Religion writers name evangelicals in election top story of 2007

By Adelle M. Banks - Religion News Service
Tuesday, December 18, 2007 - Web Link
Send this news item to a Friend
Sign-up for Daily News Updates

December 18, 2007

The political grappling of evangelicals for a GOP presidential candidate is considered the top religion story of 2007 among the nation's religion writers.

Members of the Religion Newswriters Association picked the Buddhist monks in Myanmar, who protested in September in support of democracy and were subdued by government forces, as the top religion newsmaker of the year.

The entire Top 10 list includes:

1. Evangelical voters ponder if they can support the eventual Republican candidate due to questions about the leaders' platforms and/or faith.

2. Leading Democratic presidential candidates make conscious efforts to attract faith-based voters after acknowledging their failure to do so in 2004.

3. The role of gay and lesbian clergy continues to be a deeply divisive issue, with the Episcopal Church's pledge of restraint on gay issues failing to halt the number of congregations making plans to leave the denomination.

4. Global warming increases in importance among religious groups, with mainline leaders considering it a high priority and evangelical leaders divided over its importance compared to other issues.