Evangelicals Come Out
Although I consider myself to be an Evangelical I must say that I am at times hesitant to "come out" as one. Consider the latest between James Dobson (Focus on the White Family) and Jim Wallis. Admittedly I land closer to Wallis than Dobson yet what I find most annoying and frightening is that people like James Dobson and his partner Don Wildmon actually have a strongly supported voice in our country. Their voices represent what is increasingly frustrating about Christian political efforts. Are they wrong to believe in the moral traditions they support? No, Not necessarily. My concerns stem from the increasingly narrow mindedness that tends to be promoted as the Christian norm for all Evangelicals. Jim Wallis and Richard Cizik help to bring a more balanced representation for those of us who have a Christian worldview as opposed to a Christian Colorado Springs view. I think it is important for the evangelical mindset to start with an introspection. A look deep inside of ourselves that convicts us that the world around us needs redemption. The message of Christ is a message of love and redemption. The redemption begins with a consciousness of our own sin and process of transformation. To share that consciousness with others is a gift from God not a self-righteous political weapon of mass destruction.

It is disheartening to think that there are those in the Evangelical world (who are not NAE members mind you) who call for the resignation of another leader, a peer, by singling out two or three moral incentives as the only evangelical concern or standard for all of Evangelical Christians. Not only do I find this intrusive and prideful I find it rather sad. I like the response of someone named Christy, who said:

"I would consider it refreshing and a step toward opening up some of the deep seated fundamentalist narrowmindedness [sic] if Dobson and Falwell and others like them could even bring themselves to say something like: While it is not part of the agenda of Focus on the Family or Liberty University to support issues concerning the environment, we recognize that God has called us to do his work by giving each of us a unique set of gifts and interests. If God has laid a heavy burden on the hearts of our Christian brothers and sisters at the NAE to speak out on the issue of the environment, then we support them with our prayers in that calling."

Perhaps we can agree to disagree but it is rather pretentious and maybe even arrogant to think that "my" concerns are the only concerns necessary. Frankly, Dobson, Falwell, and Wildmon do not represent a collective understanding by many who call themselves Evangelical. Is abortion a problem? Of course it is but what are we doing as Christians to address systemic attitudes and practices that continually marginalize those who suffer on a daily basis right under our own noses. Is homosexuality a biblical concern? Yes, but so is stewardship of the creation. It is unfortunate that we have now created a climate of perceived hatred and judment among the very ones Christ came to redeem. I can't pretend that I have any or all of the answers to the world's problems but I do believe that we live in an age that requires a much grander vision of what Christ implied in his Kingdom ethics. Perhaps we should all take a day to consider the person in the mirror before we pass judgment on groups of people that have yet to see a clear picture of who Jesus is and how he can bring healing and hope to their lives. For more on this issue, including the Wildmon/Dobson letter to the NAE read the Wallis blog.