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7/4 11:17 a CT: Happy Independence Day everyone!
7/2 1:55p CT: The UN speaks
out against Gitmo trials of terror suspects and calls on the military to
release files.
7/2 1:49p CT: The Matthew 25 Network launches a new
ad emphasizing Obama’s faith.
7/2 11:40a CT: FD’s Eric Sapp praises
Obama for his vision of using faith based initiatives...
6/28 9:25a CT: Jim Towey asks in today's Washington Post "Who'll Keep Faith-Based Initiatives?"
6/28 9:25a CT: A former Bush Administration official criticizes James Dobson and says that "If Christian conservatives want to be taken seriously, they need to
make serious arguments and speak with intellectual integrity. In this
instance, Dobson didn't. He has set back his cause and made some of us
who are evangelicals and conservatives wince."
6/26 3:25p CT: Lack of enthusiasm among evangelicals may cost
McCain not only votes, but also effective grassroots organization.
6/25 1:15p CT: The Pew survey continues to fuel
speculation about its
implications for the ‘08 race.
6/25 1:05a CT: Here at FD, Rob Lalka discusses A Deeper, Fuller Conversation About Religion In This Country following James Dobson's recent comments.
6/24 3:15p CT: James Dobson attacks
Obama for his interpretation of Scripture.
6/24 2:55p CT: The new Pew study is generating a lot of
buzz. Here’s coverage by Newsweek, the Boston
Globe, and Reuters.
6/24 6:06a CT: Wondering what your fellow Americans think about religion? Pew has surveyed 35,000 of them to find out and some of the findings are quite interesting.
6/20 4:58p CT: Jacques Berlinerblau has a not-to-miss piece in
the Washington Post today comparing McCain to Kerry in terms of
struggling to reach out to faith-based communities, writing that "Red
and Blue John lack the imagination to identify this group and win it
over." Be sure to check out the full article.
6/20 6:10a CT: Here's even more information about Obama's recent Chicago meeting with ministers, according to Rev. Richard Cizik, Rev. Eugene Rivers, and others.
6/19 1:00p CT: Newly
released documents shed further light on U.S. torture.
6/17 11:10a CT: Here’s another piece, this one by David Gilgoff of Beliefnet, on the threat
Obama poses to the Religious Right.
6/16 5:28p CT: The media is all abuzz about Stephen Mansfield, the conservative author who wrote "The Faith of George W. Bush"
and has now penned "The Faith of Barack Obama."
For a glimpse of what the book might contain, here is a quote from a
recent interview with Mansfield: "Young Evangelicals are saying, 'Look,
I'm pro-life but I'm looking
at a guy who's first of all black -- and they love that; two, who's a
Christian; and three who believes faith should bear on public policy."
6/16 5:23p CT: Douglas Kmiec sat in on the meeting last week with Rev Franklin Graham, Bishop T.D. Jakes, and 30 or so other religious leaders
from Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical and other faith backgrounds. Don't miss what he has to say in the Chicago Tribune today.
6/15 11:48p CT: Hope everyone had a great Father's Day. Barack Obama's speech today
was a powerful statement on fatherhood and values, especially
considering that he is a man who once wrote that "of all the areas of
my life, it is in my capacities as a husband and father that I
entertain the most doubt." He closed with this: "I'm going to make
mistakes and sometimes it's going to be hard ... but if I can instill
in my children that sense that God is looking out for us, then I know
that I can succeed and I know that they will succeed."
6/14 8:22a CT: This great piece
on the Obama-Niebuhr connection provides some great insights, such as
the following: "Obama is positioned to give the conservative idea of
self-sacrifice a
liberal moral meaning it has not held since John F. Kennedy," and
claiming that Obama has been "warming up an electorate
for Niebuhr-like realism."
6/14 8:20a CT: Another report shows that Catholic voters are up for grabs this time around.
6/12 7:20p CT: Obama loses no time in engaging
religious leaders about pressing issues.
6/9 6:23a CT: Be sure not to miss these recent articles on how
Obama may benefit from McCain's problematic courtship of Evangelical
voters: in the NYT , Washington Post, MSNBC, and USA Today.
6/6 2:20p CT: Republicans block an important climate
change bill in the Senate.
