How Christians Might Think About the President's Faith

The 2012 campaign has placed evangelicals in a paradox. A recent PRRI/RNS poll reveals that white evangelicals support a Mormon presidential candidate over Obama by an overwhelming 49% margin, but are simultaneously the religious group most likely to say it is important for a presidential candidate to share their religious beliefs (67%).

While there are plenty of legitimate policy reasons that evangelicals might support Governor Romney, their willingness to overlook their desire for a coreligionist candidate may also have at least something to do with the fact that 24% of them—higher than any other religious group—believe Obama is a Muslim, and even more are unaware (or unconvinced?) he's a Protestant. What if more evangelicals knew Obama largely shares their religious beliefs?

That the true religious identity of the world's most famous, most powerful man could remain a mystery to so many is itself a mystery. Before and especially during his presidency, Obama has been extraordinarily open on matters of faith, providing ample evidence for his repeated claim to be a devout Christian. The evidence may even suggest Obama is our evangelical-in-chief.

In his excellent religious biography of the President, The Faith of Barack Obama, author Stephen Mansfield spends several pages exploring whether Obama has been "born again." Mansfield's interviews with the President's spiritual advisors suggest so.

"I know he's born again," said Joshua DuBois, head of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, in an interview with Mansfield. A pastor's kid who served briefly in a Pentecostal pastorate himself, DuBois has queried the President about his faith and found that he "believes what the majority of Christians believe."

Joel Hunter, pastor of Florida's 15,000-member Northland Church and Obama's closest spiritual mentor, is even more emphatic. "There is simply no question about it: Barack Obama is a born again man who has trusted in Jesus Christ with his whole heart."

These assertions of Obama's "born again" status are instructive but only tell us so much. The Christian experience of spiritual rebirth is internal, subjective, and thus difficult to disprove. Moreover, it constitutes only one dimension of what it means to be an evangelical.

Admittedly, the meaning of evangelicalism is contested, and in the United States the term has become loaded with political baggage. Evangelicalism is an exceedingly diverse and diffuse global movement, lacking a unifying political agenda, institutional structure, or doctrinal basis (that's why the e in "evangelical" is usually not capitalized). Yet we can identify core features shared by evangelicals across all continents.

The most widely accepted definition of evangelicalism comes from British historian David Bebbington. According to Bebbington, an evangelical is a Christian marked by four distinct emphases: "conversionism, the belief that lives need to be changed; activism, the expression of the gospel in effort; biblicism, a particular regard for the Bible; and what may be termed crucicentrism, a stress on the sacrifice of Christ on the cross."

If Obama is an evangelical, we should expect to find him in alignment with at least this minimalist "Bebbington Quadrilateral." Let's look at how he squares with each of the four elements.

Conversionism: Barack Obama has a conversion story, if not an entirely traditional one. In his bestseller, The Audacity of Hope, Obama recounts how he warmed to Christianity, and the black church tradition in particular, while attending Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. One Sunday, Obama writes, "I felt God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth." Obama's eventual decision to be baptized "came about as a choice and not an epiphany; the questions I had did not magically disappear."

Only years later would Obama attach salvific significance to his embrace of the gospel. "I believe that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life," he told Christianity Today in 2008. His more recent statements sound even more evangelical. At the 2011 National Prayer Breakfast Obama spoke of Jesus, in typical evangelical idiom, as "my Lord and Savior." Still, the President acknowledges that his "faith journey has had its twists and turns"—a testimony that comports with a younger generation of evangelicals who are more likely to conceive of conversion as a process rather than a specific point in time.

Activism: For evangelicals, the experience of conversion naturally spills over into action, both evangelism and social witness. The President has addressed Christian activism on many occasions, and his latest National Prayer Breakfast speech was an extended meditation on how Christian faith compels charity and the pursuit of justice. "The Bible," Obama said, "teaches us to 'be doers of the word and not merely hearers.'We're required to have a living, breathing, active faith in our own lives.And each of us is called on to give something of ourselves for the betterment of others—and to live the truth of our faith not just with words, but with deeds."

Biblicism: Obama begins each day with a brief Scripture reading, and quotes frequently from the Bible. He clearly has a "special regard" for the Bible, though it's unclear if he holds to biblical inerrancy or infallibility. In 2007 Obama told the Chicago Sun-Times, "There are passages of the Bible that make perfect sense to me and others that I go, 'Ya know, I'm not sure about that.'" That was five years ago. More recently, he sounds surer about the Bible. Whereas his first Prayer Breakfast speech in 2009 had just one biblical reference—the Golden Rule, the politically safest biblical citation possible—his 2012 address offered several biblical quotations and allusions, indicating a growing respect for and reliance on the sacred text.

Crucicentrism: Obama has shared his reflections on the cross of Christ at his annual Easter Prayer Breakfast—a new White House tradition he started in 2010. At the 2012 event in April, the President described Holy Week as an opportunity to remember "all that Christ endured," to "give thanks for the all-important gift of grace," and to "celebrate that glorious overcoming, the sacrifice of a risen savior who died so that we might live." That's a summary of Easter all evangelicals can embrace.

We are accustomed to hearing politicians offering guarded generalities about the goodness of faith. It's quite another thing for the President of the United States to personally affirm the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Obama is a secret Muslim, he's really good at making his closet Islamic beliefs sound a lot like crucicentric Christianity.

