Posted by Mike O on: 05.31.2007 /
My wife saw this article in Time and thought we might find it interesting. It’s a nice follow-up to The tide is turning which I posted two weeks ago.
I especiallly liked the last couple of paragraphs …
Young Evangelicals still have their heroes and their causes, but those were less likely to be Falwell and Pat Robertson fighting abortion and gay marriage than Bono and Rick Warren addressing poverty and AIDS in Africa. When Falwell talked of AIDS, it was about God’s punishment of homosexuals. When Warren, who also views homosexuality as a sin, talks about AIDS, it’s about how to stop its spread and minister to the suffering. When he hosts a global AIDS summit, Warren invites both Barack Obama and Sam Brownback. That has the makings of a real moral majority.
It will be tempting to call Falwell’s passing the end of an era [...] Falwell practiced the politics of division, flinging damnation at those who resisted his vision of a Godly America. Now a rising generation of Christian leaders is looking to bring people together: the politics of division may be a shrewd electoral strategy but a shallow spiritual one. Their God is bigger than their party, more mysterious, more forgiving and more embracing. It is only partly wishful thinking when a progressive evangelical counterforce to Falwell like Jim Wallis declares that “the Evangelicals have left the Right. They now reside with Jesus.”
Comment by: Bernie of FreeGoodNews.com
1Mike O. wrote:
“It is only partly wishful thinking when a progressive evangelical counterforce to Falwell like Jim Wallis declares that “the Evangelicals have left the Right. They now reside with Jesus.”"
I disagree- that the “right” has left. I think the new one to take up the “right” banner, and has already been leading, is Dr. Dobson of “Focus on the Family.” He’s the same thing, but a little different, than the past “right.” I also really like him (he’s logical and a straight-shooter), compared to Falwell (too brash). I don’t agree with Dr. Dobson on a few things, but I think he is a Statesman, much much more so than Warren, Bono, or Robertson. Just my ideas…
…Bernie
Comment by: steve lewis
2“Their God is bigger than their party . . .”
That “we” Christians ever had a party to call home is a bit of a generalization - but a mostly true one. It is as good an indicator as any that we sold out to the state a long time ago. James Dobson as a “statesman” - whether as inflamatory as Falwell or not - doesn’t really make things better, either.
By the way Mike, a blogger named Will Samson has a very insightful post as to the “passing of an era” with Falwell’s death. You can find the post here.
Peace
Comment by: Stephan
3I used to be a staunch republican (delegate to state convention in the early 90’s, served on state committees, etc.), but felt myself pulling away from conservative politics about 8 years ago. I don’t believe either party is inherently “Christian” or “non-Christian” anymore, which actually makes voting much harder. Now I have to take more than one factor into account when choosing for whom to vote. ;-)
I now refer to my self as a “Radical Moderate”. At one time I thought about running for office, but where can a pro-file, pro-gun control, anti-death penalty, pro-business, pro-social programs, anti-war candidate find a party to back them?
Comment by: Mike O
4I’m finding myself in the same position this time around.
You may already know about this, but I found a great voters guide yesterday at ontheissues.org
Comment by: Rachel
5On the theme of “the tide is turning”…here is a great interview with Rich Cizik of the National Association of Evangelicals: The Evolution of American Evangelicalism