2 of 12

"Rather than just assuming that evangelical churches are ready to hand over their membership lists, they would do much better to spend some time trying to convince us that they really do have the interests of biblical Christians at heart."

Interestingly, even Bush supporters are questioning whether the administration is taking their views seriously enough. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, wrote in a recent Washington Update email,

a look at the full list of speakers [at the Republican National Convention] shows that the convention is lacking in speeches by prominent Republicans who can adequately address the social issues our nation is facing—from protecting marriage to defending the sanctity of life.

In fact, many of the people who will have prominent roles at the convention have publicly contradicted the Bush Administration's policies on these very issues; not just Pataki and Giuliani, but also Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). Understandably, the Bush campaign would like to portray the Republican Party as a "big tent" while the national spotlight is on, but surely there is some room in that tent for social conservatives. The Bush team admits it had trouble fully mobilizing Christian voters in 2000. Leaving real conservatives off the convention stage won't do much to correct that problem in 2004.

Perkins has also complained that not enough Christians are standing up for the Federal Marriage Amendment. In June, he told The Washington Post, "Standing on Capitol Hill listening, you don't hear anything." However, when it comes to same-sex marriage at the state level, church leaders are standing up. Weblog already noted that churches in Oregon worked to support a marriage amendment in that state. (Perkins also noted that on June 30 "the Defense of Marriage Coalition in Oregon turned in over 244,587 signatures supporting a state constitutional amendment protecting marriage as the union of one man and one woman.")

But in Kansas, where the legislature recently rejected such an amendment, churches, upset at the failure to pass the amendment, have banded together to support the cause—and are receiving plenty of flak for it. Kansas City Star tells the story.

Upset at the Kansas Legislature for defeating a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, the Rev. Jerry Johnston, pastor of First Family Church in Overland Park, invited area clergy members to a meeting this month. About 100 came, he said. Churches, he said, must get more involved in politics. "God calls a minister to speak on moral issues," Johnston said. …

Many preachers don't know anything about politics; many don't know who their representatives and senators are," said Johnston, who added that he should have gotten more involved in the past.

Churches should encourage their members to act, he said. During July, he said, his church and others in Johnson County will hold forums for candidates, register voters, and educate people on the issues.

Johnson has been distributing educational materials about candidates as local elections approach. In response, a group called the Mainstream Coalition decided to send 100 volunteers to monitor church activities and sermons to make sure they do nothing illegal. The Star writes, "Johnston and other ministers should keep partisan politics out of the pulpit, said Caroline McKnight, coalition executive director. 'His job is to lead his flock by setting an example … not by bringing the smoke-filled room into his sanctuary,' she said."

next page... |  2 of 12

share this page

June (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48