So, is Obama our evangelical-in-chief? When a reporter asked Obama point blank in 2007 if he was an evangelical, the Illinois senator gave a nuanced, noncommittal answer:

Gosh, I'm not sure if labels are helpful here because the definition of an evangelical is so loose and subject to so many different interpretations. I came to Christianity through the black church tradition where the line between evangelical and non-evangelical is completely blurred. Nobody knows exactly what it means. Does it mean that you feel you've got a personal relationship with Christ the savior? Then that's directly part of the black church experience.

Five years later, his answer would likely be more definitive. As President, Obama has surrounded himself with evangelical spiritual advisors and has regularly interacted with the evangelical community. His public statements and private devotions point to a deepening faith—a path commonly tread by American heads of state. Obama's "experience of the presidency," says DuBois, "is strengthening his Christian muscles, making him a calm, confident, certain believer in Jesus Christ."

Hunter explained to Mansfield that Obama's theologically equivocal statements about sin, heaven, and other topics before entering the White House were those of a man with little biblical training. "He would not hold most of those views now," says Hunter. "He is very much in transition."

Hunter's point is crucial. Critics can piece together dated quotes from the President to paint a picture of a hesitant, heterodox Christian. That is unfair as it fails to account for Obama's progression from the highly unconventional, liberationist Christianity of Jeremiah Wright to the more mainstream evangelicalism of Hunter and DuBois.

But what about the President's policies? Hasn't his "evolution" on gay marriage, for example, gone in the opposite direction of his "transition" on faith matters? Obama may have become more conservative theologically, but he is still liberal politically—placing him somewhere on the Christian Left.

Obama's liberal positions don't sit well with most American evangelicals, and for some his views prove the insincerity of his religious claims. But relating Christian faith to public life is enormously complicated, and every believer must continually examine how he applies changeless truths in a changing world. We are all in "transition" to some degree. Obama deserves grace as he continues to work out what his maturing faith means for his policies.

Evangelicals may evaluate Obama's policy record and find ample grounds to give their vote to Mitt Romney. But in evaluating Obama's personal faith no credence should be given to groundless insinuations and graceless mischaracterizations.

Obama is clearly not a secret Muslim or anything other than what he claims to be: a committed Christian. For evangelicals, the commander-in-chief is a brother in Christ.

Judd Birdsall is a graduate of Wheaton College and a Ph.D. candidate at Cambridge University. From 2007 to 2011 he served at the U.S. State Department's Office of International Religious Freedom and was founding chairman of the Forum on Religion & Global Affairs.

The 2012 campaign has placed evangelicals in a paradox. A recent PRRI/RNS poll reveals that white evangelicals support a Mormon presidential candidate over Obama by an overwhelming 49% margin, but are simultaneously the religious group most likely to say it is important for a presidential candidate to share their religious beliefs (67%).

While there are plenty of legitimate policy reasons that evangelicals might support Governor Romney, their willingness to overlook their desire for a coreligionist candidate may also have at least something to do with the fact that 24% of them—higher than any other religious group—believe Obama is a Muslim, and even more are unaware (or unconvinced?) he's a Protestant. What if more evangelicals knew Obama largely shares their religious beliefs?

That the true religious identity of the world's most famous, most powerful man could remain a mystery to so many is itself a mystery. Before and especially during his presidency, Obama has been extraordinarily open on matters of faith, providing ample evidence for his repeated claim to be a devout Christian. The evidence may even suggest Obama is our evangelical-in-chief.

In his excellent religious biography of the President, The Faith of Barack Obama, author Stephen Mansfield spends several pages exploring whether Obama has been "born again." Mansfield's interviews with the President's spiritual advisors suggest so.

"I know he's born again," said Joshua DuBois, head of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, in an interview with Mansfield. A pastor's kid who served briefly in a Pentecostal pastorate himself, DuBois has queried the President about his faith and found that he "believes what the majority of Christians believe."

Joel Hunter, pastor of Florida's 15,000-member Northland Church and Obama's closest spiritual mentor, is even more emphatic. "There is simply no question about it: Barack Obama is a born again man who has trusted in Jesus Christ with his whole heart."

These assertions of Obama's "born again" status are instructive but only tell us so much. The Christian experience of spiritual rebirth is internal, subjective, and thus difficult to disprove. Moreover, it constitutes only one dimension of what it means to be an evangelical.

Admittedly, the meaning of evangelicalism is contested, and in the United States the term has become loaded with political baggage. Evangelicalism is an exceedingly diverse and diffuse global movement, lacking a unifying political agenda, institutional structure, or doctrinal basis (that's why the e in "evangelical" is usually not capitalized). Yet we can identify core features shared by evangelicals across all continents.

The most widely accepted definition of evangelicalism comes from British historian David Bebbington. According to Bebbington, an evangelical is a Christian marked by four distinct emphases: "conversionism, the belief that lives need to be changed; activism, the expression of the gospel in effort; biblicism, a particular regard for the Bible; and what may be termed crucicentrism, a stress on the sacrifice of Christ on the cross."

If Obama is an evangelical, we should expect to find him in alignment with at least this minimalist "Bebbington Quadrilateral." Let's look at how he squares with each of the four elements.

Conversionism: Barack Obama has a conversion story, if not an entirely traditional one. In his bestseller, The Audacity of Hope, Obama recounts how he warmed to Christianity, and the black church tradition in particular, while attending Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. One Sunday, Obama writes, "I felt God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth." Obama's eventual decision to be baptized "came about as a choice and not an epiphany; the questions I had did not magically disappear."

Only years later would Obama attach salvific significance to his embrace of the gospel. "I believe that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life," he told Christianity Today in 2008. His more recent statements sound even more evangelical. At the 2011 National Prayer Breakfast Obama spoke of Jesus, in typical evangelical idiom, as "my Lord and Savior." Still, the President acknowledges that his "faith journey has had its twists and turns"—a testimony that comports with a younger generation of evangelicals who are more likely to conceive of conversion as a process rather than a specific point in time.