6/4, 1:15p CT: Stan Moody laments Hillary's "emasculation proclamation."
6/3, 10:04p CT: An amazing moment tonight for those who care
about the kind of healing and reconciliation promoted in the New
Testament. Barack Obama's campaign has been about precisely those
things -- both in his message and his symbolic significance as the
first African-American to lead a major party ticket in history. Let's
savor it.
6/1 12:12a CT: The NY Times continues recent media coverage of how young Evangelicals view politics differently.
6/3 6:42p CT: Pew Forum looks at how the ’08 race is changing the way politicians and pastors engage one another.
6/3 6:30p CT: Here at FD, Pastor Kenneth Walker calls upon the Clintons and the Democratic Party to unite behind Obama.
6/2 8:00p CT: Amid continued scrutiny of his church, Obama decides to leave Trinity UCC.
5/30 9:30p CT: Check out this op-ed by Michael Gerson. Here is an excerpt, “Private compassion cannot replace Medicaid or provide AIDS drugs to millions of people in Africa for the rest of their lives.”
5/29 7:45p CT: On the eve of unveiling his new foundation, Tony Blair addresses the challenge of climate change.
5/24 1:30p CT: Have you heard the latest about the problematic pastors McCain pursued for their endorsements? Here is the coverage on ABC, Beliefnet and in the NY Times.
5/23 9:48a CT: Be sure not to miss the debate taking place on the opinion page of the WSJ between Senator Lieberman and Senator Biden about the Democratic Party's foreign policy.
5/22 12:45p CT: This is an interesting article in CT on the role of ministers in the presidential election.
5/20 1:50p CT: Here’s some recent news coverage on possible implications of the California Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage for congregations and the election.
5/16 10:55a CT: The Obama Campaign is reaching out to communities of faith in this new ad in Kentucky (here and here). Be sure to check out the Brody File's report here and then the follow-up, which contains a response from the campaign.
5/16 10:52a CT: The New York Times is reporting that high Democratic turnout in Arkansas, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia could make all of these states (and others) in play this fall. As Larry Sabato stated in the article, "This is going to encourage the purplization of red states. It’s going to make red states purplish over time."
5/16 9:45a CT: Charges against Mohammed al-Qahtani have been dropped after his torture yields no reliable evidence.
5/14 2:40p CT: The WSJ examines McCain’s faith and Hagee’s apology to Catholics.
5/12 9:15p CT: Conservative Christian leaders launch a new initiative to challenge IRS regulations.
5/10 6:30a CT: Have you heard about An Evangelical Manifesto yet? The news wires are all abuzz about it. Both Reuters and the AP are noting how it argues that no one political party does not own Evangelicalism, typified in the following excerpt: "That way faith loses its independence, Christians become 'useful idiots' for one political party or another, and the Christian faith becomes an ideology." Here are feature commentaries in the WSJ , Chicago Sun-Times , and from NPR.
5/8 9:15p CT: Here at FD, Pastor Ken Walker addresses an open letter to NC.
5/6 9:19a CT: Don't miss this one: What Progressive Christians are doing to US Politics from the Christian Post.
5/4 10:20p CT: As the food shortage continues to worsen worldwide, lawmakers are asked to help cover the bill
5/1, 9:30p CT: Mike Huckabee joins the chorus of people reflecting on the political significance of the evangelical center. Also, here’s the latest on the Obama-Wright story; Wright’s speech to the National Press Club can be found here.
4/30, 12:00p CT: Seeking new and creative ways to discredit Obama, Fox News’ Major Garrett declares the Golden Rule is “not exactly rooted in Scripture.”
4/30, 9:50a CT: A U.N. report makes further links between climate change and poverty, highlighting the need for eco-justice.
4/29, 1025p CT: Obama speaks out further about his relationship to his former pastor as Rev. Wright continues to draw public attention.
4/29, 3:18p CT: Stan Moody looks to the Democratic Convention for a third way out of the Obama-Clinton fight.
4/28, 9:20a CT: Here at FD, Rev. Tripp Hudgins offers a challenging sermon on idolatry, violence and unity.
4/27,7:15 CT: There's an interesting feature about school prayer that Pew just put out. Here's the general background essay and the legal backgrounder as well, if you're interested in exploring the topic further.
