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Richard Cizik Resigns from the National Association of Evangelicals

Longtime lobbyist and media spokesman recently said 'I'm shifting' on gay unions.

Sarah Pulliam | posted 12/11/2008 01:56PM

Richard Cizik resigned Wednesday night as vice president for governmental affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) during a week of growing uproar over his comments that he is shifting ...

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R. Cross

Posted: December 21, 2008 1:53 AM


I disagree with Anonymous. One cannot accept one Christian tenet and be wishy- washy with another. In the Great Commission, Jesus doesn't tell us that we are to accept homosexuality. But He does say that it is an abomination. There is nothing in Scripture that even hints that same-sex marriage is acceptable. If you're going to spread the gospel, this is part of it. Robert.

Dakotahgeo

Posted: December 19, 2008 2:51 AM


Just another Christian that the NAE couldn't use mind control techniques on. Good for Cizik...bad for NAE. Dakotahgeo

Stephanie

Posted: December 18, 2008 11:27 PM


Good for Cizik! I hope he continues to lean towards being less bigoted and more tolerant of others. Perhaps he is following after Jesus' example of equality for all, and love for all.

gcallahan

Posted: December 18, 2008 8:18 PM


pgilford has said it impeccable. Evangelicals had better start love the sinner and hating the sin more or they are going to be the minority (like PCA) which finds any expression outside the box of sixteenth century orthodoxy intolorable....all while the world watches us die over division. grc

pgilford

Posted: December 18, 2008 8:10 PM

Just when I think I could not be more appalled by the thugs who run some of these organizations, they oust a godly gentleman for expressing his personal opinions in public. Christians still have a right to free speech in this country, don't they? I didn't know they forfeited that when they joined the boards of evangelical organizatins. I think some evangelicals should consider founding their own nation based on a theocracy. Some of your leaders would no doubt kick Jesus out of your exclusive organizations. He would never abide by the dictates of the Thought Police who head many of them and do more to hurt the cause of the Gospel than any gracious comment Rich Cizik may have made towards homosexuals. Absolutely exasperating.

Jim	Posted: December 17, 2008 4:01 PM


The National Association of Evangelicals is a dying organization which, in its death rattle, clings ever more stubbornly to patriarchy. Love is biblical and theological; power, even in the name of Christian values, is not. The organization's firing of Cizik reminds me that Satan has no greater allies than good Christians.

NoRegrets

Posted: December 17, 2008 1:53 PM

I will always support my GLBT brothers and sisters. I will always support protecting our Earth. And if Jesus does not support these things, then he is not holy and he is wrong. I have a mind of my own and I'm allowed to use it. You are being paid Pastor Don and if you use your brain you'll be fired. It's as simple as that. I only want righteousness. Gay people are born the way they are. God is not mean. Jesus is not evil. They want us to be happy. It is people like you that keep us (all people) from this connection to God. Not gay people or people who want to preserve the world's beauty. And if I am wrong, let me be judged by God. Keep your crazy, evil view of God out of our courts. I am ready to be judged because I know where my heart is. Where is yours?

Jan	Posted: December 17, 2008 11:57 AM

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. I can't stand when Christians out there seem to think that God has changed His mind about things today. The Bible is the living breathing Word of God and does not change. I stand and cannot be shaken. I have traditional Christian values and if we don't stand firm on the Word of God, we may lose these. No wonder God said there is a narrow road to heaven and very few enter it.

craigb

Posted: December 17, 2008 9:17 AM


mr. cizik can come eat dinner at my house anytime.

Episcopal Priest

Posted: December 16, 2008 1:29 PM

I wonder if poor Richard Cizik is being water boarded even as I type this. If a member of the NAE staff or leadership is not even allowed to say that his personal opinion varies from the organization's party line, then religious freedom is apparently not a value that the NAE cares about. Straitjackets may be next. When Barak Obama closes down Gitmo, maybe the NAE can take it over and run a re-education camp for those with thinking errors. Thanks, Big Bro., for showing yourself to us. Oh, and BTW, Merry Christmas Richard...

fred oyler,carlisle,.pa

Posted: December 15, 2008 8:34 PM


I wrote to NAE two years ago opining that Cizik was getting ahead of pew occupants re global warming and should cease and desist. Fred Oyler CEFC, Carlisle,Pa.

Will Updegrove

Posted: December 15, 2008 5:12 PM


The "voice" of NAE in Washington will be seen as increasingly irrelevant with the sacking of Richard Cizik. It is especially galling to see the NAE take a step which will make James Dobson smirk. This is a sad day for the "identity" of the Evangelical movement. Now that a prophetic voice will no longer be tolerated - how about a name change to NAF - go back to the "good old" Fundamentalist tag.

Ayla (uk)

Posted: December 14, 2008 12:41 PM

Why are US evangelicals so obessed by homosexuality and anti-abortion issues? Surely there is more to being pro-life than simply being anti abortion....................affordable health care for all, gun control, human rights in Iraq, Gaza, Zimbabwe etc etc. Christian gays can choose to be celibate if they feel that is what Scripture teaches but civil unions are a fair legal option. Divorce is equally a sin in Biblical terms but one in which many Christian evangelical families have had to deal with (eg the Dobsons, Grahams etc). Richard Cizik sounds a fine Christian but the extreme right wingers (Dobson etc) took exception to his enviromentally sound creation care statements several years ago and have been trying to get rid of him ever since. It's a pity American evangelicals aren't as concerned about the enviromental damage in the developing World as they are in maintaining their own comfortable lifestyles.