Activism: For evangelicals, the experience of conversion naturally spills over into action, both evangelism and social witness. The President has addressed Christian activism on many occasions, and his latest National Prayer Breakfast speech was an extended meditation on how Christian faith compels charity and the pursuit of justice. "The Bible," Obama said, "teaches us to 'be doers of the word and not merely hearers.'We're required to have a living, breathing, active faith in our own lives.And each of us is called on to give something of ourselves for the betterment of others—and to live the truth of our faith not just with words, but with deeds."

Biblicism: Obama begins each day with a brief Scripture reading, and quotes frequently from the Bible. He clearly has a "special regard" for the Bible, though it's unclear if he holds to biblical inerrancy or infallibility. In 2007 Obama told the Chicago Sun-Times, "There are passages of the Bible that make perfect sense to me and others that I go, 'Ya know, I'm not sure about that.'" That was five years ago. More recently, he sounds surer about the Bible. Whereas his first Prayer Breakfast speech in 2009 had just one biblical reference—the Golden Rule, the politically safest biblical citation possible—his 2012 address offered several biblical quotations and allusions, indicating a growing respect for and reliance on the sacred text.

Crucicentrism: Obama has shared his reflections on the cross of Christ at his annual Easter Prayer Breakfast—a new White House tradition he started in 2010. At the 2012 event in April, the President described Holy Week as an opportunity to remember "all that Christ endured," to "give thanks for the all-important gift of grace," and to "celebrate that glorious overcoming, the sacrifice of a risen savior who died so that we might live." That's a summary of Easter all evangelicals can embrace.

We are accustomed to hearing politicians offering guarded generalities about the goodness of faith. It's quite another thing for the President of the United States to personally affirm the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Obama is a secret Muslim, he's really good at making his closet Islamic beliefs sound a lot like crucicentric Christianity.

So, is Obama our evangelical-in-chief? When a reporter asked Obama point blank in 2007 if he was an evangelical, the Illinois senator gave a nuanced, noncommittal answer:

Gosh, I'm not sure if labels are helpful here because the definition of an evangelical is so loose and subject to so many different interpretations. I came to Christianity through the black church tradition where the line between evangelical and non-evangelical is completely blurred. Nobody knows exactly what it means. Does it mean that you feel you've got a personal relationship with Christ the savior? Then that's directly part of the black church experience.

Five years later, his answer would likely be more definitive. As President, Obama has surrounded himself with evangelical spiritual advisors and has regularly interacted with the evangelical community. His public statements and private devotions point to a deepening faith—a path commonly tread by American heads of state. Obama's "experience of the presidency," says DuBois, "is strengthening his Christian muscles, making him a calm, confident, certain believer in Jesus Christ."

Hunter explained to Mansfield that Obama's theologically equivocal statements about sin, heaven, and other topics before entering the White House were those of a man with little biblical training. "He would not hold most of those views now," says Hunter. "He is very much in transition."

Hunter's point is crucial. Critics can piece together dated quotes from the President to paint a picture of a hesitant, heterodox Christian. That is unfair as it fails to account for Obama's progression from the highly unconventional, liberationist Christianity of Jeremiah Wright to the more mainstream evangelicalism of Hunter and DuBois.

But what about the President's policies? Hasn't his "evolution" on gay marriage, for example, gone in the opposite direction of his "transition" on faith matters? Obama may have become more conservative theologically, but he is still liberal politically—placing him somewhere on the Christian Left.

Obama's liberal positions don't sit well with most American evangelicals, and for some his views prove the insincerity of his religious claims. But relating Christian faith to public life is enormously complicated, and every believer must continually examine how he applies changeless truths in a changing world. We are all in "transition" to some degree. Obama deserves grace as he continues to work out what his maturing faith means for his policies.

Evangelicals may evaluate Obama's policy record and find ample grounds to give their vote to Mitt Romney. But in evaluating Obama's personal faith no credence should be given to groundless insinuations and graceless mischaracterizations.

Obama is clearly not a secret Muslim or anything other than what he claims to be: a committed Christian. For evangelicals, the commander-in-chief is a brother in Christ.

Judd Birdsall is a graduate of Wheaton College and a Ph.D. candidate at Cambridge University. From 2007 to 2011 he served at the U.S. State Department's Office of International Religious Freedom and was founding chairman of the Forum on Religion & Global Affairs.

FIND THIS ARTICLE AT: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/juneweb-only/barack-obama-evangelical-in-chief.html

Code of Ethics for Pastors

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The National Association of Evangelicals has developed and released a "Code of Ethics for Pastors" document and is asking church leaders across denominational lines to sign and uphold its outlined principles in their lives as ministers.

"This is to remind people who they are in ministry and how important their personal integrity, their personal conduct and lifestyle really are for what they are trying to accomplish," Dr. Joel C. Hunter, senior pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed in Longwood, Fla., told The Christian Post.

Hunter, who is a board member of the NAE and one of several pastors who have already signed the code of ethics, said that the document is an important way to reemphasize that those in ministerial leadership need to live above reproach.

"Personal conduct is as important as any theological knowledge – the medium is the message," he said. "With a lot of people coming into the ministry these days without a lot of training or a lot of growing up in the church, many ministers may not be aware or may have forgotten what the expectations are of someone in ministry. It's a great teaching device as well as a reminder."