4/27, 7:08p CT: With yet another AP article on the subject, there' s even more attention being given to young religious voters who lean left and focus on social justice.
4/27, 9:10a CT: If you missed Rev. Wright on the Bill Moyers Journal, here is the video and transcript.
4/24, 3:20p CT: Republicans in N.C. continue to fan the flame of the Rev. Wright controversy.
4/23, 11:00p CT: With one more primary down, Steven Waldman offers his analysis of the much talked about “Catholic vote.”
4/22, 3:55p CT: FD’s own Lisa Harper draws our attention to an important race in PA’s 3 rd district.
4/22, 3:40p CT: While the PA primary dominates the discourse, many churches and other voices are using today’s Earth Day celebration to promote environmental awareness.
4/21, 3:25p CT: David Gushee weighs in on the Compassion Forum.
4/20, 11:00p CT: Here is some of the coverage of the Pope’s visit including, his address to the U.N., remarks on immigration, and an op-ed by E.J. Dionne.
4/18, 1:02p CT: Aaron Krager at Faithfully Liberal slams Mike Huckabee for endorsing pro-torture pols.
4/16, 5:15p CT: Looking beyond the Compassion Forum to the primary next week, Reuters examines the role of the “faith vote” in PA.
4/16, 5:00p CT: This past Friday, Pres. Bush admitted to knowing about meetings within the White House that sanctioned the use of waterboarding.
4/15, 9:56p CT: Chris Korzen, Executive Director of Catholics United, sent out a very interesting letter earlier this month that deserves a read. Take special note of these stirring words: "To help alter the perception that the National 'Catholic' Prayer Breakfast represents unreserved Church sanction of the Republican agenda, Catholics United is asking that you use this opportunity to forcefully remind those inattendance that our faith cannot be subjected to partisan manipulation. You can achieve this by speaking clearly about the Catholic Church’s opposition to thewar in Iraq, our need to bring the war to a responsible end, and the intrinsic evil of torture."
4/15, 4:42p CT: Katie Barge responds to misleading attacks on the Compassion Forum by Tony Perkins who apparently didn’t take to heart Christ’s command to let his yes be yes and his no be no!
4/15, 7:50a CT: Here at FD, Stan Moody grades Obama against Lee Iococca’s standards of leadership.
4/14, 2:17p CT: Our own Eric Sapp has an article in the Guardian talking about the historic nature of the Compassion Forum.
4/14, 8:46a CT: The NYT is running an interesting series on Catholicism in America in advance of the first visit to the US by Pope Benedict XVI. A schedule of events has also been posted, which includes mass at the Nationals Stadium in DC (April 17), an address to the UN in NYC (April 18), and mass at Yankee Stadium in NYC (April 20).
4/10, 8:50a CT: Be sure to catch Obama and Clinton in the Compassion Forum this Sunday that will be broadcasted from PA’s Messiah College.
4/8, 8:00p CT: Here at FD, Stan Moody explores Christian Zionism and the theology of John Hagee.
4/8, 5:10p CT: The debate over Iraq wages on as General Petraeus appears before Congress today.
4/7, 1:18p CT: The Philadelphia Inquirer recently published an interesting piece on the changing face of young evangelicals, based on a focus group whose top priorities were listed as ending poverty and protecting the environment.
4/7, 1:08p CT: Be sure to check out Amy Sullivan's latest interview in Christianity Today. It's a good one.
4/7, 1:00p CT: Incredibly, one in ten in this poll thought Obama was Muslim. Speaking of wrong perceptions, former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson recently wrote in his Washington Post column that Obama should come out strongly against abortion. As Media Matters chronicles, Obama already has argued for abstinence education and Gerson is taking recent Obama comments out of context.
4/3, 8:20p CT: Engaging recent work by E.J. Dionne and David Gushee, Robert Jones perceives a rift growing between the new evangelical center and old Religious Right.
4/2, 4:00p CT: Hot button issues could be back on the ballot in some states this November.
4/1, 9:45p CT: Rising costs and failing job markets result in a scarcity of food at home and abroad.
4/1, 9:21a CT: Rev. Trip Hudgins shares his Easter sermon on Jeremiah Wright and the theology of liberation.
