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But in a Baptist Press opinion piece, pastor Rick Warren says not voting is "inexcusable when you consider what the Bible says about our responsibility as citizens and when you consider the many, many men and women who've given their lives to provide and protect our freedom to vote." If Christians don't vote, he says, "we are actually surrendering our responsibility to choose the direction of our country. If we do not vote, we have no right to criticize or complain when unbiblical decisions are made by the court in the decades ahead."

Hmm. Is there a trend here? We only have a few examples today, but Weblog can't think of any recent articles where a popular pastor or parachurch ministry leader has advocated sitting out the election. Nor have we seen any article by a highly respected Christian academic strongly advocating a Christian obligation to go to the polls. Is there some kind of division here? Is it academically hip not to vote?

Weblog has seen many commentaries today responding to Christianity Today's recent editorial, "For Whom Would Jesus Vote?" May seem to suggest that there was a hidden agenda behind it. Here's one blogger:

Christianity Today has an interesting editorial today. It is good to see a little critical reflection on the conservative Christian single-issue obsession with abortion and homosexuality. It almost sounds like they were looking for a safe and quiet way to whisper into people's ears that it is ok for a Christian to vote for Kerry.

Touchstone is livid: "If Christianity Today can't see Brave New World lurking, and the need for Christians to vote against it as a 'single issue,' it has lost its vision of 'faithful evangelical civic engagement,'" writes James Kushiner.

The Journal Standard of Freeport, Illinois, suggested we endorsed Barack Obama over Alan Keyes for the Illinois U.S. Senate seat.

No, no, no, no, no.

Read the editorial again, people. And know that what we said, we meant. There's no hidden agenda. It's not a call for people to vote for any specific candidate. What we said was that Jesus is Lord of all, and the evangelical agenda is broader than limiting abortion. The sanctity of life must be the dominant issue in our minds when we go to the polls, and it's hard to find, as Catholic Archbichop Raymond Burke said, "a proportionate reason to justify favoring the taking of an innocent, defenseless human life."

Bishop responds to stories of his priests involved in pagan worship
Charles Bennison, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, has issued a statement responding to reports that priests in his diocese are promoting pagan rites:

Accusations against two local priests that they are practicing druids and in violation of their ordination vows are extremely serious and merit further inquiries to establish the facts, the Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison, Jr., Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, said Friday.

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October (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48