The Rev. Chuck Currie

@RevChuckCurrie On Twitter

Follow my Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/RevChuckCurrie and get updates from my blogs at http://chuckcurrie.blogs.com and http://community.ucc.org/ucc-news.  

5 Years Of Blogging

This blog of mine went live five years ago today.

In that time I've had 2,932 posts, 7,436 comments and nearly 1 million hits.  Not bad for a little blog.

Thanks for reading.

Turns Out I'm Not Really A Christian

People sometimes write the most hateful things on blogs.

You've got to make sure you read the comments.

Feedback from Readers

Here are some recent e-mails sent my way:

• Thank you Reverend Currie for the entry in your blog on U.S. Senators Craig and Vitter. - David
• I discovered your blog 6-8 months ago, and have thoroughly enjoyed your writing and your viewpoints. Perspectives like yours are why we moved to the Portland area from Spokane two years ago, and it has been a real pleasure to live and work among more of "our kind" here. - Mark
• I'm reminded today as I read your blog, I simply MUST read it more often. Every time I do, my faith in the idea that there are Christians out there who really do adhere to the teachings of Christ is renewed. While I'm not a Christian, I have a profound respect for his teachings. Especially in regard to the notions of love and poverty. I cannot read your blog without taking away the spirit of love and compassion that you engender. As a political animal who steeps herself in the goings on of that world, its easy to see the jaded and the ugly. And to get caught up in all that. Reading your stuff and thinking on the meanings is almost like a "reset" button..that demonstrates to me that I need to remain grounded. -Carla

Nice to hear some good comments from readers.  If you want to share feedback on this blog leave a comment or send me an e-mail. 

Feedback from the Blogs

Some of my most recent posts have drawn the wrath of other Christian bloggers.

In a post entitled "Heritics 'R Us" the writer of 4Simpons Blog argues that a recent sermon I delivered was a demonstration of a minister "preach(ing) heresies."  Check it out and draw your own conclusion.  I suspect the author has a good heart and loves the Lord a lot so if you leave any comments be kind and respectful. Sadly, he has not shown that same courtesy to me but we can witness God's compassion together in our interactions with him.

The new "Saving Jesus" class that I'll be teaching in September has drawn some fire.  Read A Shiny Brand-New Messiah:

Reverend Chuck Currie of the UCC announces a seminar called "Saving Jesus." (Guess Jesus is not strong enough to save himself these days.)...

I have no problem with people thinking the bible is not divinely inspired, nor denying the doctrines it contains (those of "the early church"). Nor do I have a problem, per se, with vigorous arguments against mainstream of traditional Christian faith and in favor of another belief system.

But most such critics are honest enough to admit that they are outside that faith. It takes a special kind of dishonesty to imply that people who promote new views are the legitimate heirs of a faith, while those who believe pretty much the same thing their parents and grandparents believed are somehow radicals who are "kidnapping" an ancient faith and turning it into something it has never been.

Anwyn's Notes of the Nargin had this to say recently:

Support Obama, Portland, Says UCC Minister

Filed under:Church of Liberalism, Blogging, Jerks, Politics — posted by Anwyn on August 22, 2007 @ 6:54 pm

Because no way he’s even sniffing that sweet “special interest money.”

This guy’s personal blog post was linked off the front page of the website of The Oregonian, oregonlive.com. Nice when you don’t even have to bother to pay your editorialists.

The comments left on this post where really interesting:

I thought it might be Currie before I clicked the link. He abhorrs the influence of conservative Christians’ influence in politics, but loves the liberal influence.

Comment by Steve — August 22, 2007 @ 7:17 pm 

I haven’t run across him before. A real piece of work–sees no conflict (and thus offers no defense for it) in being Christian and pro-choice.

Comment by Anwyn — August 22, 2007 @ 7:23 pm

If this had been a Southern Baptist preacher promoting the appearance of a Republican candidate, all heck would have busted lose from the Left. (Rightly so, I might add.) But somehow its OK going this way? Shouldn’t be.

So, the church is a tax-exempt non-profit, eh? What says the IRS about his candidate (as opposed to issues) advocacy? Hmmm… might be worth looking into.

I’m not going anywhere near the pro-choice/Christian thing.

Comment by Norm — August 22, 2007 @ 7:48 pm

Oops. It’s a personal blog. He’s speaking on behalf of hisself, not on behalf of his church. Anyone want to bet he takes a deduction on the blog as a business expense? And his business is… ?