3/30, 10:15p CT: Rachel Johnson defends Sen. Clinton’s practices of faith.
3/28, 12:10p CT: Progressive Christians call for a revival of the political image of evangelicals. Also under the theme of changing the tenor of public dialogue, Newsweek prints an article reflecting on conciliatory gestures toward the West from Muslim leaders.
3/26, 6:25p CT: Stan Moody argues that Jeremiah Wright is forcing America to face its sins.
3/25, 11:10a CT: The A.P. reports the U.S. death toll in Iraq to have reached 4,000 with a roadside bombing on Easter Sunday.
3/23, 11:00p CT: Happy Easter everybody! There are a lot of interesting articles that are floating around the net to check out as Easter Day winds down: Sam Harris' take on Obama; a great piece in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on how the Christian political landscape is changing; an interesting discussion board at the LA Times on the same; and an unflattering piece on Democrats of faith in the WSJ by the author of God on the Quad.
3/19, 10:00p CT: Here at FD, Rachel Johnson examines why Obama did not leave his church.
3/19, 2:30p CT: Marking the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war, President Bush defends his decisions while the presidential hopefuls lay out their own Iraq policies.
3/18, 4:11p CT: Jesse compares Barack's speech on race to Bobby Kennedy's speech on Martin Luther King in 1968.
3/18, 12:00p CT: In the wake of the Rev. Wright controversy, Obama addresses the complexity of racial divisions in the nation.
3/17, 2:05p CT: The appeal of the Democratic candidates to Catholic voters may be an important factor in the upcoming PA primary.
3/14, 3:37CT: Obama responds on the Brody File to the flap about his pastor. Never a dull moment.
3/14, 12:11p CT: McCain tries to strike the delicate balance of winning Catholic votes while trumpeting the support of anti-Catholic bigots.
3/12, 2:20p CT: The Spitzer scandal has prompted an interesting discussion on the pages of the Washington Post about Reinhold Niebuhr here and here. If you're interested in finding out why Niebuhrian thought is suddenly being discussed in the political context, it largely has to do to with Spitzer's speech "The Need for Both Passion and Humility in Politics."
3/12, 2:13p CT: The President of Chicago Theological Seminary adds her two cents to the discussion of Ferraro's recent comments.
3/12, 2:10p CT: Waterboarding continues to be legal as the House fails to overturn Bush’s veto. Meanwhile, the President uses theological language to continue to justify the war in Iraq.
3/12, 2:07a CT: Pastor Ken Walker is none too pleased with Geraldine Ferraro's playing of the race card.
3/10, 11:25p CT: Not sure what to add to the Spitzer story -- the moral dimensions being too obvious -- but man, what a disgrace.
3/10, 10:00p CT: E.J. Dionne predicts 2008 will mark the end of modern culture wars.
3/6, 6:10p CT: Is Huckabee poised to become the new face of the Religious Right?
3/6, 10:27p CT: Stan Moody offers a pox on all their houses.
3/5, 9:49a CT: After a primary day in which there was virtually no movement in the delegate margin but Hillary claimed a moral victory, Pastor Kenneth Walker advises Obama to take the gloves off.
3/4, 8:00a CT: Obama’s slow gains among Catholics may have an impact in the remaining primaries.
3/3, 11:30a CT: Bill Donohue finally gets something right -- John McCain should be renouncing the support of the anti-Catholic bigot John Hagee -- and the New York Times barely covers it, despite devoting article after article to Donohue's attacks on Democrats over the last year.
2/29, 11:00a CT: Here’s an interesting op-ed in the Boston Globe. Although its arguments are not explicitly religious, Christians could benefit from asking if there are any similar theological claims at stake in this upcoming election.
2/28, 8:00p CT: Far from appealing to our better angels, Obama opponents continue to inflame xenophobic sentiments against Muslims as a campaign smear tactic.
2/27, 7:24a CT: The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has released its 2008 US Religious Landscape Survey , which has some fascinating findings. The New York Times gives it some great coverage, including a quote from Michael Lindsay at Rice that "Religion is the single most important factor that drives American belief attitudes and behaviors ... It is a powerful indicator of where America will end up on politics, culture, family life. If you want to understand America, you have to understand religion in America."