The document does not describe specific rules or infractions, but does include five primary admonitions. It suggests pastors should pursue integrity, be trustworthy, seek purity, embrace accountability and facilitate fairness. Bible verses are used to support the principles.

Specifically, pastors who sign on to the document vow to, among other things:

Exalt Christ, not self Interpret the Bible accurately and apply it discerningly Be honest and prudent in regard to personal and ministry resources Avoid sinful sexual behavior and inappropriate involvement Build God's Kingdom in cooperation, not competition, with other local ministries "We don't want to be legalistic. We are not into a bunch of rules," Hunter explained. "What we wanted to do is give people a way to commit their life to holiness and excellence looking to Scripture as their standard."

According to a survey of NAE leaders earlier this year, 71 percent of evangelical leaders are not required to sign a formal code of ethics. NAE states that some evangelical leaders noted in the survey that ethical expectations are implicit in doctrinal statements and other organizational commitments that they sign, but the documents include issues outside ethics and don't expound thoroughly on issues of ethics.

The Code of Ethics for Pastors was developed over 18 months through the work of a taskforce that included ethicists, pastors, editors and denominational leaders. The NAE Board of Directors reviewed the document several times throughout the drafting process and unanimously adopted the NAE Code of Ethics for Pastors on March 8.

It was officially released this week after being endorsed and signed by several leading pastors in the Christian community. Pastors that have already signed the document, include Charles Blake, West Angeles Church of God in Christ; Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church; Tim Keller, Redeemer Presbyterian Church; Max Lucado, Oak Hills Church; John Ortberg, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church; Samuel Rodriguez, New Season Christian Worship Center; and Bryant Wright, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church.

Church strategy consultant Ron Edmondson, who is a co-founding pastor at Grace Community Church in Clarksville, Tenn., told CP that he sees nothing wrong with the document, but is not sure of its impact on pastors and churches.

"It's only going to be as good as the character and the heart of the ones who sign it. But it's a step in the right direction and a good positive move for evangelicals to get behind it. We can all agree with everything that is on the list," Edmondson said. "I don't believe just writing it and signing it is going to necessarily improve some of the struggles that we have right now with defining morals."

However, Hunter believes the Code of Ethics for Pastors will certainly have a positive effect and is encouraging other pastors to sign the document.

"When you understand that a public commitment many times is not only a good thing as far as making your congregation feel like you are being your very best for them, but it is also a way of outwardly reminding yourself that you aspire to the best ministry possible in order to represent the Kingdom in the best possible way. I think it has a personal motivational power that is beneficial," Hunter said. "It tends to hold us to a higher standard instead of if we just have this kind of vague idea that 'Hey, I just want to be a good minister.'"

NAE President Leith Anderson stated that most pastors are highly ethical, but few have signed a written code of ethics.

"This is every pastor's opportunity to know, commit and tell others about a personal and professional standard of biblical pastoral ethics. I invite every pastor and every church board to put this code of ethics on the agenda for an upcoming meeting. Discuss. Adopt. Live these standards," Anderson said.

The NAE plans to commission a similar document on ethics for churches. The Code of Ethics for Pastors is available for download and to sign at www.naecodeofethics.com.

Alex Murashko

FIND THIS ARTICLE AT: http://www.christianpost.com/news/pastors-urged-to-sign-newly-released-code-of-ethics-76624/

Evangelicals and Climate Change: What Does the Future Hold? (Pt. 1)

When it comes to the issue of global warming, the label conservative and liberal won't necessarily help you determine if an evangelical Christian is a proponent or skeptic. Why? Because even within the inner core of conservative evangelical circles people are divided over the issue, with both sides asserting that science is clearly on their side. Take The Christian Post, for example: Dr. Richard Land, CP's executive editor, is among those who are skeptical that humans tip the scales toward global warming, while Dr. Joel C. Hunter, CP's senior editorial adviser, believes controlling human behavior may be in order.

Moreover, the prospects for a global decision to control carbon because of warming have dropped precipitously over the last three years because of a worldwide economic downturn, much to the consternation of evangelical and secular activists alike. Skeptics are delighted. But activists also point to a recent article in The New Yorker, which reports that President Barack Obama will make climate change a priority if he gets elected to a second term.

So which side is correct? And how should Christians view the future of the global warming debate, both inside the Christian community and out?

The Christian Post will publish a multi-part series on evangelicals and climate change to look at both sides of the argument, and, more importantly, to look at the science underlying the debate.

Causes of Global Warming

Before one can properly understand the dynamics of the debate, a proper understanding of what science can and cannot determine is essential. When fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas – are burned, they release carbon (mostly in the form of carbon dioxide, but also as carbon monoxide) into the air. Carbon dioxide is an essential component of the atmosphere. Plants need it to grow. Humans and animals release carbon dioxide every time they exhale or pass gas. Plants use the carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and return oxygen to the atmosphere for animals to breathe.

With the burning of fossil fuels, however, humans are increasing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Changing the atmosphere in this way is causing the Earth to get warmer. The debate is over whether this additional carbon is actually affecting climate negatively enough to warrant regulating carbon emissions.

Molecules in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, trap some of the heat from the sun while the rest escapes back into space. If the amount of heat-trapping molecules is increased, then the Earth's natural "greenhouse effect" will increase, thus trapping more heat than usual. There are also some "multiplier effects" that further contribute to the greenhouse effect, such as additional water vapor in the air caused by warmer temperatures and less heat reflected into the atmosphere because there is less white (snow and ice) on the Earth's surface.