Comment by Norm — August 22, 2007 @ 7:51 pm

Issues of church and state are big one and can be confusing (at least for me).

Her’e a little bit of what I’ve written on this subject:

When I endorsed Barack Obama I said this:

“As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I trust deeply in the Constitutional principle of separation of church and state and my endorsement is therefore a personal one and does not reflect on the church I serve or my denomination. But as a citizen I believe that all Americans must engage in the political process as individuals for democracy to thrive. So I choose to add my voice today with millions of other Americans concerned about the direction of this nation.”

In a following post I made it clear how important I believe it is to separate any partisan political work from church life:

“…I refrain from any campaign work during work hours, the campaign knows only to call my private cell or home numbers, I do not discuss my involvement on campaigns with church members, and I would never promote my endorsement of a candidate from the pulpit during worship or during any other church related activity.”

I would never use church resources of any kind to promote a candidate. My endorsement was made on my personal blog and on the senator’s website. As USA Today reports, that isn’t the case for The Rev. Wiley Drake, a leading Southern Baptist Convention figure. Drake recently endorsed Mike Huckabee’s campaign for president on church letterhead. Now he wants God to silence his critics:

http://chuckcurrie.blogs.com/chuck_currie/2007/08/southern-baptis.html

There are lines we cannot cross as clergy.

Finally, no I do not use by blog as a tax deduction.

If you want to argue with me do it in a civil manner. We don’t need to spend all our time tearing people apart.

And I'm happy to respond to any questions / concerns you might have.

Good night.

Comment by Rev. Chuck Currie — August 22, 2007 @ 9:54 pm

Hi Chuck. I read about Drake, and his behavior is heinous.

There is no Constitutional principle of separation of church and state. The phrase came from Thomas Jefferson and has nothing to do with the Constitution.

Nobody is being uncivil here. I did not come onto your blog and begin arguing with you, nor did I argue with you here. I simply questioned your assumption that Obama does not receive campaign money from interest groups and commented in passing on the Oregonian’s partisanship. Commenter Norm made some incorrect assumptions, which you have now refuted.

I have no “questions or concerns” for you. If you were my pastor, I would, but thankfully that is not the case and you do not answer to me in any way.

Take care.

Comment by Anwyn — August 22, 2007 @ 10:37 pm

You called me a “real piece of work” and filed your post under “jerks.” Norm suggested that something I was doing was illegal or unethical. The tone itself is uncivil. So was your final comment stating how thankful you were that we did not worship together

Comment by Rev. Chuck Currie — August 22, 2007 @ 10:47 pm

1) Yes, I called you a piece of work for the reason stated in that comment. Abortion is a hot-button issue for me.

2) I have filed posts referring to Obama under “Jerks” before, and it was he I was referring to now.

3) Norm did. You have refuted him.

4) My final comment did not say that I am thankful we don’t worship together. It said I am thankful you are not my pastor. If you call that uncivil, so be it. I call it noting the fact that you are not a man I could look up to as a Christian leader.

Comment by Anwyn — August 22, 2007 @ 10:57 pm

Chuck,

For my part in this discussion, I will apologize. I made some incorrect assumptions based upon my admittedly limited and anecdotal experience with pastors abusing their authority.

Anwyn,

It was Roger Williams (a Baptist minister) who first used the phrase.

Comment by Norm — August 22, 2007 @ 11:56 pm

Thank you, Norm.

Comment by Rev. Chuck Currie — August 23, 2007 @ 8:08 am   

I was glad the exchange ended with Norm's apology.  But I'm struck once again through all these posts at how "Christians" cannot even debate theology with getting slammed by those who use harsh political language.  I'm reminded that I need to be more careful in the language that I use. 

Podcasts Now On ITunes

Most weeks I podcast my Sunday sermons.  You can now subscribe to those podcasts on ITunes.  Just open the ITunes application and use the search function to find

"Chuck Currie"

then click on the "Subscribe" button.      

Street Prophets In The New York Times

Nice write up on Pastor Dan and his website Street Prophets in The New York Times.

"Where did the gun come from?"

This website - Where did the gun come from? - was mentioned on The Caucus, a blog published by The New York Times and the site asks a great question:

Why ask, Where did the gun come from?

In most shootings, two crimes are involved: the shooting itself, and the transaction that put the gun in the wrong hands to begin with. Too often, the media and public only focus on the shooting and forget to ask, “Where did the gun come from?”

By working together and asking “Where did the gun come from?” police, the media, community groups and policy makers can be powerful allies in the fight against gun trafficking.

