Faith-Based Bloggers Tackle the Election, Political Issues

Religion News Service (part of Newhouse News Service) just published a story on the role “faith-based” bloggers are playing in this election. This blog is one of those featured. Daniel Burke writes:

Equal parts soapbox, confessional and church social, the blogs of religious folk are not easily categorized. On Monday, someone may post a lengthy exegesis of a favorite Bible passage, on Tuesday a screed against Democrats and on Wednesday, a picture of his cat.

Blogs, or "Web logs," resemble personal Internet pages. But advances in computer technology are making such blogs public trading posts in the marketplace of ideas. Bloggers post comments on their pages instantaneously, provide links to articles and other Web sites, and hold running conversations between people on multiple continents.

Like incense in a mammoth cathedral, religion permeates the blogosphere.

Since this is an election year, it's only natural that many faith-based bloggers have gotten political.

Burke profiles several conservative religious blogs, including that of self-described “fundamentalist” Jason Steffens. Steffens uses his blog to promote George W. Bush and pro-life causes. A blog by Kathy Shaidle is also highlighted.

Progressive blogs are represented by two of the usual suspects:

Terry Mattingly, a veteran religion reporter and professor who studies the intersection of the media and religion, contributes to the blog "getreligion.org." He said that more conservatives are led to blogging because they "feel more cut off from the mainstream media." There are, however, a number of religious liberals who blog.

"The Village Gate," formerly called "The Right Christians," is an online community of religious progressives that "serves as an electronic gathering place for those who seek to re-energize the progressive tradition," according to a posting on the Web site by the Rev. Alan Brill, a Lutheran pastor in South Carolina. It can be found at therightchristians.org.

And Chuck Currie, who is training to be a United Church of Christ minister at the Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, Mo., said that blogging is an important part of his ministry to the homeless and disenfranchised.

Currie contributes several hours a day to his blog, chuckcurrie.blogs.com, which has been live for about a year. Recent posts include an interview with the Rev. Bob Edgar of the National Council of Churches, prayers for peace and reports that Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., might not vote for Bush.

Though his wife thinks his devotion to blogging is "semi-insane," Currie said that he will continue to blog, if only "to show that there is a difference" between liberal and conservative Christians.

Sometimes it feels a bit futile, like "a crazy person standing on the street corner and shouting," Currie said. "But then, maybe a few people will stop to listen for a while."

That’s me, the crazy guy out there shouting on the street.

The full article is only available by subscription. However, if I can find a free link in any of the newspapers I’ll update this post and add it.