Cyclical Change to the Earth's Temperature

But there is debate over whether humans are taking the earth out of balance. The Earth's temperature has not been steady, even before industrialization. The 10th-14th centuries, for instance, are known as the "Medieval Warm Period." Temperatures in Europe were about one degree Celsius warmer than they are today. This led to greater harvests, which contributed to a flourishing of art, literature and science.

The Medieval Warm Period was followed by the "Little Ice Age" from about 1300 to 1870. Average temperatures during the coldest part of the Little Ice Age were about one degree Celsius colder than they are today. (For more information, see the website of Dr. Jan Oosthoek, an environmental historian at the University of Newcastle in England.)

Part of the debate over global warming has to do with whether the current warming period is mostly due to another warming period in Earth's natural warming/cooling cycles, or if the changes that humans have made to the Earth's atmosphere are pushing the planet beyond its ability to regulate itself. Those who believe the latter argue that the amount of warming taking place warrants considerable action to reduce the amount of carbon humans are putting into the atmosphere. For this series, this will be called the "global warming activist" position. Those who disagree will be called "global warming skeptics." Not because they are skeptical of global warming caused by atmospheric carbon, but because they are skeptical of the need for significant action to reduce atmospheric carbon. This will be discussed in more detail in part 3.

Global Warming Activists

A 2009 survey conducted by The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life showed that white evangelical protestants were less likely than any other major religious group to say that the Earth is warming because of human activity (34 percent), followed closely by black protestants (39 percent). By comparison, 58 percent of the unaffiliated, 48 percent of white mainline protestants and 44 percent of white non-Hispanic Catholics said that the Earth is warming because of human activity.

Among evangelicals, there have been two main groups representing either side of this debate. The Evangelical Climate Initiative (ECI) represents global warming activists while Cornwall Alliance represents global warming skeptics.

The ECI issued a statement, "Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action," in 2006 expressing the view that global warming will have significant consequences warranting immediate action to greatly reduce the amount of carbon entering the atmosphere. It called for legislation that would limit carbon dioxide emissions.

"In the United States, the most important immediate step that can be taken at the federal level is to pass and implement national legislation requiring sufficient economy-wide reductions in carbon dioxide emissions through cost-effective, market based mechanisms such as a cap-and-trade program," the ECI statement reads.

Many evangelical leaders have signed the statement, including Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals (he was not with NAE at the time he signed) and senior pastor of Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie, Minn.; Rob Bell, former senior pastor of Mars Hill, Grandville, Mich.; Andy Crouch, editorial director of The Christian Vision Project for Christianity Today; David Gushee, professor of ethics, Mercer University, Atlanta, Ga.; Joel Hunter, senior pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, Fla. and a senior editorial adviser for The Christian Post; Brian McLaren, Emergent leader; Ron Sider, president of Evangelicals for Social Action; Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners; and Rick Warren, senior pastor of Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, Calif.

Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) also represents the global warming activist position. Founded in 1993, EEN publishes Creation Care magazine and speaks broadly on environmental issues. Its executive vice president, Jim Ball, has written a book on climate change called Global Warming and the Risen Lord: Christian Discipleship and Climate Change.

Some politically liberal evangelical organizations, such as Sojourners and Evangelicals for Social Action, can also be counted among the global warming activists.

Global Warming Skeptics

On the global-warming-skeptic side of the debate, The Cornwall Alliance began in 2005 as The Interfaith Stewardship Alliance. The name was changed in 2007 to reflect its founding document, The Cornwall Declaration on Environmental Stewardship. The Cornwall Declaration was first drafted by Dr. E. Calvin Beisner, the current spokesperson for the organization, in the fall of 1999 and was initially signed by 35 scholars who met in Cornwall, Conn.

Cornwall Alliance agrees that atmospheric carbon is warming the planet, but does not believe that the warming will be significant enough to warrant efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Further, it argues that those efforts would be harmful to the poor and vulnerable.

In 2010, Cornwall Alliance published its own statement, "An Evangelical Declaration on Global Warming," which was initially signed by over 450 evangelical scholars, pastors, theologians and ministry leaders. The signers include David Barton, president of Wallbuilders; Joel Belz, founder of World Magazine; Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and executive editor of The Christian Post; Tom Minnery, executive vice president of Focus on the Family; Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council; and R. C. Sproul, Jr., president of Highlands Ministries.

Among evangelical denominations, the Southern Baptist Convention has passed resolutions on climate change that reflect a view similar to the Cornwall Alliance. The Southern Baptist Convention is the nation's largest evangelical denomination but is not a member of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Part two of this series will take a closer look at the activist position and discuss a debate among some of the activists on the best way to present their views. Part three will explain the skeptic's position.

FIND THIS ARTICLE AT: http://www.christianpost.com/news/evangelicals-and-climate-change-what-does-the-future-hold-pt-1-75935/

How the Church Should Respond to Same Sex Marriage

Last month President Obama publicly acknowledged his support for same sex marriage in an interview with ABC News. Shortly before the interview, the president called Dr. Joel Hunter, pastor of Northland Church near Orlando and a spiritual adviser to the president, to tell him about his decision. Hunter told the president that he disagreed with his view on marriage, but the decision would not fracture their friendship.

I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Hunter and his wife in April at the White House Easter Prayer Breakfast. As we walked along the grounds of the White House and West Wing, I asked Dr. Hunter about his friendship with President Obama. He told me what he said to NBC News last week: “I love him and he’s a friend.” We also discussed how his church members have responded to their evangelical pastor being so close with a Democratic president. His response was both wise and full of grace.