If reporters are trained to ask, “Where did the gun come from?” they can support police by keeping the question alive in the public’s mind. If community members, faith leaders and public officials begin to ask, “Where did the gun come from?” they can send the message that people are paying attention to illegal gun activity in their neighborhoods.

When we can answer, “Where did the gun come from?” we’ll begin to stem the flow of illegal guns at the source and save lives. 

There are a lot of people making a lot of money off selling weapons used in criminal activities - and those sellers know what they're doing.  They ought to be held accountable. 

Related Post:  After Virginia Tech Churches Need To Jump Start Gun Control Debate 

Muslims Speak Out

This week The Washington's Post "On Faith" web site has a really good series on Islam:

Back in April, “On Faith” and Georgetown University co-sponsored a panel discussion on "What It Means to Be Muslim in America.” During that event, Georgetown's Imam Yahya Hendi questioned why U.S. media rarely acknowledged condemnations of violence and terrorism by Muslim leaders. His question prompted “On Faith” co-moderator Sally Quinn to propose devoting a full week of “On Faith” to a discussion among Muslim scholars and authorities on Islam's views on violence, human rights, and interfaith relations. “Muslims Speak Out” is that week-long, online discussion.

"On Faith" and Georgetown University asked nearly 60 Muslim leaders from around the world to participate by responding to questions on the three topics. About a third of the leaders agreed to do so, and their answers will be featured in the coming days.

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life provided analysis of public opinion surveys. A number of the world’s most prominent voices – including former President Jimmy Carter, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus -- will offer their perspective. And readers will be encouraged to add their questions and comments to the mix.

“On Faith" and "Muslims Speak Out" are efforts by the Washington Post Company to foster informative and productive online conversations about religion and its impact on world events and our lives. We believe that such conversations are critical if we are to begin to address the many conflicts being waged today in the name of faith.

Read Muslims Speak Out: What Islam Says About Violence, Human Rights and Other Religions.

Back in April, “On Faith” and Georgetown University co-sponsored a panel discussion on "What It Means to Be Muslim in America.” During that event, Georgetown's Imam Yahya Hendi questioned why U.S. media rarely acknowledged condemnations of violence and terrorism by Muslim leaders. His question prompted “On Faith” co-moderator Sally Quinn to propose devoting a full week of “On Faith” to a discussion among Muslim scholars and authorities on Islam's views on violence, human rights, and interfaith relations. “Muslims Speak Out” is that week-long, online discussion.

"On Faith" and Georgetown University asked nearly 60 Muslim leaders from around the world to participate by responding to questions on the three topics. About a third of the leaders agreed to do so, and their answers will be featured in the coming days.

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life provided analysis of public opinion surveys. A number of the world’s most prominent voices – including former President Jimmy Carter, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus -- will offer their perspective. And readers will be encouraged to add their questions and comments to the mix.

“On Faith" and "Muslims Speak Out" are efforts by the Washington Post Company to foster informative and productive online conversations about religion and its impact on world events and our lives. We believe that such conversations are critical if we are to begin to address the many conflicts being waged today in the name of faith.

Today On Blue Oregon

Today on Blue Oregon, Liz Smith Currie, policy director for the Oregon School Based Health Care Network (but known around here as "mom" or "the wife"), talks about the importance of school based health care clinics in Multnomah County.  Check it out.

Oregon Take Note: I'm # 4

According to a new (and highly accurate) survey (using a super secret formula) what you are reading this very moment is the 4th most influential political blog in Oregon. Since I actually write very little about Oregon politics the ranking is even more impressive. And since the top three blogs actually do write about Oregon politics on a daily basis my calculation is that the results therefore by default have determined that this is in fact the most influential religious blog in Oregon (take that other Oregon religious blogs!). In any event, to celebrate my new found standing as the writer of a highly influencial blog I now require that when I do say something about Oregon politics people actually do what I tell them to do instead of completely ignoring me (unless, of course, one of the three top blogs tell you to do something else). Also, and I don’t want to get nasty about this, but rumor has it the #1 blog stole the vote using punch card ballots left over from 2000 (those guys spend a lot of time studying Karl Rove).

Another UCC-related Blog

Check out The Musings of Young Pastor Matt by The Rev. Matt Emery.  Matt is a UCC minister in Illinois.  It is nice to run across another United Church of Christ-related blog.

