NEWS STORY: Religious activists gear up for fall election campaign

c. 1998 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ Religious leaders and political activists from across the theological and ideological spectrum opened their versions of the fall election campaign Wednesday (Sept. 16) with a series of events that could not escape the climate of moral urgency hanging over the nation’s capital. In a series of speeches, forums […]

c. 1998 Religion News Service

WASHINGTON _ Religious leaders and political activists from across the theological and ideological spectrum opened their versions of the fall election campaign Wednesday (Sept. 16) with a series of events that could not escape the climate of moral urgency hanging over the nation’s capital.

In a series of speeches, forums and news conferences, groups as diverse as the Christian Coalition, the Interfaith Alliance and Americans United for Separation of Church and State sought to lay out their view of the proper role of religion in the nation’s political life.


But the more immediate issue of President Clinton’s sexual liaison with Monica Lewinsky _ and the religious community’s response to it _ dominated the day.

There were few kind words for the president.

Randy Tate, executive director of the Christian Coalition _ which holds its annual”Road to Victory”conference for 3,500 politically conservative religious activists this weekend in Washington _ called on Clinton to resign, saying the president has”defiled the office.” In a speech at the National Press Club, Tate said religious conservatives believe the United States is the offspring of two impulses _ religious faith and the rule of law.

Answering questions following his speech, Tate charged Clinton had”perjured himself in the Oval Office”and dismissed the president’s legal strategy for defending himself as”ridiculous hairsplitting.””He should do the honorable thing and step down,”said Tate, who has headed the coalition, which claims 1.9 million members and supporters, for the past year.

Tate also said Clinton’s confession to a White House prayer breakfast that he had”sinned”in his relationship with Lewinsky”seemed more contrived than contrite.” But he voiced conditional approval of reports Clinton has named a group of three religious advisers _ evangelist Tony Campolo of St. David’s, Pa., the Rev. Philip Wogaman of Washington, and the Rev. Gordon McDonald of Lexington, Mass _ to meet and pray with him weekly.

Tate said he did not know any of the clerics, but added:”It is always a positive thing when people turn to the clergy”for advice and help.

The news of Clinton’s decision to name the moral accountability group was met with a more positive response at”The Road to Responsibility”forum attended by generally liberal clerics and religious experts. Organized by the Interfaith Alliance, the forum was designed to underscore that conservatives are not the only religious leaders concerned with the nation’s direction.

While acknowledging the possibility Clinton could be seeking to manipulate public opinion by promising to ask the panel of clerics for help, the Interfaith Alliance forum participants said the system should be allowed to work.”Tony Campolo is a tough cookie,”said the Rev. James Dunn, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee.”He’s not going to be snowed.” Azizah Y. Al-Hibri, an expert on Islamic law and jurisprudence from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond, noted the demands Clinton has faced to show the sincerity of his apology.”When he does, then he gets criticized,”she said, adding,”I’d go (counsel Clinton) even if I felt I was being manipulated.” The Interfaith Forum participants also generally agreed _ contrary to the Christian Coalition’s Tate _ that Clinton still retains enough moral credibility to lead the nation.”It is diminished but not destroyed,”said Dunn.


Retired Bishop Frederick Calhoun James, of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, said Clinton”seems to be ideally placed”to speak about the pervasiveness of sex in contemporary American society.”We use sex to sell almost everything but Bibles,”he said.

The Rev. Herbert Valentine, executive presbyter of the Baltimore Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), said Clinton’s future moral credibility”is still an open question,”while Rabbi Jack Moline, president emeritus of the Washington Board of Rabbis, said it”depends on what he does”during the current crisis.

None of the liberal clerics said they believed Clinton should resign or be removed from office at this point, despite the legal problems he faces.”Our legal system does not reflect our (religious) understandings of forgiveness,”said Al-Hibri.

While Clinton’s troubles dominated the day, strategy for the fall election campaign _ in which the president’s troubles are certain to be a major issue _ also received considerable attention.

Tate, in his speech to the press club, said the Christian Coalition would distribute 45 million voter guides through its network of chapters and supportive congregations. That promise brought an immediate pledge of legal action from Americans United.”We will file … against any church that distributes”the coalition guides, said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United.

A legal memorandum published by the group warned that before agreeing to distribute a voter guide,”a church must ensure that the guide is truly nonpartisan and does not endorse or oppose any candidate, either explicitly or by implication.”It does not matter that the church may not intend any political intervention,”the memo added.”The IRS and the courts do not look to the church’s motive, but to whether the voter guide in fact favors one candidate over another.” IR END ANDERSON


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