2/27, 2:54a CT: Oh, Lord. The IRS is investigating the United Church of Christ for supposed pro-Obama electioneering. One wonders where the IRS has been for the last 20 years as actual electioneering has gone on in right-wing congregations all over the country.
2/26, 10:35p CT: What is at stake for a Democratic president in quickly ending the Iraq war?
2/26, 3:11p CT: Here at FD, Pastor Ken Walker argues that Hillary is a candidate and Barack is a movement.
2/25, 1:25p CT: Uniting practices of faith and political action, many churches are using Lenten observance to promote eco-friendly practices.
2/23, 1:00p CT: The Bush administration continues to withhold information in court cases involving Guantanamo detainees.
2/22, 2:55p CT: The “evangelical center” continues to emerge as a viable alternative to the Religious Right. Evidence of the success of this movement in addressing new moral issues can be seen in the most recent summit on creation care.
2/22, 11:45a CT: Faithful America issues a petition calling on pollsters to stop discriminating against religious Democrats.
2/21, 11:33p CT: Might Bush do something to help achieve peace in the Congo? Would be a refreshing change of pace.
2/21, 12:00p CT: While everyone is keeping a close eye on evangelicals, the power of the Catholic vote should not be ignored.
2/20, 11:19a CT: The Clinton campaign has finally sunk to an absolutely inexcusable level of political discourse -- using a surrogate who was introducing her to spew ad hominem epithets about the likely Democratic nominee and his supporters. It's time for Hillary to apologize for providing a forum for this nonsense. Short of that, it's time to put her desperate campaign to bed. - JL
2/19, 4:57p CT: Here at FD, Linda Seger asks Bush for a rebate accounting for the true cost this administration has imposed.
2/19, 4:15p CT: Peter Steinfels predicts the Culture Wars will continue to be waged even after the decline of the Religious Right.
2/17, 12:47p CT: Ralph Nader informs Bush that workplace deaths result in a 9/11 every three weeks.
2/14, 2:05a CT: John Lewis, an icon of the civil rights movement, has switched his vote as a superdelegate from Hillary to Barack.
2/14, 5:15p CT: Democrats are learning how to close the God Gap according to Amy Sullivan. And, following up on previous stories, the Senate takes action on waterboarding.
2/13, 8:00p CT: Rachel Johnson highlights a Virginia race that should be of interest to faithful Democrats.
2/13, 4:40p CT: Faithful Democrats co-founder and superdelegate David Wilhelm endorses Barack Obama. David was Bill Clinton's campaign manager in 1992 and subsequently chair of the DNC. (Again, this organization itself isn't taking sides.)
2/13, 3:00p CT: "Gospel voters" give voice to the prophetic message of the Bible.
2/12, 1:00p CT: Evangelical leaders continue to support the Iraq war. Also, Timothy Schriver reflects on a need for faith.
2/11, 1:30p CT: E.J. Dionne examines the 2008 race in the context of the nation’s ongoing debate over the role of religion in politics.
2/11, 10:30a CT: Stan Moody writes on the role of fear in a potential McCain presidency.
2/10, 1:31a CT: Lisa Harper wonders what kind of change Obama will bring. This is as good a time as any to point out that FD itself isn't taking sides in the primary, even thought individual writers are free to express their own preferences, on either side.
2/8, 1:31p CT: Faithful Progressive slams the Bush administration's immoral final budget.
2/6, 2:20p CT: Evangelicals aren't playing follow-the-leader anymore in the Republican Party. Still, Mitt's Mormonism may have proved fatal.
2/6, 12:11p CT: Exit polling still skewed toward Republicans on religion.
2/6, 11:41a CT: In all the hoopla over Super Tuesday, the White House tried to sneak something by us: it admits it has engaged in waterboarding.
2/5, 5:02p CT: James Dobson insists he would rather sit this election out than vote for John McCain in November. Good news for us.
2/5, 12:12a CT: FD contributor Lisa Harper is back...with a call to prayer.
2/4, 10:50p CT: Paul Steinberg examines whether the questions not asked in exit polls perpetuate the idea that Republicans are more religious than Democrats.
2/3, 3:44p CT: Nicholas Kristof has a must-read opinion piece in today's New York Times. Although he does not mention the fact that many Democratic politicians are already discussing their faith - and that a number have even been asserting that they are Democrats because they are Christians - it is still an interesting article that has already moved into the top ten most e-mailed of late.