So when news broke about President Obama’s “fully evolved” position on same sex marriage, I decided to contact Dr. Hunter about it. Specifically, I wanted to know what he was saying to his congregation about the matter, and how he thinks other Christians should react to the rapidly shifting cultural views on marriage. Once again, his thoughtful remarks struck me as both wise and gracious.

What are you telling people in your church about the President’s announcement last week that he supports same sex marriage?

First, it gives us a wonderful platform to reemphasize the definition of marriage as God has laid it out in Scripture. We are not free to redefine it once God has defined it. Secondly, I am saying we have to be careful not to enter into a culture war. We have gay people in our congregation. They are people made in the image of God, and we want them to come close to him in Christ and follow God. So we have to remember that this is a hurtful issue for many, many people and we have to be very respectful as we talk about it.

Third, we have to remember that this is a leadership issue. The church should not try to manage society. 1 Corinthians 5:12 says “what have we to do with judging outsiders?” Our business is the Church. We have to be careful not to expect people to follow the same values that Christians follow. Even though marriage is a sacred thing to us, that doesn’t mean it is to everybody. So as this conversation continues, we need to differentiate what is expected from a biblical, obedient Christian and what’s expected from someone who is acting from another worldview. They may have every right to make whatever legal arrangements they want for their relationships, but we have to make sure that the church is protected to do what it believes it is right and not violate its conscience.

Rather than fighting against same sex marriage, do you feel we should be working harder to protect religious liberty?

I think the conversation needs to be extended to include protecting religious liberty. Right now the conversation is only about the civil rights of gay people, but let’s also lift up the rights of those who want to practice their religion without being afraid of lawsuits. If gay marriage becomes civil law, then we need protections for the churches that choose not to marry gay couples. We need to know we will not be open to lawsuits. We do not want to be forced into something that would violate our conscience and our faith.

Was that part of your conversation with President Obama?

When the President called me, I told him that his support of gay marriage is going to be perceived by some Christians as a war on religion. I don’t agree with that, but we’re talking about perception here. I also told him there is an opportunity to lift up both sides--respect for gay people and respect for religious practices that limit the covenant of marriage.

How did the President respond?

He is there. The President is a Christian, and he gets it. He knows what we believe about traditional marriage, and he doesn’t want to violate religious conscience. But there is still a lot of conversation that needs to happen to see how this will actually work out. Until we hear statements and see policy that protects churches and religious liberty, then I’m not sure everyone will be reassured.

Are you concerned that this announcement will spark a new round of culture wars?

Yes, I am. It’s starting right now as people are beginning to organize a response, and given the history of some of these leaders it could become another culture war. But we need to be a third voice saying we don’t need to go there.

What advice do you give pastors who are scared to address marriage or gay rights issues because they’ve become so politicized?

I absolutely understand why pastors are reluctant. Some pastors live in fear of upsetting people because they don’t want to lose their jobs, but many of us are also concerned about dividing the congregation. But we still have to talk about God’s “Plan A” for marriage and raise up examples of exemplary marriages. We don’t have to approach this as a culture war and say the nation is going to hell in a hand basket. We can talk about the positive principles of Scripture without attacking those who disagree with us. I think more pastors feel equipped to do that.

What about critics who say the divorce rate within the church is doing more to harm marriage than anything else? Have we lost moral authority on this issue in the culture?

They certainly have a point, and they can point out our failings. But our platform will always be Scripture. We must stand on Scripture with an understanding that what it says is very difficult for people.

FIND THIS ARTICLE AT: http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=87188c8737bc50c1a2fb8e2c9&id=5696f25902&e=d3ef06aa8b

Government Is Not the Enemy, Nor the Only Answer

Last December, the Gallup organization published the results of a poll about what Americans think “will be the greatest threat to the country in the future.” Sixty-four percent of respondents named “big government” as the greatest threat. Almost immediately a conservative blogger declared, “It is official. Government is the enemy.” Commentary’s Peter Wehner read the numbers as “good news for conservatives.” “They re-confirm,” Wehner wrote, “that this remains a center-right nation, one instinctively committed to limited government and the free market.”

Vigilance about government overreach is always wise; it also has its dangers. The problem with jumping from a normal concern about government intrusion to a far-flung conclusion that all governmental growth is bad is that it falls short of logic, practical solutions, and, for Christians, the foundational place of government in God’s design.

A biblical overview stands in contrast to the simplistic but popular objectification of “the government.” Objectifying the government as beneath us is as intellectually lazy and dismissive as objectifying women or races. The government is people. And most of the people I have met who serve in governmental capacities are working hard to fulfill their responsibilities of office. We can argue whether their office is truly needed, but we cannot simply lump them all together as “the enemy.”

The beginning verses of Romans 13 summarize God’s design to use and shape governments. He always had believers involved with government as agitators or advisors. Some of the prophets in both the New Testament (John the Baptist and Paul) and the Old Testament (Jeremiah, Hosea, Amos) offered corrective rebukes to those in power. Others (Joseph, Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel) offered guidance inside the halls of power to both non-Hebrew-God believing leaders and to Hebrew-God believing leaders.

God has instituted government for our well-being. If government policy or leaders are bad, we are to oppose what we deem to be hurtful rather than helpful. But Romans 13:1-7 reveals that government is of God, government is a minister of God, and rulers are servants of God. Spiritually, government is not the enemy.

Logic also declares, “Government is not the enemy.” Jesus taught us that loving our neighbor involves practical help for those in need (Luke 10:30-37). The problems are too big for one faith community or even all faith communities combined to solve—extreme poverty, the ravages of climate change, the horrors of human trafficking, the financial bankruptcy of long-term medical conditions, et al. Logic would tell us that we must enlist various kinds of partners to help with a more comprehensive effort to effectively love our neighbor. Government funding is a necessary and welcome support for those who have no other effective safety net.

