Posted on 10/07/2005 1:37:16 PM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican
If Harriet Miers is confirmed, evangelicals can finally claim one of their own on the U.S. Supreme Court. Yet the spiritual journey that led her to be born again and spend 25 years affiliated with a conservative church has not eased concerns among Christians about her views on abortion, gay rights and other key social issues.
"Our lack of knowledge about Harriet Miers, and the absence of a record on the bench, give us insufficient information," said Tony Perkins, of the conservative Family Research Council.
But members of her longtime congregation, Valley View Christian Church in Dallas, say the White House counsel's strong faith is clear from her dedication to their community.
Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht, Miers' friend for 30 years, said he brought her to the church, which he attended, when she expressed interest in "a deeper commitment to faith."
"She was just doing some soul searching," Hecht said. "She was just thinking about life. There wasn't any trauma or anything."
After a childhood attending both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches, she underwent a full-immersion baptism at Valley View in 1979, and later taught Sunday school classes.
Hecht said Miers has given the church more than the 10 percent tithe asked of congregants. She also served on the missions committee and took a deep interest in its programs in central India, according to minister Barry McCarty, inviting him and an Indian mission director to lunch at the White House last March.
Miers also served on the board of Pioneer Bible Translators, which has missions worldwide, according to Jack Straus, general counsel for the group and chairman of the Valley View church council.
About 150 of Valley View's 1,200 active members recently left to create their own congregation and Hecht says he and Miers are among those leaving. Valley View is changing its governance and worship to a more contemporary style under McCarty, who started in March 2004 and wants to attract young families. The breakaway group favors a more traditional approach, Hecht said.
When in Washington, Miers attends St. John's Episcopal Church near the White House, which President Bush also attends.
McCarty said Miers has not sent official word that she is leaving Valley View and he said she has many friends and supporters there. She most recently attended services with the congregation about a month ago. "Even after moving away to Washington, she was always very faithful in coming back," McCarty said.
But church involvement alone has not been enough to assuage Christian conservatives.
John Green, an expert on religion and politics at the University of Akron, said evangelicals are acutely aware of the diverse beliefs within their own movement; someone who shares their faith may not necessarily hold the same political outlook. "Does she connect her beliefs up to politics in the way that they would like? I think the answer is they just don't know," Green said.
Valley View is part of a movement known as Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. These conservative congregations grew from a 19th century reform movement that aimed to break down denominational barriers among Christians.
The churches tend to be more focused on evangelizing than social issues, although Valley View ministers have preached about the sanctity of marriage and against abortion from the pulpit, and the congregation has provided voter registration information to members.
"We probably aren't a real capital 'A' activist church," said Ron Key, a longtime Miers friend who recently left as Valley View minister and now leads Sunday services for the breakaway group. "That does not mean we don't believe strongly in pro-life. We take a public stance, but we believe this is sort of a grass roots, individual thing."
Valley View's mission statement says the church believes the Bible is the infallible word of God and salvation can be found only through Jesus. But, reflecting the movement's historic rejection of creeds, states "we try not to be dogmatic about matters on which believers hold divergent views."
Doug Foster, an Abilene Christian University historian who specializes in the independent Christian church movement, said it would be "highly unlikely" for a member of a congregation like Valley View to support abortion rights.
"The overall sentiment is that this is not something that a true Christian can support," Foster said. "Yet, there are people who sit in the congregation and think, `I don't buy that.' I know that for a fact."
None of the Valley View leaders interviewed for this story said they had spoken with Miers about her views on abortion, but Hecht insisted "she is pro-life."
And while Miers served as the first woman president of her law firm, the Dallas Bar Association and Texas Bar Association, Valley View bars women from serving as church elders. Straus, who met Miers on church singles retreats, said he never heard her challenge that restriction.
I'm not evangelical, so I don't have a horse in this race.
So you're assuming only evangelicals "have a horse in this race" ??
What's it going to take? That she preach a sermon to the Judicial Committee?
No. I used to be evangelical, but it's been a long time since I was, so I don't have a good grip on the dynamics of that community any more.
Interesting article, let me summarize.
Everybody in it who knows Harriet or her church says "Yep, pro-life".
But, two professors of some kind of religious study programs say "Maybe not".
Did I miss anything?
Yeah, that's about right.
Couldn't they have settled by having multiple services with different worship styles with possibly different pastors?
"I'm not sure why this is relevent,"
To Evangilicals it is very relevent!
From what I have read of the beliefs of the Church and Miers...she is rock solid!
To those who think there is a difference between politics and Religion... I would say that you have a very poor understanding of American history and politics!
Make that...American history, politics and Religion.
I would agree that it is very relevant to evangelicals. And, by the way, I do have a good understanding and appreciation for the role of religion in American history, thank you. It's just that the last time I remember hearing a person's religious beliefs scrutinized so closely was when Pope Benedict was elected.
Good post. Let's see.....we are reasonably certain that she is:
a) pro-life
b) pro 2nd amendment
c) pro-business
d) pro-patriot act
This is more info than I have ever had on ANY justice to date. Yes, including Roberts. I wish everyone would STFU and let the hearings begin.
"It's just that the last time I remember hearing a person's religious beliefs scrutinized so closely was when Pope Benedict was elected."
President Bush's beliefs were vetted pretty thoroughly as well!
"I believe in the very depths of my soul this is a Proverbs 31 lady who will defend the sanctity of the unborn, and will read and interpret her Bible and the Constitution like an orginalist."
How right you are!
Did he say why?
Hear, hear! I agree; well, at least she USED to be a semi-stealth nominee. However, those who should be on her side seem to have this insatiable need to smoke her out. Go figure. Sometimes, we are too clever by half.
As Bush's personal friend and personal lawyer, not to mention holding the same position in the Bush White House that John Dean held in the Nixon White House, Miers is just the person Kennedy, Durbin, Biden, Leahy, and Schumer will love to interrogate for hours on end.
By the time its all over, the public won't be able to tell if they just watched a confirmation hearing or an impeachment trial. What did Bush know and when did he know it? We're about to find out.
If we bemoan Supreme Court justices deciding cases based on their personal vies about things like abortion and affirmative action, should we be concerned about Harriet Mier's opinion on these issues. Doesn't that mean we just want her to cheat our way, instead of the other way?
I am far more interested in her judicial philosophy. We should look for people who take a limited view of constructionism and let the chips fall where they may.
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