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Church Leaders' Anti-War Message Fails in the Pews
Newhouse News Service ^ | 4/10/03 | Mark O'Keefe

Posted on 04/10/2003 8:23:57 AM PDT by Incorrigible

Church Leaders' Anti-War Message Fails in the Pews

BY MARK O'KEEFE

 

The Rev. Robert Edgar holds a photo of an Iraqi Christian while arguing that children are the most innocent victims of the war against Iraq. (Photo courtesy of the National Council of Churches)

 

It has been called organized religion's most unified anti-war stance since the latter days of the Vietnam conflict.

But public opinion polls show the spiritual movement opposing war in Iraq has had little impact on churchgoers, much less on the American public, both of which overwhelmingly support both the U.S.-led invasion and President Bush.

When former President Jimmy Carter, a born-again Baptist, wrote in early March that religious leaders had "an almost universal conviction" that an invasion would be unjust, the statement seemed self-evident. Leaders of mainline Protestant denominations, including the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church, opposed war, and the Roman Catholic Pope John Paul II worked passionately against it.

Largely overlooked in all this was the reality that the flocks didn't agree with the shepherds. According to a February Gallup Poll, two of every three Americans who attend church at least once a week supported war.

Religious conservatives see this split as evidence that a sometimes quiet majority of regular churchgoers -- even in moderate to liberal denominations -- tilt right on many major political issues.

"The mainline churches have suffered a blow to their relevancy in America that will take them more than a generation to recover from," said Rabbi Daniel Lapin, a conservative radio talk-show host from Mercer Island, Wash., who speaks frequently at Christian Coalition conferences.

But the Rev. Robert Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, could hardly disagree more. In his view, the council, representing 36 denominations, is playing a prophetic role -- much as it did in the 1960s when it took a stand for civil rights.

"None of the Old Testament prophets had a majority," said Edgar, a former Democratic congressman from Pennsylvania. "My position is that prophetic voices are always way out ahead of the congregation. Those willing to speak out should not expect automatic enthusiasm. They should understand pretty clearly that the rank and file take a little longer to focus and to follow."

Bradley Watson, an associate professor of political science at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., likened the anti-war position of denomination leadership to the tip of an iceberg -- readily apparent because it's above water, but ultimately misleading.

"The great iceberg of popular opinion is in support of the war, even among churchgoers," Watson said.

A nationwide survey March 13-16 by the Pew Research Center and the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life showed that 62 percent of Catholics and the same percentage of mainline Protestants support the war.

Luis Lugo, religion program director at the Pew Charitable Trusts in Philadelphia, called that "a significant gap" between church leaders and followers.

For years, other polls have shown mainline Protestant leaders to be significantly to the left of their members on the death penalty, affirmative action, defense spending and other issues. "Protestant church leaders ought to be concerned," Lugo said. "That's not a healthy long-term trend."

But for the most part, church leaders seem more philosophical than worried.

A former head of the National Council of Churches, the Rev. M. William Howard Jr. of Newark, N.J., explained that church leaders have "an informed" and "critical assessment" of the war and the Bush administration's justifications that church laity, relying on popular media, lacks.

While the religious right communicates to its audience through thousands of conservative radio stations, "mainline churches are completely out of that ballgame," said Howard, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, a largely African-American congregation.

Howard said African-Americans distrust Bush, and their opposition to the war reflects that. Nationally, only 36 percent of African-Americans support the invasion of Iraq, according to the Pew poll.

On the other hand, the Pew sample showed 77 percent of evangelical Christians supporting the war.

Those describing themselves as evangelical or born-again make up more than 40 percent of the American population, according to Gallup polls. Many of their churches are independent and nondenominational, meaning they have few leaders speaking for vast networks of congregations. Some Southern Baptist Convention leaders have spoken out in favor of the war, but most evangelical organizations have been relatively quiet on the issue.

Their war support could stem from an affinity for a president who speaks their language of redemption and rejects the anti-war rhetoric of his own Methodist denomination.

It may also reflect differences in interpretation of Bible passages. Mainline Protestant leaders cite Christ's pleas for peace -- "If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" and "Blessed are the peacemakers" -- in opposing the war. Evangelicals argue that those commands were intended for individuals, not the state, and that Christ spoke passionately about the responsibility to oppose evil.