Leaving Street Prophets

It was noted today on Street Prophets that I won't be posting on that site any longer.  The truth is that I've never contributed any original content on Street Prophets - all of it has been information cross posted from this site.  After a couple of years I've just tired of that and Street Prophets already has so many good writers offering insight that often eclipses anything I have to say.  So keep heading over there and you'll read some good stuff.  Now if I could only get them to learn how to spell my last name....

Rev. Peep

Thought I'd post a link to a good blog that I just came across:  Rev. Peep:  written by The Rev. Chase Peeples, the minister at First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in St. Joseph, MO.  Enjoy. 

Walter Brueggemann: Blogger

Walter Brueggemann, author of about a thousand books on the Bible, is now blogging on Theolog, the blog of The Christian Century.  He'll be offering weekly thoughts on upcoming lectionary readings.

Blog The Debt

Global poverty is one of the most pressing issues faced by humanity.  At the forefront of tackling third-word debt - one of the leading economic causes of poverty - is Jubilee USA.  Check out "Blog the Debt" for updated information on their work.

Pastor Dan Schultz Gets Grilled

Faithfully Liberal, which after having interviewing me, has to settle on Pastor Dan, creator of Street Prophets, as their latest interviewee.  All kidding aside, Dan is great.  Go read what he has to say and them come back here and I'll offer up what he should of said.   

Most Valuable Faith Perspective - 2006 David Neiwert Awards

This bit of news came in yesterday:

Northwest Progressive Institute is pleased to present the 2006 David Neiwert Awards to honor the achievements and accomplishments of the Pacific Northwest's most active progressive bloggers this past year. This is the second year of the awards, which we hope to continue to make an annual and celebrated tradition.

The awards are named for David Neiwert, a freelance journalist and the founder of one of the Northwest's most respected blogs, Orcinus, which has been on the Web since the beginning of 2003 and is syndicated on Pacific NW Portal. Besides writing Orcinus, Mr. Neiwert has reported for MSNBC.com and has also penned several oustanding books, including Strawberry Days, Death on the Fourth of July, and In God's Country.

My own blog was named as one of the award winners:

Most Valuable Faith Perspective

A leading American advocate for the homeless, the Reverend Chuck Currie of Portland is the ardent author behind a fascinating blog focusing on the United Church of Christ, ecumenical issues, faith, and politics. He thoughtfully presents a progressive viewpoint on controversial issues such as immigration, prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and stem cell research. Commentary on current events is integrated with useful references to Scripture, and multimedia is frequently embedded (such as videos and podcast sermons). The seamless blend of Christian teachings with progressive values is refreshing and invigorating. Chuck's perspective as a minister is invaluable and his words of wisdom are uplifting to progressives of all faiths. Besides writing his own blog, he participates in an offshoot of the DailyKos community (Street Prophets). We're thankful that Chuck takes so much time out his life to share his spirituality through the revolutionary medium of the Internet.

Many thanks to the Northwest Progressive Institute for this recognition.

Faithfully Liberal Interview

The good folks at Faithfully Liberal asked me a few questions about homelessness, religion and politics this week and I offered some answers (a few of which might have even been coherent).  Check it out.

Free Blogger `Abd al-Karim Nabil Sulaiman

Our nations have a relationship that is strong and warm. Our people share the bonds of friendship, a commitment to prosperity and peace and regional stability. Egypt is a strategic partner of the United States and we value President Mubarak's years of effort on behalf of the peace and stability of the Middle East.

- President George W. Bush hosting President Mubarak at his Texas ranch on April 12, 2004

The Egyptian government today for the first time sentenced a blogger to prison for his writings, threatening a window of free speech that has emerged on the Internet, Human Rights Watch said today.

A court in Alexandria this morning convicted and sentenced `Abd al-Karim Nabil Sulaiman, to four years in prison on charges of insulting Islam, defaming the president, and “spreading information disruptive of the public order.” According to reporters who attended the hearing, Judge Ayman al-Akazi issued the verdict in a brief five minute session.

Sulaiman, a 22-year-old former student of Islamic jurisprudence at Al-Azhar University, is better known by his pen name, Karim Amer. Following a complaint filed by the university, Sulaiman appeared before a public prosecutor on November 7 to answer charges related to items he wrote on his blog criticizing Islam, the authorities at Al-Azhar and President Hosni Mubarak. Prosecutors ordered him detained pending investigation and renewed his detention four times before his trial opened at Muharram Bek Court in Alexandria on January 25.

