. Rick Scarborough, President Vision America Tim G. Echols, President Family Resource Network/TeenPact Rev. William Owen, Founder/President Coalition of African American Pastors Micah Clark, Executive Director American Family Association of Indiana Martin Angell, President/Founder Every Church A School Foundation Diane Gramley, President American Family Association of Pennsylvania David E. Smith, Executive Director Illinois Family Institute Dr. R. Edgar Bonniwell, Chancellor K ingswell Theological Seminary 0 Tom Shields, Chairman Coalition for Marriage and Family Dean Nelson, Executive Director Network of Politically Active Christians Dr. Ken Hutcherson, President Mayday For Marriage Gene Mills, Executive Director Louisiana Family Forum, dated March 1, 2007
Although we, the undersigned, are not members of the National Association of Evangelicals, our organizations interface with it regularly and consider it to be an important Christian institution in today’s culture. From that perspective, we are writing the Board of Directors to call attention to what we perceive as a threat to the unity and integrity of the Association. The issue that is dividing and demor
Global Warming
Pray that the American people will not be persuaded by this new religion, but that scientists on both sides of the issue and with the issue of evolution, will have an informed and thorough debate and that the American people will not allow this new theory to be injected into public policy as if it were fact, only to sap the economy and distract Christians from attention to more important matters (Mt 24:37-39; 1 Tim 4:1; 6:20; 2 Tim 4:1-5)
Halfway down the "Prayer Page" of Tony Perkins, Family Research Council, found March 21, 2007
I joined Dr. James Dobson and two dozen other national evangelical leaders to ask the Chairman and Board of the National Association of Evangelicals to reign in their top officer in Washington, who has been actively promoting the scientifically contested idea that humans are the primary cause of climate change or "global warming." He has urged American Evangelicals to combat global warming as a moral issue, part of their religious mission, joining hands with advocates of population control, radical environmentalism and other views foreign to Biblical Christianity. Many, many scientists flatly reject the far-left analysis of global warming and many evangelical leaders see the issue as a grand diversion of evangelical citizens' energy, time and focus from certain issues that are a more immediate threat to the Church and nation. Meanwhile, following Al Gore's recent visit to their land, Australian leaders, skeptical of Gore's "inconvenient truth" have announced publication of a new book that calls the global warming scare a "new religion" (See NAE, Open Letter, New Religion). Click here.
Evangelical, Scientific Leaders Launch Effort to Protect Creation
News release, National Association of Evangelicals, January 17, 2007
WASHINGTON, DC - In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, evangelical and scientific leaders announced today a joint effort to protect the environment. Speaking at a news conference in Washington, DC, a dozen leaders of the coalition shared concerns about human-caused threats to Creation - including climate change, habitat destruction, pollution, species extinction, the spread of human infectious diseases, and other dangers to the well-being of societies.
The coalition released an “Urgent Call to Action” statement signed by 28 evangelical and scientific leaders. The statement - sent to President George W. Bush, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, bipartisan congressional leaders, and national evangelical and scientific organizations - urges “fundamental change in values, lifestyles, and public policies required to address these worsening problems before it is too late. Business as usual cannot continue yet one more day.” The group pledged to “work together toward a responsible care for Creation and call with one voice” to the religious, scientific, business, political and educational arenas to join them in this historic initiative. Continue.
Evangelical Leaders Call Global Warming a Moral and Spiritual Crisis
Broad Alliance Seeks National Legislation to Reduce Emissions
News release announcing Evangelical Climate Initiative, February 8, 2006
WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 8, 2006--A group of more than 85 influential evangelical leaders released a statement today expressing a biblically driven commitment to curb global warming and called on the government to enact national legislation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that are contributing to global climate change.
The document outlining theological and policy imperatives, issued by the Evangelical Climate Initiative, was signed by leaders of evangelical Christian denominations, mega-church pastors, Christian college presidents, and CEOs of major evangelical world relief organizations.
The signers include Rick Warren, author of the runaway best seller, The Purpose Driven Life, and the leaders of the two largest charitable organizations in the country: Rich Stearns, president of World Vision, and Commissioner Todd Bassett, national commander of The Salvation Army.
Other signatories include denominational leaders Jack Hayford (Foursquare Gospel), Peter Borgdorff (Christian Reformed Church), and Berten Waggoner (Vineyard), as well as David Neff, executive editor of Christianity Today, and Duane Litfin, president of Wheaton College.
Citing higher sea levels, more frequent heat waves and droughts, increased tropical diseases, and reduction in agricultural output as likely results of "even small rises in global temperature," the statement declares: "This is God's world, and any damage that we do to God's world is an offense against God himself."
The statement, Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action, establishes that Christian moral convictions demand a response to the climate change problem, and calls on governments, business, churches and individuals to play a role. Continue.
Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action
The evangelicals' statement on climate change, February 2006
As American evangelical Christian leaders, we recognize both our opportunity and our responsibility to offer a biblically based moral witness that can help shape public policy in the most powerful nation on earth, and therefore contribute to the well-being of the entire world.1 Whether we will enter the public square and offer our witness there is no longer an open question. We are in that square, and we will not withdraw.
We are proud of the evangelical community's long-standing commitment to the sanctity of human life. But we also offer moral witness in many venues and on many issues. Sometimes the issues that we have taken on, such as sex trafficking, genocide in the Sudan, and the AIDS epidemic in Africa, have surprised outside observers. While individuals and organizations can be called to concentrate on certain issues, we are not a single-issue movement. We seek to be true to our calling as Christian leaders, and above all faithful to Jesus Christ our Lord. Our attention, therefore, goes to whatever issues our faith requires us to address. Continue.
Letter asks NAE to rethink 'green' activism
by Gregory Tomlin, March 9, 2007
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--An open letter from Focus on the Family’s James Dobson and more than 20 other Christian leaders encourages the board of the National Association of Evangelicals to rein in Richard Cizik, the association’s outspoken vice president for governmental relations in Washington, D.C., for his provocative statements on global warming and population control.
Sent March 1 to Roy Taylor, chairman of the NAE’s board and a minister with the Presbyterian Church in America, the letter from Dobson and others claims that Cizik has engaged in a “relentless campaign” in which he puts forth “his own political opinions as scientific fact.” Cizik, the letter also says, “regularly speaks without authorization for the entire organization” about an issue on which there is no consensus. Continue.
For more on environmental issues, please see the section on The Religious Right and the Environment.
|
