Religious Leaders Available to Respond to Comments Made at "War on Christians" Conference
Spokespeople Available for Interviews through Duration of Conference
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Religious leaders Rev. Jim Wallis, Rabbi David Saperstein, Rev. Bob Franklin and Glen Stassen agree that there is a war – a war on the values that obligate people of faith to care for those most in need.
“This conference is bringing together some of the richest and most powerful conservative religious leaders in America, allied with the Republican Right, which now governs the most powerful nation in the world. And they say it’s a war against them?�? Rev. Jim Wallis said. “There is however a real war going on in the world, but it is against half of God’s children on the planet – 3 billion people living on less than $3 a day. But clearly the victims of that war were not on the agenda for this conference.�?
Progressive religious leaders are available to respond to the “War on Christians�? conference, which featured Religious Right leaders Rick Scarborough, Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes, and Republican members of Congress, including Rep. Tom DeLay. Quotes from today’s news coverage of the conference:
o Rev. Rick Scarborough, president of Vision America, which sponsored the conference, said, "God always does his best work after a crucifixion," comparing Rep. Tom DeLay’s recent troubles to Jesus’ Crucifixion.
o Rev. Scarborough also said, regarding Rep. DeLay: "This is a man, I believe, God has appointed ... to represent righteousness in government."
o Gary Bauer argued that the "War on Christians" in America was even emboldening al-Qaeda.
o Don Feder, founder of a group called Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation, urged the crowd not to blame "the liberal, self-hating Jews in Hollywood." He went on to say: "Remember, the people in this audience are more Jewish than people like Barbra Streisand, because you embrace Jewish values, she doesn't."
o "You guys have become the Jews of the 21st century," said Michael Horowitz, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington told the conference.
To book responsible Christian leaders and spokespeople – who don’t believe they need Tom DeLay to defend them – please contact Jessica Watson (781) 367-7746 or Sally Aman at (202) 544-7881.
Rev. Jim Wallis, Christian evangelical leader and author
Jim Wallis is editor of Sojourners magazine, covering faith, politics and culture, and convenor of Call to Renewal, a national federation of churches, denominations, and faith-based organizations from across the theological and political spectrum working to overcome poverty. He is also author of God's Politics, Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It.
Rabbi David Saperstein, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Rabbi David Saperstein represents the national Reform Jewish Movement to Congress and the administration. During his 30 year tenure as Director of the Center, Rabbi Saperstein has headed several national religious coalitions. He currently co-chairs the Coalition to Preserve Religious Liberty, comprised of over 50 national religious denominations and educational organizations, and serves on the boards of numerous national organizations including the NAACP and People For the American Way.
Rev. Robert Franklin, author, scholar-preacher, educator
Rev. Robert Michael Franklin, Jr. is the presidential distinguished professor of social ethics at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University and former president of the Interdenominational Theological Center. He is currently President of the Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, a scholar-preacher, educator, and former foundation executive and provides commentary for “All Things Considered,�? a National Public Radio program.
Glen H. Stassen, Christian Evangelical Scholar
Glen H. Stassen is the Lewis B. Smedes Professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary, a Christian evangelical seminary in Pasadena, California. His areas of expertise include social justice, just peacemaking theory (the new paradigm in Christian ethics on peace and war) recovering the Sermon on the Mount for Christian ethics and churches that practice what they preach. He is the author of several books, including Just Peacemaking and Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context, which won Christianity Today's award for best book of the year in theology or ethics. Stassen has frequently appeared in the media, including the Los Angeles Times and Fox News’ O’Reilly Factor.
Faith in Public Life strengthens the effectiveness, collaboration, and reach of faith movements sharing a call to pursue justice and the common good.
CONTACT: Jessica Watson at press@faithinpubliclife.org or 202-544-7921