This helps explain why the Bible describes Christ "rebuking hateful mobs, casting demons into the abyss and chasing religious charlatans out of a temple with a whip," said Joseph Loconte, a fellow on religion and free society at the Washington-based Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

Following that example, Christians should support a war against the evil of Saddam Hussein, Loconte and other evangelicals argue.

Among Catholics, disagreeing with the Vatican and American bishops is nothing new, said the Rev. Arthur Kennedy, executive director of the Washington-based United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"Look at the abortion issue," Kennedy said. "American Catholics are basically the same as everyone else, even though the church is constantly making the case against abortion."

But Jeffrey Marlett, assistant professor of religious studies at the College of Saint Rose, in Albany, N.Y., said the falling credibility of Catholic leadership is a factor in shaping opinions on the war.

"The church's sex crisis is percolating in the background on this," said Marlett, whose specialty is American Catholic history. "When the Vatican or the American bishops make statements on justice and peace, those words ring a little hollow now."

In Albany, Marlett said, Catholic parishioners are walking out on sermons declaring the war unjust.

"If folks don't like the message they're hearing, they'll move someplace else where they like it," he said. "The interesting thing here, for whatever reason, is that peace isn't selling well. It's certainly not selling like it did in the 1960s.

"Religious folks have favorite brands, and the favorite brand at this point is in support of the war."

(Mark O'Keefe can be contacted at mark.okeefe@newhouse.com)

Not for commercial use.  For educational and discussion purposes only.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antiwar; carter; guitarstrummers; holycommies; kumbaya; ncc; onthehomefront; religiousleft; vietnam
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A former head of the National Council of Churches, the Rev. M. William Howard Jr. of Newark, N.J., explained that church leaders have "an informed" and "critical assessment" of the war and the Bush administration's justifications that church laity, relying on popular media, lacks.

Ha! Ha! Ha!

While the religious right communicates to its audience through thousands of conservative radio stations, "mainline churches are completely out of that ballgame," said Howard, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, a largely African-American congregation.

Oh yes!  The eeeeeeevil talk radio hosts are the ones to blame!

 

Among Catholics, disagreeing with the Vatican and American bishops is nothing new, said the Rev. Arthur Kennedy, executive director of the Washington-based United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"Look at the abortion issue," Kennedy said. "American Catholics are basically the same as everyone else, even though the church is constantly making the case against abortion."

Typical lack of distinction between church going Catholics and those that simply call themselves Catholics.  At least both types of Catholics are united on this issue.

1 posted on 04/10/2003 8:23:57 AM PDT by Incorrigible
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2 posted on 04/10/2003 8:25:39 AM PDT by Support Free Republic (Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
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To: Incorrigible
I remember Bob Edgar when he was the Protestant chaplain at Drexel University back in the Sixties. He hasn't changed much.
3 posted on 04/10/2003 8:26:47 AM PDT by Publius
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To: Incorrigible
Also get a load of Rev. Robert Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, who apparently thinks he's an Old Testament prophet!
4 posted on 04/10/2003 8:29:06 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
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To: Incorrigible
The National Council of Churches is a Communist front group that was sponsored by the Soviet Union when it was around.
5 posted on 04/10/2003 8:30:43 AM PDT by HighRoadToChina (Never Again!)
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To: Incorrigible
The interesting thing here, for whatever reason, is that peace isn't selling well. It's certainly not selling like it did in the 1960s.

Gee, I wonder why?

It couldn't be that this war, when all the political grandstanding and posturing is eliminated, all boils down to a war for survival?

After 9/11, I don't think peace can sell well for at least a generation.

Peace without security is not peace, it is an ostrich's existence.

6 posted on 04/10/2003 8:30:58 AM PDT by NorCoGOP (Appeasement of Evil Empowers Oppression)
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To: Incorrigible
All this means to me is that mainstream religion is pushing socialism. If I was religious, which I'm not, I'd think this was evidence for the "end times" or something.

Sad to see so much of religion infiltrated by the forces of evil.
7 posted on 04/10/2003 8:33:51 AM PDT by Sam Cree (liberals are the axis of evil)
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To: Incorrigible
Why is "Blessed are the peacemakers" used against the us? I always thought that since we were there to help the people of Iraq become free of this evil, we ARE the peacemakers.
8 posted on 04/10/2003 8:34:59 AM PDT by netmilsmom (Bush/Rice 2004- pray & fast for our troops this lent)
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To: Incorrigible
These appeasers need to open their eyes and quit blaming America. WE ARE NOT THE ENEMY!