It is naive to believe that if the church was doing its job, the government would not have to be in the business of taking care of the needy. Would the church, or all religious institutions together, ever replace government aid? Practically speaking, and even faithfully believing, I say the answer is no.

A small church pastor, Chuck Warnock, summed it up quite nicely. He pointed out that according to figures from the Cato Institute and the Center on Policy and Budget Priorities, the average church would have to double its budget and funnel all its extra giving just to replace the government’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program—aka SNAP (formerly called food stamps). What makes this idea surreal is that almost every church is struggling to meet its week-to-week expenses. And these figures do not even address the additional provisions of government assistance: transportation, job training/education health care, et al.

Our church in Longwood, Florida has experienced firsthand the value of partnering with government agencies. For example, last March, when 60 Minutes did a segment on the challenge of homeless school children in our own county, the show highlighted how the school board and local faith communities banded together to set up a food bank at every school in the county. School-church partnerships mean needy kids don’t go hungry on weekends or during breaks when they are away from reliable food sources at their schools. Additionally, in order to break the cycle of homelessness, churches can do what the school and government cannot. In our church we provide a caseworker, often trained with government funds, for each family that wants personal support to work towards financial independence.

In the traditional Christian understanding of government, government is not the enemy; neither is government the answer. Government is a possible partner in completing faith communities’ mission of loving and serving our neighbors in practical ways. In God’s economy, government agencies and faith communities cooperate to maximize what each can provide for the community. God uses governments to provide material support for the well-being of those in need. He uses faith communities to promote the well-doing of those struggling due to circumstances or choices. He intends the right mix of faith communities and government to create a healthier, more loving society.

Pastor Hunter to Hometown Church: "You’re the Reason I’m In Ministry"

SHELBY -- He is one of the top pastors in the world, and in 2011 was named one of the "50 Most Powerful People in Orlando."

Since graduating from Shelby High School in 1966, the Rev. Joel Hunter also has become one of President Barack Obama's spiritual advisers, but he said little of it would have been possible without the foundation he received from his hometown.

Hunter is senior pastor at Northland Church, in Longwood, Fla., a church where he grew membership from 200 to more than 15,000.

Hunter, who was invited to preach Sunday morning at his home church, The Shelby First United Methodist Church, took the podium around 10 a.m. He started by asking the congregation to excuse him if he happened to cry during the sermon.

Few held back their own tears as he reminisced about his days growing up in Shelby, and shared what the 18 S. Gamble St. church means to him.

"It is so, so good to be back in this church," he said. "Thank you for welcoming me back. This is a big deal to me. A very big deal. I hope you'll all indulge me in a few moments of nostalgia."

"This church is a very big part of who I am. I often talk about the Shelby church in my sermons. I say I went to the First Church in Shelby, Ohio, where all the men wore pin stripes on their suits and all the women wore fruit in their hats."

The whole sanctuary erupted in laughter when Hunter singled out Dwight Somerville, a choir member who has been a church member since 1950.

"I knew Jesus would be here, but I wasn't sure about Mr. Somerville," Hunter said. "This is amazing!"

Hunter said his original goal was never to go into ministry, but that the civil rights movement changed his path in life.

"There was a little custodial couple (who used to attend the church) and they didn't have two nickels to rub together," he said. "There were times in seminary when I just wanted to quit because I didn't think I was good enough to do this -- but that was before I learned it wasn't about our goodness but about God's goodness.

"And from time to time I would get a letter in the mail from that couple with a check for $5. Now I know what you're thinking, back in those days $5 was a lot of money, but it really wasn't -- but it was more than they had. And there would be a little note inside saying, 'Joey, we think you'll be a good minister someday.'"

Hunter paused as his eyes welled up.

"And it was just enough to keep me going," he said, his voice cracking. "That's what this place means to me. You're the reason I'm in ministry. I feel the same way about the whole town."

Hunter's sermon dealt with relationships and the importance of human differences.

"Everyone has a different reason for coming to church," he said. "Some come because of relationships or they're looking for relationships, but they all see that God has something for them.

"If you have someone who thinks just like you, one of you is not necessary. Differences are so important. God knew that in order to be a healthy church, we had to be a combination of differences. So as God grew the church he grew us to work together, and he grew us to be a team."

Jeanette Allard, of Shelby, raved about Hunter's speech as the congregation filed out.

"It was absolutely wonderful," she said. "He's such a good speaker. It was very inspiring. It brought tears to my eyes."

Hunter told the congregation no matter where he's preaching and living, the Shelby church will always be with him.

"Every time I walk into the Oval Office and I speak with the president, you're there. Every time I meet with church leaders from other countries, in meetings so secret no one can ever find out, you're with me. I loved listening to the choir this morning. I haven't heard a church choir in I don't know how long, but I miss it. And I loved listening to all the family concerns you shared. With a church of 15,000, if we did that, we'd be here till next week -- but yet we're in the same church. You have strengths and weaknesses my church doesn't have, but we are all the church together."

FIND THIS ARTICLE AT: http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20120528/NEWS01/205280306/Fond-memories-Shelby?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7C%7Cs

Obama's Spiritual Adviser Speaks in Shelby, Ohio

SHELBY -- Last week he was sitting comfortably in the Oval Office, but the Rev. Joel Hunter said returning to Shelby this weekend will be an exciting honor, too. Shelby, his hometown, will keep him busy.

