c. 2008 Religion News Service
Evangelical leaders say Democratic/GOP polling skewed
WASHINGTON (RNS) Several influential evangelical leaders have called on pollsters to ask Democrats _ and not just Republicans _ if they are evangelicals when future primaries occur.
“Thus far, the National Election Pool’s exit poll surveys have pigeonholed evangelicals, reinforcing the false stereotype that we are beholden to one political party,” wrote nine leaders, including Sojourners founder Jim Wallis and Christianity Today editor David Neff. “No party can own any faith.”
Their Thursday (Jan. 10) letter was sent to polling and political directors of media outlets that are represented by the National Election Pool, which supplies poll data to ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, NBC and the Associated Press.
An official from the National Election Pool was not immediately available for comment.
Writing as individuals rather than representatives of their organizations, they noted that some evangelicals now have a broad agenda _ including the environment and poverty _ and are increasingly politically diverse. They also said candidates of both parties talked specifically about their faith while campaigning in Iowa.
“By omitting the question of evangelical/born-again identification from the Democratic polls, you prevented the public from seeing the full picture of how the bipartisan courtship of evangelical voters affected the outcome of the first contest of the 2008 campaign and perpetuated the misperception that all evangelical Christians are Republicans,” they said.
Other signatories include the Rev. Joel Hunter, senior pastor of Northland Church in Longwood, Fla.; Redeem the Vote founder Randy Brinson; Paul Corts, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; professor David P. Gushee of Mercer University; author Brian McClaren; professor Randall Balmer of Barnard College, Columbia University; and professor Glen Stassen of Fuller Theological Seminary.
_ Adelle M. Banks
Ecumenical group decides to sit-out presidential race
BALTIMORE (RNS) Christian Churches Together in the USA, one of the nation’s largest ecumenical groups, decided Friday (Jan. 11) to stay out of the U.S. presidential race but to continue efforts to combat domestic poverty.
The fledgling organization, which formally launched in 2006, comprises 37 national churches from five Christian “families,” and six national Christian organizations.
Because of the group’s ecumenical breadth _ from Orthodox Christians and Catholics to evangelicals and historically black churches _ and because decisions are made by unanimous consent, leaders have forged ahead carefully.
The Rev. Richard Hamm, CCT’s new executive administrator, said the presidential race had sparked intense discussions throughout the group’s second annual four-day meeting near Baltimore.
Ultimately, they decided not to meet with presidential contestants until after the election in November.
“A couple of churches in the mix have gotten bit by being seen as endorsing a candidate or party,” he said. “They’ve had one too many photo ops and been stung by that.”
But several CCT members advocated Wednesday for the group to “seize the moment,” and raise its profile by meeting with presidential candidates now.
“I think some spade work is necessary,” said the Rev. Angelique Walker-Smith, executive director of the Greater Church Federation of Indianapolis. “It’s too late to cold call after the president is elected.”
Others said it was too soon for CCT to step into partisan politics.
“We’re still building trust and understanding with each other,” said the Rev. A. Roy Medley, general secretary of American Baptist Churches USA. “You can’t expect a child to carry what an adult can.”
Cardinal William Keeler, one of the early founders of CCT and its outgoing chief Catholic representative, said each member church may approach the presidential campaign in its own way.
A leader in his church’s ecumenical efforts, the former archbishop of Baltimore also said members must do a better job of spreading the word about CCT in their churches.
“People in the pews don’t even know that it exists,” Keeler said.
_ Daniel Burke
Buddhists pray for missing children
BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. (RNS) Chanting and incense smoke were in the air at the Chanh Giac Buddhist temple as Vietnamese families prayed for four children who police believe were thrown off a bridge by their father.
Many in the Bayou’s Vietnamese community _ a third of the population here is Asian-American _ said Thursday (Jan. 10) that they believe Lam Luong lied out of fear when he confessed to tossing the children off the Dauphin Island bridge.
Luong recanted his confession Thursday afternoon, denying to his lawyer that he’d killed the four, ages 3 years to 4 months. Police and the district attorney, however, believe that they are dead.
“We’ve made a shift from condolences to praying,” said Devan Phan, a lay leader of the temple’s congregation.
The Buddhist temple canceled plans for a weekend memorial service for the children and instead held a prayer service Thursday evening.
Nguyen Bon, the Buddhist nun who heads the congregation, said she has prayed for the children whether they are alive or dead.
“I pray that Quan Am will accept the children into his nirvana,” Nguyen said. Quan Am, the bodhisattva of compassion, is often known in the West as the goddess of mercy.
Relatives of the children have said that they and their mother, Kieu Phan, are Baptists.
In Bayou neighborhoods, Wednesday’s chaos and fright gave way to solemnity Thursday. “People were excited, upset yesterday. Today, quiet,” said Them Tran, owner of Que Huong Oriental Market.
Minh Le, branch director of Boat People SOS, called the situation a “wake-up call not just for the Vietnamese community, but for the entire nation, to put an end to all forms of violence against women and children.”
Boat People SOS is a nonprofit organization that assists Asian communities in the United States.
Le, a prominent member of the city’s Asian community, said he also was not convinced that the children were dead. “I remain open-minded about it until the evidence unfolds,” Le said.
Luong has been charged with four counts of capital murder in the deaths of 4-month-old Danny Luong, 1-year-old Lindsey Luong, 2-year-old Hannah Luong and 3-year-old Ryan Phan.
“People don’t want to believe any parent could do that,” said Devan Phan, 36, of the Buddhist temple. “I’ve got a newborn, just 3 months old. And the whole time I’m holding and loving this sweet, helpless boy, I’m thinking there’s another kid who’s been dropped in the water by his own dad.”
_ Russ Henderson
Quote of the Day: Shirley Dobson of Pray for Election Day Campaign
(RNS) “We need God to be involved in this upcoming election. We want him to raise up righteous leaders, both in the Congress and the president. I believe this year will determine the future of our nation.”
_ Shirley Dobson, chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, who is leading a Pray for Election Day campaign. She was quoted by CitizenLink, the e-newsletter of Focus on the Family Action.
KRE/PH END RNS