2/2, 10:00p CT: If you missed this op-ed by David Kuo and John DiIulio on faith-based initiatives it is worth a read.
1/30, 3:13p CT: Stan Moody reflects on President Harry S Truman here at FD; and with John Edwards stepping out of the race, here is a 2004 article from Christianity Today that is worth a few moments of reflection as well.
1/29, 1:21p CT: Aaaand we're back. Site went down for a while, but we fixed the problem. Sorry for the trouble.
1/26, 10:45 CT: Leah Daughtry, DNC CEO, asks in the WP why the press still doesn’t get the fact that Democrats are people of faith too?
1/26, 10:00a CT: Religious leaders encourage President Bush to address his moral legacy in the upcoming State of the Union. And a Beliefnet poll reveals a generational shift among evangelicals and their top priorities.
1/24, 5:41p CT: Jesse Lava on how the Bush administration shows contempt for democracy when it plays coy with Congress.
1/23, 11:30p CT: Pastor Ken Walker pens an eloquent open letter to Barack and Hillary. Short version: stop it.
1/20, 2:35a CT: Happy birthday to me (Jesse)! And, Stan Moody compares Mike Huckabee to Elmer Gantry.
1/18, 4:45p CT: In Huck to Constitution: Get Right With God , Washington Post blogger Jacques Berlinerblau takes Huckabee to task on his comments -- touching on the same topic our own Linda Seger dealth with days ago!
1/17, 1:29a CT: Linda Seger suggests that Huckabee go all the way in his effort to amend the Constitution according to God's law.
1/11, 11:15a CT: Here at FD, Linda Seger explains why she's for Obama.
1/11, 11:04a CT: Gary Bauer wrote a piece in the Washington Times earlier this week that deals with Democrats and religion; and even if he might miss the mark on a few points, it's still worth a glance.
1/11, 10:59a CT: Did You Know: By nearly a two-to-one margin, Latinos say that there has been too little expression of religious faith by political leaders rather than too much; and the Democratic Party holds a nearly three-to-one advantage among Latino Catholics who are eligible to vote. PBS just released a new report on these findings here and you can read the original report from Pew here.
1/11, 10:55a CT: The LA Times Blog has picked up on the story about Democrats not being asked whether they are evangelicals, as has the Baltimore Sun.
1/9, 3:04p CT: A slew of extremely prominent evangelical leaders from across the spectrum sign on to a letter telling the press to stop pigeonholing them as Republicans! Wow, how far we’ve come in four years…now hopefully the media intelligentsia will figure it out.
1/9, 2:37p CT: Check out this new voting guide focused on promoting the common good.
1/9, 1:47p CT: The American Prospect picks up on the story that only Republicans are being asked whether they're evangelical in exit polls.
1/9, 9:36 CT: In a rollercoaster of a primary, the press still doesn’t understand that “evangelical” is not just another word for “Republican.” Katie Barge from Faith and Public Life explains the problem well here.
1/6, 2:45p CT: FD reader Paul Fraser talks about his experience participating in the Iowa caucus, and reader Cindy Catlett is wondering what you think of the horse race.
1/5, 2:40p CT: Here at FD, Stan Moody has a helping of crow after underestimating Barack Obama.
1/4, 1:50a CT: Jesse Lava on the role of faith in the Obama and Huckabee victories in Iowa today.
1/1, 12:30p CT: Happy New Year everyone! As the Iowa caucuses approach, the latest polls are showing some interesting numbers on the role of religion in voters' final choices.
12/29, 10:10a CT: Back from Christmas break! Linda Seger wonders what happened to that War on Christmas; she couldn't seem to find it anywhere.
12/24, 10:45a CT: Merry Christmas, all! Today, Linda Seger says how a Christian might approach immigration, and Stan Moody chafes at the thought of President Huckabee.