Friday night, the spiritual adviser to President Barack Obama spoke at Shelby High School's graduation. Hunter is a 1966 Shelby graduate. At 9:15 a.m. Sunday, he will preach at the First United Methodist Church, where he grew up.

"I went there every Sunday with my grandmother," Hunter said. "I've been in ministry over 40 years, but always think of myself as a kid from Shelby who has a really good foundation."

When he attended Ohio University in the 1960s, Hunter said he never imagined he'd end up in ministry.

"But I was part of the civil rights movement and when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, I felt crisis," Hunter said.

He recalled the words of a former pastor of his Shelby church: "Nothing will be right in the world until you take care of the sin in your own heart."

Hunter began attending the chapel at OU and said he felt a calling from God. He eventually changed his college path, went into ministry and became one of the most prestigious pastors in the country. Hunter is senior pastor at Northland Church, in Longwood, Fla., a church where he grew membership from 200 to more than 15,000.

"I don't really know what to attribute it to," he said. "Every day you go in and try to do the right thing, and God arranges the rest."

Hunter has gained national attention through his relationship with the president.

"About four years ago, I was featured in an article in the New York Times," he said. "Following that article, then-Senator Obama called me and said, 'I want to catch up with you.' He wanted to know what I thought was the right relationship between faith communities and government."

The pair met again at a spiritual event. Afterward, Hunter said, an Obama staff member asked if he would pray for the future president.

"I walked out to a hallway and figured there would be 50 pastors there, but it was just he and I," Hunter said. "Since then, he's asked me to pray for him at major events in his life. The night he was elected president, I was on the phone praying for him."

Since his election, Hunter said, Obama has asked him to write devotions for him every week.

"Our relationship isn't political, it's pastoral. I've simply become a pastoral voice in his life," Hunter said. "I'm very aware of his position and where God has put him in life, but a pastor's life is very simple. Our job is to help anyone who needs to get closer to the Lord. That's my job, no matter who you are.

"Here's the most powerful person in America, but the pastor part of me says, 'Here's just another person who wants to get help.'"

Hunter's Sunday speech is open to the public.

The Rev. Tom Snyder said many local people have fond memories of Hunter.

"This is a great way for the older folks to reconnect and for others to hear from a wonderful man of God," he said.

Hunter will attend the service at 22 S. Gamble St. with his wife, Becky.

"I'm going to talk about lifelong lessons learned from Shelby, Ohio," he said. "I'd like to give people a broader perspective of how God uses us in broader ways than we can think."

FIND THIS ARTICLE AT: http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20120526/NEWS01/205260313/Obama-s-spiritual-adviser-speak-Shelby?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7C%7Cs

Religion and Ethics (PBS): Churches Working to Welcome Individuals With Disabilities

Over the years, America’s millions of physically, mentally, and emotionally disabled have made great strides in the workplace, but places of worship have lagged behind. See how Northland, along with many other churches and individuals, are working to change this.

Obama's Spiritual Adviser Rebukes President on Golden Rule, Same-Sex Marriage

The Rev. Joel Hunter of the 15,000-member Northland church, who is often referred to as President Barack Obama's spiritual adviser, said he is disappointed with the president's use of the "Golden Rule" to explain his endorsement of gay marriage. "The Golden Rule is in the Bible but it cannot be used to contradict God's marriage pattern reaffirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:4-5," Hunter shared in an interview with The Christian Post. "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and the two shall become one flesh?'"

FIND THIS ARTICLE AT THE CHRISTIAN POST: http://www.christianpost.com/news/obamas-spiritual-adviser-rebukes-president-on-golden-rule-same-sex-marriage-74745/

Obama affirmed his support for same-sex marriage in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, which has sparked a great deal of debate in America among supporters of the traditional definition of marriage, and those who want to see gay marriage legalized.

"In the end, the values that I care most deeply about, and she (Michelle Obama) cares most deeply about is how we treat other people. We're both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but when we think about our faith the thing at root that we think about is not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf but it's also the Golden Rule – treat others the way you'd want to be treated," Obama stated.

Some have accused the president of being blasphemous for implying that Jesus supports same-sex marriage, but Pastor Hunter explained to CP that he does not believe such a hard case can be made against the president.

"I do not believe the president is being blasphemous, or even treating the Bible without regard. Christians have different ways of interpreting the Bible. Some think human love or struggle should take precedence over the plain meaning of the text. Others (like many of us evangelicals) try to follow what the moral law throughout the Scripture says no matter how uncomfortable that is. We believe the Bible is centered on God, not man," Hunter commented.

"Though I disagree with the president's interpretation of Scripture in this crucial issue, I will not abandon our friendship," Hunter added. "I will just keep telling him what I believe the Bible says and leave the rest to God."

The Florida pastor was contacted by Obama before ABC News broadcast the historic interview Wednesday. Hunter revealed to WOFL FOX 35 that he expressed his disagreement to the president during that phone call. Obama, who had affirmed the biblical definition of marriage while on the 2008 campaign trail before his views began to "evolve," also told Hunter he would protect the religious freedom of churches that oppose gay marriage.

"He knew where I stood, because I'm an evangelical and I believe in what the scripture says. One of the reasons he was calling was to protect our relationship and give me a 'heads up' on an interview he had just done," Hunter said. "It wasn't something we were able to talk through, or I would have talked him out of it.

"He told me how much he prayed and how difficult a decision this was for him."

New Faces of Homelessness

In Seminole County, one in every 50 children are homeless and that’s growing. This CBN story documents hardship and the hope for changing their lives.