Mark M

Posted: December 14, 2008 11:46 AM

"If he speaks on abortion or homosexuality — which he rarely does anymore — no one knows if he's accurately standing for evangelicals as a whole," Beisner said. "As a spokesman for evangelicals, he has undercut his ability with decision makers." So according to Beisner... the NAE does speak the official position of 'evangelicalicals.' It would seem that now the evangelical world is much more nuanced, rich and complex than is represented by the NAE. The article also seems to confirm my belief that the NAE is more concerned with national political policy than it is concerned with the state of evangelicalism (be it doctrinally, spiritually or otherwise.)

Folger

Posted: December 14, 2008 1:31 AM

Chuck Anziulewicz Posted: December 12, 2008 11:10 AM Jorge writes, "No one is against homosexual couples having reasonable rights, but... " You're both wrong, I am against it and probably so are many more who are afraid to speak out. What is this, The Third Reich? How disgusting does our culture need to become before we say enough! Cizik quit at least that's a more honest thing to do than many others who hold positions and don't care about the people they represent.

Robin Pearson

Posted: December 13, 2008 2:31 PM

As long as we are arguing about opinions, calling each other heretics and liars, and demanding that any dissenters be cast out, we are not going to grow any closer to God or to each other. It isn't about politics, guns, global warming, homosexuality or any kind of sex - it's about the grace of God meeting us at our point of greatest need. After receiving such mercy, how should we be treating each other? If the posts on Christianity Today boards reflect the attitudes of the church at large, we've all gone pretty far astray. Thank God the Good Shepherd is determined to gather us together into one flock. But it will surely be his greatest miracle yet.

Wil	Posted: December 13, 2008 4:03 AM


God doesn't create gay children. Sin creates same-sex attraction in people. Jesus does not condone same sex coupling.

P.	Posted: December 12, 2008 11:53 PM


Amera, Anonymous is right. In the Great Commission, Jesus told us to go out and make disciples of all peoples. Well, we're not doing a great job of that. As long as groups such as the NAE and Focus on the Family are focused on politics instead of spreading the gospel, then we'll continue to misrepresent Christ and turn people off to him.

Rev. Emily Bel

Posted: December 12, 2008 10:14 PM

D. Solomon wrote "I believe many people that struggle with same sex attraction were molested or abused sometime throughout their childhood or adolesence." I've heard that before. However, many more people who were molested or abused as children don't become homosexuals; and many homosexuals were not molested or abused as children. I do believe that sex outside of marage is wrong. However, when a society/church doesn't allow some people to marry, they're set up to "sin". Looking at the tradition of marriage in the Bible, we find that marriage as we know it today is not the norm in the Bible. The instution of marriage evolved over the years. In OT days men could have as any wives as they cold afford. Less than 100 yrs ago, many churches forbid inter-racial marriages. Personally, I believe that by reconizing gay marriage, we aren't redefining marriage, we are reconizing that "God doesn't care who we love, God cares THAT WE LOVE.

Rich	Posted: December 12, 2008 7:01 PM


If the previous writer, Wentz, is suggesting that Jesus would have no problem with homosexuality, then he is reading a different Bible than I. Of course, Jesus said that in the last days there would be deceivers among us. Sin is sin and it will always be sin.

Eric B

Posted: December 12, 2008 4:35 PM


What happened to Richard Cizik is just a microcosm of what is happening to evangelicalism as a whole. Take your eyes off the Lord and you soon find yourself running in a different direction. Before you know it, you're off the track. We need to repent and get back to the Word of God.

Doc	Posted: December 12, 2008 4:34 PM


To quote Curly Bill Brocius in TOMBSTONE: "Well....Bye."

pd	Posted: December 12, 2008 4:33 PM

Young people have been indoctrinated into the "we were born that way" lie and that homosexuality is a God given "orientation". Young people want to be loving and accepting of others so they are deceived into thinking that accepting these lies is to do so. This has spread into the church community as well. Sexual attractions have something to do with our upbringing and can be derailed and harmed in ones young life or by experiences one has or by upbringing. The entire gay agenda took hold because Christians were asleep at the wheel for the last 25 years when this agenda was being pushed and the lies were printed as thought they were established facts by the media. So Christians have to keep speaking out on this and have to be clear in their hearts and willing to be called names over it. On the other hand, we have to clean up our own house--50% divorce rate among Christians?? That shows there is little application of the word of God to ones life/marriage not a good witness AT ALL

Tom	Posted: December 12, 2008 1:51 PM

I believe Mr. Cizik played a very important role in returning credibility to the NAE following the humiliating resignation of its previous leader, Pastor Ted Haggard (Remember him?). What Mr. Cizik provided was integrity and clear evidence of the expanding demographic of those who call themselves evangelicals - made even more obvious during the 2008 election. Mr. Cizik also provided a space where evangelicals who dared to disagree with the old guard could speak their minds about issues such as the environment, the role of faith in government (whether evangelicals should continue to be joined at the hip with the Republican Party and the Bush Administration), stewardship, poverty, the death penalty, abortion, gay marriage, etc. He had my profound respect. I understand his decision to step down, however I am saddened by it.

Michael Bray

Posted: December 12, 2008 1:24 PM

As a classmate of Cizik’s at Denver Seminary, I was instructed in the orthodox view of Scripture. And in living out the Truth, I have brought some embarrassment upon the seminary (abortuary bombing convictions). Does this man’s doctrine of toleration of abortion and sodomy cause Denver any embarrassment? Those responsible for keeping this man in leadership need to spend a few weeks in sack cloth and ashes before serving up another limp leader. Sorry, fellow evangelicals, but you cannot take the biblical (and historic Christian) view of sodomy and abortion and then refuse to advocate for the criminalization of both and the protection of the innocent. Moreover, you cannot affirm the full humanity of the womb child and then deny him the protection afforded any other person threatened with death. In other words, you cannot condemn those who use force to stop an abortion without rejecting his humanity. Living out the Christian life can be embarrassing.

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