Plainclothes officers had previously arrested Sulaiman at his home on October 26, 2005, four days after he criticized Muslim rioters and Islam in a blog post about sectarian clashes in his neighborhood. Authorities held him for 12 days after this first arrest and released him without charge.

- Human Rights Watch on February 22, 2007

Anyone else think we’re doomed if Egypt is our friend and partner in the quest for stability and peace in the Middle East?

Take a moment and e-mail President Bush. Tell him to tell his friends in the Egyptian government to release `Abd al-Karim Nabil Sulaiman.

Is It Over Yet?

The annual pre-Lenten debate over religion in the blogs unfolded this week (see here, here and here).  It was hard for me to find any heroes. 

Folks like Jim Wallis make the assertion that some in the secular left are hostile to religion (perhaps it would be fair to say he generalizes a bit more to suggest the entire ranks of the secular left are hostile) and the secular left predictably responds with hard and fast denials and the occasional hostile attack against religion (an ironic way of proving their point).

The secular left bemoans the influence on religion in their lives and Wallis & company act as if someone walked into a church with an assault rifle and started firing.  The truth, and I say this as a committed Christian minister, is that people have a right to complain.  Religion has been more often used as a wedge issue than a source for reconciliation in modern politics.  Wallis ought to remember that. 

But you walk away from discussions about religion on blogs like Daily Kos with the strong feeling that the secular left is happy to tolerate religious people as long as we use DNC talking points in place of the Beatitudes.  We're a tool to them (Wallis became the ultimate tool himself when he gave the Democratic response to a recent weekly radio address by the president).  When the Christian faith simply becomes a tool for one or another of the political parties we fail in our primary obligation as disciples: to make other disciples so that we build up in the Kingdom.

If the new progressive Christian movement is simply here to serve the Democratic Party let me out of the room quick.  There may be times when I'm happy to use the democrats (or the republicans for that matter) as a tool for advancing the church's mission but I won't let it be the other way around. 

Waiting On The Blog To Change

Come back early next week for the big change.

Stay Tuned

If you’re wondering why I haven’t updated the blog since Friday (and I know there must be at least one or two people just sitting by their computers waiting for an update…) it is because I’m in the process of a change. A big change. A good change. One that should expand my readership and shake things up a bit. Stay tuned.

Geo Visitors

Digital Points Solutions offers a free service that tracks and maps visitors to your website over a 24-hour period and then allows you to see by location where you readers come from.  Over the last couple of weeks this has provided me with great enjoyment as I sit down each night and ponder why I'm read by folks in the UK, South Africa and that one person who checks in a couple times a week from Iran.  And I've really got to do something to up my readership from the Rocky Mountains to St. Louis. 

(Click on the map for a larger version)

Progressive Revelation

Here's a new United Church of Christ-related blog that I just came across:

Progressive Revelation

Good stuff.  Check it out. 

The CTS Bloggers

Keep watching these new blogs written by students at Chicago Theological Seminary.  Lots of good stuff to read on theology and the social issues of the day.  When you read these sites make sure you leave some comments

Sandra Chafen's Blog
...naked, and ye clothed me (Mt 25:36)

Aaron Krager's Blog
My little blog that will hopefully evolve into displaying political and faith related news.

Le Anne Clausen's Blog
The archive is primarily writings from my human rights work in the Middle East (Palestine/Israel, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan)

Carla Babiarz's blog

Victor Parrott's Blog
The blog of a technically challeged CTS student.

Sue Harrington's blog

Mike Lee's Blog

Ken Hinz's Blog
New Beginnings at the End is a blog that deals with End-of-Life Issues. It's really more about life and not so much about death.

Angie Keith's blog
The Chaplain Speaks

Christal Bell's Blog
My site for this class.

Steve Dyer's Blog

Simone Nathan's Blog
This is a site dedicated to prayer and reflection that leads to peaceful proactivity. It gathers powerful concepts that can generate sustainable peace.

Becky Boggs Blog

Nathan Dannison's Blog
Adventures in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and Chicago.

Donna Goodnow's Blog

Kerri Parker's blog

Rob Leveridge's Blog!

AnnMarie Kneebone's blog

Jubilee USA Network Blog

Jubilee USA Network - the "alliance of 75 religious denominations and faith communities, human rights, environmental, labor, and community groups working for the definitive cancellation of crushing debts to fight poverty and injustice in Asia, Africa, and Latin America" - has a new blog. Check it out.

