Confounding Christian Stereotypes: Liberal pro-lifers? Conservative advocates for same-sex marriage?
Christian Group Completes 2,500-Mile Walk across USA with Surprising Findings
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
(Mt. Airy, MD…Just 43 miles from Washington, DC) – Out of the recent increased media attention on the reemergence of the so-called "Religious Left," one question has repeatedly arisen: is there an actual movement of real people behind the hype? CrossWalk America embarked on a 2,500 mile walk across the country to find out if their fellow Christians are in fact seeking a compassionate, inclusive alternative to the voices that have long-dominated their faith in the public square.
The answer they found was a resounding: "YES!" But perhaps much to the media’s dismay, they also found that this movement transcends political labels of "Left," "Right," "liberal," "conservative" and "moderate" – enabling it to broadly attract people from across the spectrums of faith and ideology.
After meeting with thousands of people in twelve states over the past four-and-a-half months, CrossWalk America completes their journey this weekend in Washington, DC.
WHAT: CrossWalk America Final Walk Event
WHERE: Foundry United Methodist Church, 1500 16th St. NW, Washington, DC
WHEN: Sunday, September 3, 2006 at 4 pm
**Hundreds to join the CrossWalk team for a 1-mile walk to Foundry, starting at Meridian Park at 2 pm.
"What do you call a Christian who is against abortion but works tirelessly on behalf of the poor? What about a Christian who prays in tongues and calls upon Jesus Christ as her only Lord and Savior, yet also believes God creates other paths for humanity besides Christianity? Are these people conservative, liberal, or moderate?" CrossWalk co-president and core walker Rev. Eric Elnes put forth.
"Time and again we’ve heard the same comments from twenty-something Emergent-Church evangelicals and older mainline denomination congregants alike: 'Something’s in the air,' or 'I can feel it," “You’re walking for me,� CrossWalk co-president and core walker Rebecca Glenn relayed. "There’s a growing movement out there."
CROSSWALK AMERICA’S IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
• Number of people who participated: 11,195
• Number of churches that hosted CWA: 150
• Number of families that hosted CWA: more than 200
• Number of unique visitors spending 3+ minutes on website or blog: 120,355
• Number of walker blog posts from the road: nearly 200
• Number of steps walked in support of CWA (“Walk wherever you are�): 35,789,451
• Newspaper, TV and/or radio coverage: in all 12 states
EVENT SPEAKERS/VISUALS:
• John Shelby Spong, theologian and author of 18 books including Why Christianity Must Change or Die
• Bishop Carlton Pearson, a noted voice for tolerance and change in the Pentacostal Church and nationally-renowned speaker and author recently featured on Dateline NBC
• Rev. Eric Elnes and Rebecca Glenn, co-presidents of CrossWalk America and core walkers
• Singer/songwriter Michelle Swan, a DC-area favorite, will provide live music
BACKGROUND:
Core walkers began in Phoenix, Arizona on Easter Sunday, 2006 and walked through New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, culminating in Washington, DC. Over the four-and-a-half month period, the group walked an average of 26 miles a day, five days a week. CrossWalk America is committed to offering a different voice for Christianity in America, a compassionate, inclusive witness of the Three Great Loves of God, neighbor and self, which Jesus proclaimed as the cornerstone of Christian faith.
For more information about CrossWalk America, to see the entire route walked, and to read posts from the road on their blog, log onto www.crosswalkamerica.org.
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CONTACT: Sally Aman 202.544.7921 or 202.262.8003 press@faithinpubliclife.org
