EVANGELICAL LEADERS ADOPT LANDMARK DOCUMENT URGING GREATER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
October 8, 2004
Contact:
Jennifer Haglof, Esq.
(202) 789-1011
Atlanta, GA -- The Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals unanimously voted at its annual Fall Board Meeting to adopt an historic document on public engagement called For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility. The vote, 42-0, is viewed as a milestone in the movement of evangelicals from the insularity of a revival tent mind-set in the early 20th century to the political activism of the 21st century.
The origins of the document date back to the 2001 NAE Convention in which the Executive Committee of the Association commissioned "The Evangelical Project for Public Engagement" and secured the participation of nearly two dozen leading scholars from a variety of theological traditions.
"We have a long history of distinguished political engagement that has through people like William Wilberforce, Charles Finney, and Lord Shaftsbury, deeply shaped history, promoting freedom and justice around the world. It’s time for our community to draw on this glorious heritage and write another important chapter" said Cizik, Vice President for Governmental Affairs and Project Director.
The drafting committee for the document included co-chairs Diane Knippers, President, Institute on Religion and Democracy and Ron Sider, President of Evangelicals for Social Action, as well as David Neff, editor of Christianity Today magazine, who provided the initial draft of the document, and NAE's Cizik.
The draft document was sent by NAE President Ted Haggard in early March, 2004, to one-hundred leading pastors, denominational officials, and organizational executives for editorial comment and reflection. Hundreds of suggestions and comments were received, considered, and incorporated when appropriate by the drafting committee.
"The new NAE statement outlines a strong, compelling, and comprehensive framework for evangelical political engagement. It captures both our domestic and international priorities, while acknowledging areas of consensus and disagreement. This statement will help evangelicals to use our considerable political influence wisely and well, said Diane Knippers, co-chair of the project and an association Executive Committee member.
Ron Sider, co-chair of the project with Knippers stated that "The declaration calls evangelicals to a biblically balanced concern that reflects the full range of God's concerns for the well-being of marriage, the family, the sanctity of human life, justice for the poor, care for creation, peace, freedom and racial justice. No longer dare one accuse evangelicals of being 'one-issue' voters focused exclusively on one or two issues."
"It's my hope that 'For the Health of the Nation' will help evangelical Christians move from largely reactive ad hoc politics to selecting strategic issues that dovetail with their theological commitments," stated Christianity Today's David Neff.
Board member, Jim Scott, Vice President of Operations, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, reflecting on the document stated that "It's refreshing to join with other evangelicals in affirming that the needs and the significance of others must never be sacrificed on the altar of individualism and self-interest."
The document will be circulated for signature by leading evangelicals around the nation. A public discussion of the document is planned during NAE's Spring Meeting to be held in Washington, D.C., March 9-10, 2005. At that event, a book entitled, Toward an Evangelical Public Policy, published by Baker Book House, will be released.
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