Date: Wed, 18 Sep 1996 15:49:03 -0400 From: Maggie Heineman Subject: Who Speaks For God The message is an eye-witness account of last weekend's Christian Coalition "Road to Victory" Meeting and of the meeting of "Call to Renewal" leaders who issued the "Cry for Renewal" statement in 1995. More about the Call for Renewal at http://www.sojourners.com/sojourners/ The Cry for Renewal statement is at http://www.fopc.org/politics/cry4rene.html Maggie --------------------- Forwarded message: Subj: Report Date: 96-09-18 14:40:43 EDT From: Uuanugent To: UUAMRiley [UUA is Unitarian Universalist Association and the @aol.com is omitted because they're both on it, mh] Who Speaks For God: Divergent Christian Voices Heard in Washington! I had an unusual opportunity of spending two days shuttling between the meetings of the conservative "Christian Coalition" and the liberal "Call to Renewal" religious movements. While more than a mile separated these two groups of predominantly Christian activists, both organizations share the belief that the prophetic voice of religious people must be heard in contemporary society. The Call to Renewal offers a vision of hope. Building upon a foundation of pluralism and diversity, it offers a voice summoning our nation to reconciliation. The Christian Coalition sees itself as a way of "saving" the moral fabric of the nation. Diversity and pluralism are the roots of societal problems. As a movement, the Christian Coalition grows arises from the fears that the American way of life is eroding. Two voices, two visions, two organizations - both meeting within a mile of themselves in Washington, DC last weekend. The Christian Coalition Eyes the Prize Jammed into the same ballroom where the Democrats and Republicans regularly hold their annual fundraising dinners, approximately 4,800 people attended the Christian Coalition's "Road to Victory" event. This meeting is designed to enthuse attendees to go back into their communities to work for political victory in the November elections. As conservative activist Phyllis Schalafly accurately observed, "elections are not won by op-ed pieces in the New York Times, but by people working in their neighborhoods." Executive Director Ralph Reed's principle message was that the Christian Coalition is not going to disappear even though its "voter education" activities have come under-scrunity by both the Federal Election Commission and the Internal Revenue Service. Defending their First Amendment Rights, Reed announced that 45 million voter guides will be distributed during the next 7 weeks. This election, Reed said, is not about a "bridge to the future or to the past," but about the Character of the American People. Reed attacked the media, teachers' unions, liberal judicial appointments, the Clinton's administrations anti-smoking drive and the recent reports about increased drug use among children. "Get illegal drugs out of the White House, Mr. President," challenged Reed, "before you tell us to get tobacco out of our homes." I also heard speeches by Senator Bob Dole, Vice Presidential nominee Jack Kemp, House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), Pat Buchanan and Phyllis Schalfly. Most of the Republican Party speakers stressed their economic policy differences with the Democratic Party. Almost every speaker reiterated support for anti-abortion initiatives including the upcoming effort to overturn President Clinton's veto of the legislation banning late term abortions. Gingrich explained the November election was about two bridges: one the bridge to "earned freedom" while the other was the "liberal toll bridge of big government and taxes." Pat Buchanan was enthusiatically received by the participants. Chants of "Go Pat Go" resounded through the ballroom. In his remarks, Buchanan stressed his anti-abortion, economic popularism and anti-United Nations beliefs. Republic Presidential Nominee Bob Dole stressed his econonic policy initiatives. Vice Presidential Nominee Jack Kemp reviewed the historic blending of religion and government. "The Law of Moses and the Law of Jesus governed all aspects of life," said Kemp. While the image of Caesar is stamped on coins, he recounted, the image of God is stamped on all individuals. Kemp emphazied that everyone must receive equal treatment and that conservatives must become more inclusive modelling the image of the Good Shepherd. The root cause of so many of our society's problems is that people make the wrong moral choice. Call to Renewal: A Call to Community, Compassion and Civility Meeting a mile away in another famous Washington hotel, 500 predominantly Christian liberal activists representing the spectrum of mainline Protestant denominations and Roman Catholics gathered together. "Call to Renewal" is an organization started in late 1994 by Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners Magazine. Speakers included Jim Wallis, Marian Wright Edelman (Children's Defense Fund), Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ), Representative Tony Hall (D-OH), Roman Catholic Bishop Walter Sullivan, Evangelist Tony Campolo, David Gergen (commentator), E.J. Dionne (reporter and author) and many others. The message here was quite different from the Christian Coalition. "We are not the liberal version of the Christian Coalition," advised Wallis, "rather we are a prophetic voice to both the Democratic and Republican parties." Stinging criticism was often voice of President Clinton's decision to sign into law legislation abandoning the federal guarantee to minimum welfare benefits. "Let's turn this welfare repeal into real welfare reform," urged CDF's Marian Wright Edelman. Senator Bradley called for a pluralistic America arguing that the diversity of our nation is one of its greatest strengths. Bradley, who is retiring from the Senate this year, called for meaningful campaign finance reform in order to get money out of the political process. A moving worship service was held Friday night at an Episcopal church located across the street from the Christian Coalition's hotel. The Rev. Wallace Smith of Shiloh Baptist Church, Washington, DC, put a human face on the pain of the cities. He related a story where two adolescent boys had come to his church's after-school program, but it was fully enrolled. As they walked away from the church, both were shot in a drive-by shooting. Other speakers preached the need for reconciliation throughout our society. "Healing requires Reconciliation," advised Dr. Leah Gaskin Fitchie of Eastern Seminary, "but Reconciliation requires confession." Recalling Matthew 25, Jim Wallis preachhed that the Gospel says that the final judgment will include nations and not just individuals and he reminded the conference that we, the people of God, are the ones called to speak for God in our world. He continued in his remarks to discuss the need for Compassion, Community and Civility in our society. Wallis announced a schedule of 40 Town Meetings sponsored by the Call to Renewal between September 16 and October 31. I urge you to attend one of these local gathherings. Contact me (uuanugent@aol.com or (202) 296-4672) to discover whether a town meeting is being held in your community. Some are day long while others will be held only in the evening. Blessings, Richard Nugent ----------------end of forwarded message Maggie Heineman, maggie@critpath.org PFLAG-Talk/TGS-PFLAG http://www.critpath.org/pflag-talk/ The Rhea Murray Website http://www.critpath.org/rhea/