12/22, 10:55a CT: The FT is running a piece on what it deems "the spectre of theocracy" that is "haunting America" (let's keep in mind that Christopher Caldwell also said that "Mr Romney has a better understanding of the constitutional framers’ intent than Kennedy did." in another recent article). So, maybe this is not the first thing that should be on your reading list a few days before Christmas, but it's still worth a glance. "That Democrats woo Christians just as eagerly is less well appreciated because they do it in a more targeted way," Caldwell writes. "Black churches are still the party’s most loyal institutional bulwark. According to the journalism professor, David Domke, Bill Clinton addressed church services 28 times during his presidency, more than all the other presidents since 1980 (including George W. Bush) combined."
12/22, 10:55a CT: Speaking of Clinton and the Black Church, be sure to check out the Pew Forum's recent piece " Black Churches Struggle Over Clinton vs. Obama," which begins with "If it's true that a house divided cannot stand, then black churches across South Carolina should be shaking." Anyone nostalgic for the other Clinton and the Black Church might want to check out Dewayne Wickham's Bill Clinton and Black America from the library for a post-Christmas dinner read, or perhaps just revisit Clinton's November 1993 speech in Memphis, listen to it here, or read the report on it here, if you think the turkey and stuffing might have you dozing off before you can finish a 320 page tome on the subject.
12/18, 5:13p CT: Voters following Huckabee’s rising star in the east (or Midwest, actually) get wished a Merry Christmas. Bill Donahue, head of the ultra-conservative Catholic League, attacks Huckabee for his Christmas greeting and a bookcase. Jessica Simpson and Ozzy Osbourne sing Christmas duets…it’s a crazy time of year.
12/14, 1:49p CT: Judith Warner's latest posting about Christianity and the '08 election is garnering quite a debate on her NYTimes Blog Page. In her article, Warner questions "whether the basic ethical foundations of Romney, Huckabee et al’s political views truly are 'Christian' – in the good-neighborly sense of the word," and posits that "These days, however, for all the talk of religion, there is little public soul-searching about the absence of care and compassion, love, acceptance and inclusion – the things that many consider to be the essence of Christianity – in the words of our purported Christian leaders."
12/13, 4:34p CT: Check this out: clergy members are donating more to Democrats than to Republicans. The leading Democrat, Barack Obama, has earned nearly three times as much from these donors as the closest Republican, Mitt Romney.
12/9, 11:23a CT: Maureen Dowd agrees with our own Eric Sapp that Mitt's No J.F.K. in her piece in this morning's Sunday New York Times. The entire article deserves a read, but she really drives home the point at the end: "The world is globalizing, nuclear weapons are proliferating, the Middle East is seething, but Republicans are still arguing the Scopes trial. Mitt was right when he said that 'Americans do not respect believers of convenience.' Now if he would only admit he’s describing himself."
12/8 8:45a CT: Bob Herbert calls out Mitt Romney for his hypocrisy in the speech he gave earlier this week in the context of the immigration issue: "It was beyond ironic to listen Thursday to Mitt Romney as he went on national television to ask Americans to view his candidacy with a sense of tolerance," Herbert writes. Quoting Romney, Herbert continues: "“We believe that every single human being is a child of God,' he said. 'We are all part of the human family.' At the same time, Mr. Romney’s political operatives were distributing campaign material (some of it inaccurate) beating up on his opponents for being insufficiently intolerant on the immigration issue."
12/8 8:00a CT: Looking to get a little more Christ in Christmas? Two great options for alternative giving are Heifer project and a new progressive religious bookstore that FD contributor Robbie Jones describes here.
12/7 10:43a CT: Eric Sapp credits Romney on a good speech, but argues that it won’t accomplish its political purpose.
12/6, 11:04a CT: Romney gives his JFK-style speech saying his Mormon church won't dictate his policies. That's all well and good, but consider this gem: "Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs, even to gain the world." This from a guy who changed his positions on gays, abortion, and guns as soon as he started running for president.
12/6, 7:43a CT: Pew publishes the results and analysis of their poll on American views of Mormonism and Huckabee refuses to talk about his.
12/4, 2:14p CT: Oy: Fox buys Beliefnet.
12/4, 12:18p CT: Via Faithful Progressive, 60 Minutes examined the real war on Christians -- which, as it happens, is going on in Iraq, resulting in 90% of the country's Christian population to have fled or been slaughtered.
12/4, 9:38a CT: Here at FD, Linda Seger takes on pro-war Christians and Stan Moody smacks the Bush administration for its vapid approach to supporting the troops.
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