Evangelical/Moderate Religious Leaders Criticize Bush...Misuse of Churches

[checks-n-balances]

Evangelical/Moderate Religious Leaders Criticize Bush Campaign for Misuse of Churches; Call on President to Repudiate Violations

8/13/2004 10:43:00 AM

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=110-08132004

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A group of prominent Evangelicals and moderate to conservative religious leaders have sent an open letter to President Bush condemning the Bush/Cheney 2004 campaign's improper collaboration with church leaders and use of congregational directories.

The signatories, all of whom teach ethics, ask President Bush to repudiate his campaign's violations of fundamental principles of democracy and the sanctity of their houses of worship.

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The Evangelical letter calls on religious leaders to resist any direct cooperation with political parties, warning: "Whenever the Church follows such a path, it engages in a scandalous secularizing of the sacred. Whenever political parties use the church, they invoke absolutes in the passing parade of politics."

The Rev. Dr. James Dunn said, "Blurring the lines between churches and political parties undermines the integrity of our democracy and of our religious institutions."

Signatories include:

Jimmy R. Allen, Former President, Southern Baptist Convention (Georgia)

The Rev. Dr. Tony Campolo, Eastern University (Pennsylvania)

The Rev. Dr. James M. Dunn, Wake Forest Divinity School (North Carolina)

Dr. Richard V. Pierard, Gordon College (Massachusetts)

The Rev. Dr. Ronald B. Flowers, Texas Christian University (Texas)

The Rev. Dr. Walter B. Shurden, Mercer University (Georgia)

The Rev. Dr. George Hunter, Asbury Theological Seminary (Kentucky)

Dr. James T. Laney, Faith and the City (Georgia)

The Rev. Dr. Paul Raushenbush, Princeton University (New Jersey)

Rollin O. Russell, Lancaster Theological Seminary (Pennsylvania)

http://www.usnewswire.com/

[Reverend_Smitty]

1. It's about time...

that responsible church leaders speak out against what this administration has done to the seperation of church and state

[coloradodem2005]

2. Good.

Maybe there are still some respectable Christians out there.

[DCdem87]

3. yeah

im one of them. shrub is destroying this country!!!!!!!

[coloradodem2005]

4. People like him and the Christians who support him...

...are the reasons that I quit going to church.