wfn.org | [ENS] Danforth holds mirror to religious-political right, left

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Friday, October 14, 2005

Danforth holds mirror to religious-political right, left

By Dana Wilkie

ENS 101405-1

[WASHINGTON] While underscoring the importance of keeping the Episcopal
Church an "inclusive" body of believers, former Sen. John Danforth on
Thursday cautioned National Cathedral conference-goers against becoming a
"mirror image" of the Religious Right.

Danforth, an ordained minister, a former United Nations ambassador and a
Republican, spoke at the opening plenary session of the "Values, Vision
and the Via Media" conference, a three-day event designed to explore how
moderate and progressive people of faith can make their voices heard in a
national values debate that many believe has been usurped by conservative
Christian groups.

 "While the real problem has come from the Religious Right. it's not
impossible that the Religious Left becomes the mirror image of the
Religious Right," said Danforth, who addressed an audience of about 150
in the cathedral Nave. "It's possible that people on the left can become
as equally sure of themselves as people on the right."

The conference, which is being held Oct. 13-15, explores how Anglicans
have historically articulated the progressive Christian values held by
moderate Americans.

Conferees include theologians, activists, journalists and lay people,
and the agenda features case studies, panel discussions and plenary
sessions to explore how people can make a difference in the areas of
economic justice, the environment, family values, peacemaking, racism
and social oppression.

Saying the Episcopal Church has long been a beacon of inclusiveness,
Danforth said it must map a bolder strategy for addressing conservatives
in the political arena who claim to know God's mind -- to the exclusion
of other believers. The church, he said, must model the ability to marry
honest, vigorous debate with inclusiveness.

"The thrust of what the (Old Testament) prophets were talking about was
to rail against idolatry. against the false gods, against Baal, against
the worship of something other than the holy. God," said Danforth. "And
when we create a political system that we represent as being 'God's'
political system, we are Baal worshipers."

Several times, Danforth's audience interrupted his comments with applause,
and conference goers gave him a standing ovation after his 30-minute
remarks.

The Rev. Howard Anderson, director of Cathedral College, introduced
Danforth by noting that "you never know quite what to call him."

"Is it ambassador?" Anderson joked. "Is it senator?"

With that, Anderson introduced Danforth as "Senator, Father, Ambassador
John Danforth."

The idea for the conference took root after last year's presidential
election, when progressive Christians organized to protest attempts by
the Religious Right to co-opt the name of the church in America. Exit
polls indicated that voters associated "moral values" with narrow and
divisive issues -- such as abortion and gay marriage -- instead of a
broader Christian agenda. This, experts agree, focused public attention
on the church as guardian of personal morality rather than the church
as defender against racism, poverty and war.

Conservative groups have countered that liberal Christians do have a
voice in the values debate, but that more Americans support conservative
Christians on many values.

Danforth cautioned, however, that "you have to be a little. humble about
claiming to know what's God's will."

"When people believe that they're fighting a religious battle, nothing is
more energizing then 'I'm on God's side,' " he said. "But there's also
nothing more divisive than that. Because once you believe that you're
on God's side, therefore people who disagree with you are not on God's
side, or are even enemies of God. Then there's no room for the. stuff
of politics.  And there's a lot of room for real hatred and animosity
and bitterness."

Recapturing the values debate from the Religious Right was among the
subjects conference goers discussed during Thursday seminars, and it
continued to be a popular topic of conversation among those seated in
the cathedral as they waited for Danforth to speak.

Cindy Marcillas, who was visiting from San Francisco to attend
the conference, said she hoped Danforth's remarks would encourage
conference-goers to "take back the values debate" from the Religious
Right.

"It's appalling how far right this administration has gone," said
Marcillas.  "It's downright frightening."

Danforth, however, urged his listeners to recognize the worth of arguments
being made by those who identify with the Religious Right.

"One of the points they have to make is what they believe is the
loss of our moral compass as a country, and they're right," Danforth
said. "They're concerned about the coarsening of America, and all you
have to do is turn on the TV or go to the movies.

"They're concerned with respect to the institutions of marriage and
the family -- that we have lost our bearings. And when you look at the
divorce rate and the out-of-wedlock births, they've got a point.

"You may disagree with everything they say and every position they take
and every candidate they support, but they are our brothers and sisters
in Christ, and they too read the Bible, and they too try to be faithful."

 The question of whether religion in politics should be divisive,
Danforth said, is itself debatable. He noted that some people use
Scripture to support the notion that religious beliefs should divide,
while others use the Bible to support the view that it shouldn't.

"I believe that the heart of the New Testament is the message of
reconciliation and inclusiveness," said Danforth, who represented Missouri
in the U.S. Senate for 18 years before retiring in 1994. He is ordained
to the clergy of the Episcopal Church and serves as honorary associate
at St.  Alban's.

Danforth referred to the presidential-election controversy that erupted
last year when the Catholic archbishop of St. Louis - Danforth's hometown
- said that politicians who profess to be Catholic but don't adhere to
Catholic teachings should not take Holy Communion.

Many believed the remarks by Archbishop Raymond Burke were aimed at
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry of Massachusetts because
of his stands on abortion, stem-cell research and gay marriage.

 "How do we respond?" Danforth asked. "We should do a much better job of
making it clear that communion (in the Episcopal Church) is open. and
then let God sort it out."

-- Dana Wilkie is a freelance reporter whose assignments include coverage
for the Office of Communication in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington
(D.C.).

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