MSNBC's Bob Arnott: Iraqi Hospitals Filled Children with Gunshots - From Saddam's Fedeyeen

9 posted on 04/10/2003 8:35:14 AM PDT by Indy Pendance
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To: Incorrigible
religious claptrap cluttering up the news forums....spare us
10 posted on 04/10/2003 8:37:01 AM PDT by peeve23
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To: Incorrigible
"The Rev. Robert Edgar holds a photo of an Iraqi Christian while arguing that children are the most innocent victims of the war against Iraq. (Photo courtesy of the National Council of Churches) "

Apparently children are the innocent victims of molestation by priests too but I bet he didn't mention that either.




11 posted on 04/10/2003 8:39:24 AM PDT by AbsoluteJustice (Pounding the world like a battering ram. Forging the furnace for the final grand slam!!)
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To: Incorrigible
When former President Jimmy Carter, a born-again Baptist, wrote in early March that religious leaders had "an almost universal conviction" that an invasion would be unjust, the statement seemed self-evident. Leaders of mainline Protestant denominations, including the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church, opposed war, and the Roman Catholic Pope John Paul II worked passionately against it.

Many (if not most) churches out there don't feel that the church pulpit is the proper venue for political activism.
12 posted on 04/10/2003 8:41:38 AM PDT by Frumious Bandersnatch
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To: peeve23
"religious claptrap cluttering up the news forums....spare us"

I think you meant "irreligious claptrap". But yes have mercy on us.


13 posted on 04/10/2003 8:41:58 AM PDT by Rippin
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To: Incorrigible
From another post- were all made by small caliber weapons that the U.S. Army does not have and, when he inquired further about the cause of the wounds, he was told by parents and hospital staff that the paramilitary forces were shooting kids on purpose to make it look like the U.S. forces were inflicting civilian casualties. unquote

The clerics are clueless, but obviously on the side of evil.
14 posted on 04/10/2003 8:44:15 AM PDT by KeyWest
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To: AbsoluteJustice
Good point! I think one of the hosts on FNC had Bob Edgar on a few days ago and was holding him accountable for some of the things he had been saying (sensationalizing)
15 posted on 04/10/2003 8:44:31 AM PDT by rj45mis
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To: Incorrigible
As I've said before Rev. Edgar and this bunch are a disgrace to the church. Evidently they pick and choose whichever scriptures suit their agenda, the very thing Chiristians are NOT to do. In an earlier post, a FReeper posted commentary by Charles Stanley, which urged Believers to pray-for our country (2 Chronicles 1:7), our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2), and our military. And the last time I checked, Dr. Stanley has a large number of Black congregants in his church in Atlanta, GA. So the contention about the 'Religious Right' communicating through thousands of conservative radio stations (Salem Communications being the largest network I know of) is pure fiction, since Christians of any political stripe-at least in my church-tune in on a regular basis.

These people are abusing their positions as Undershepherds by politicizing the pulpit, pure and simple. That's the worst thing anyone can do, Left or Right.

-Regards, T.
16 posted on 04/10/2003 8:46:09 AM PDT by T Lady (.Freed From the Dimocratic Shackles since 1992)
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To: Incorrigible
Bump.
17 posted on 04/10/2003 8:46:43 AM PDT by Interesting Times (Eagles Up! Join the Rally for America...)
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To: AbsoluteJustice
More children have been injured recently by priests than US armed forces. Shame on these self-righteous hypocrites who have discarded all humility before God.
18 posted on 04/10/2003 8:46:46 AM PDT by thoughtomator (I predict hysteria at the UN)
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To: Incorrigible
"The mainline churches have suffered a blow to their relevancy in America that will take them more than a generation to recover from," said Rabbi Daniel Lapin, a conservative radio talk-show host .

That was a nice, diplomatic attempt Rabbi Lapin, but the mainline churches in America are continuing to lose members and will not recover, in this generation or the next.

Lukewarm is worthless as a pot of spittle.

19 posted on 04/10/2003 8:49:00 AM PDT by happygrl (Praying without ceasing)
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To: thoughtomator; All
Thank you....Thank you.....I have been saying this all along. These self righteous heathens have the audacity to talk about innocent children....Don't throw stone from a glass house my father once told me......These priests are utter hypocrits and are a shame upon their religion and their communities.
20 posted on 04/10/2003 8:49:30 AM PDT by AbsoluteJustice (Pounding the world like a battering ram. Forging the furnace for the final grand slam!!)
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