Introducing The Chicago Theological Seminary Student Blogs

This fall UCC-related Chicago Theological Seminary is offering a course on public theology and one of the assignments for students is to publish their own blog.  It was recently my pleasure to present a lecture to the students and to answer their follow-up questions (all online).

Take a look at some of their work, leave some comments, and show some love: 

Reach Out Reach Round

Faithfully Liberal

Letters from a Young Activist

queers have faith too?

Fragmentary Theology

New Beginnings at the End

The Chaplain Speaks

Listen4God

bloggsy

Gralamacago

Diary of a Prophetic Theologian

Tell The Stories

withwalking

Rev. Johnny

Related Link:  Welcome Chicago Theological Seminary!

Happy Birthday, Street Prophets!

Tomorrow is International Day of Prayer for Peace (see prayer below this post) but today is the one year anniversary of when Street Prophets (the other site I write for) was launched.  Join the party!  

Jim Wallis Has A New Blog

God's Politics with Jim Wallis and Friends

Wallis is the editor of Sojourners Magazine.  We've had the opportunity to work together on issues of homelessness and over the years it has been my privilege to host him at events both in Portland and St. Louis.

Check out the new site. 

Welcome Chicago Theological Seminary!

UCC-related Chicago Theological Seminary kicks off a new course tonight.

“Public theology” is being offered to help prepare clergy to be leaders in the field of public policy advocacy. This is exciting. Our mainline churches have done a terrible job of lifting up and mentoring new leaders in the field of social justice work. Jesus offered hope and called for justice.  We’ve been out organized by those on the Religious Right who offer a starkly different vision of the Christian faith in contemporary life.

Part of the assignment for the course: reading this blog. The Rev. Dr. Susan Thislethwaite, the president of CTS and professor for this course, has also invited me to be a guest lecturer later this month.

As a group the class will be logging on tonight to visit here as part of their introduction to the class and as the semester progresses one of their assignments is to develop blogs of their own.

So let me say welcome to the CTS community!

What you’ll find here is a collection of my sermons (like the one from this past Sunday on 9/11 and Iraq), action alerts from various organizations, short essays on various public policy issues, and sometimes my personal stands on electoral politics.

The Rev. Bob Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, will be a guest on this site on Monday for a podcast interview about his new book. 

You’ll also find – and this is most important – links too many other sites written by individuals and organizations promoting ideas on how we can build up (in Christian terms) the Kingdom.

Some people love this site and others really don't.  In the three years this site has been live I've put up 2084 posts, there have been 5534 comments left here concerning those posts and nearly 600,000 hits.      

My name is attached to the work written here and I take responsibility for the content. You’ll find that many blogs are written by anonymous authors but I feel strongly that if you are going to take stands based on your faith you ought to be willing to take responsibility for your own words. What is published here does not represent the positions of the church or denomination I serve unless otherwise stated.

There will be more to say later. In the meantime, I have a sermon to finish for this Sunday.

Thank you for visiting!

Faithful Democrats

Former Democratic National Committee chairman David Wilhelm, a former top aide to Bill Clinton, has launched a new website designed "to rally Christian Democrats and attract socially moderate evangelicals," according to USA Today.

Faithful Democrats state that:

We are an online community of Christian Democrats - religious leaders, political leaders, writers, and regular Americans who are committed to the Gospel and the common good. We discuss, we debate, we take action. And we will make our voices heard in the 2006 election season and beyond.

We don't believe that good Christians have to be Democrats. Nor do we believe that one religion has a monopoly on faith. But we make no apologies for rooting our identity as Democrats in our faith as Christians. That is who we are. And we are eager to act on our beliefs to make the country we love a more just and compassionate place.

Most of the time I have some sort of advance notice when projects like this get started - but not this time (though they are linking to my site). 

I'll be interested to keep track of the site and the causes it advances.  I appreciate their very appropriate declaration that "we don't believe that good Christians have to be Democrats. Nor do we believe that one religion has a monopoly on faith."  I agree.  But I also agree that Democrats need to openly proclaim their faith - not to misuse faith for political gain - but to speak in a language that most Americans understand.  Democrats will do a better job of connecting with voters when they reject the language of policy wonks in favor of arguments born in our town halls, churches, and temples. 

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Faith in Public Life – the new web site, blog and media bureau that launched last month – is already adding new features. Amy Sullivan will be guest blogging soon and the site now offers a “Daily Faith News Reel.” Five days a week they’ll send to your inbox the top news related to faith and politics in one easy to read e-mail. Good stuff.

Pastor Dan Interviews Barack Obama

Pastor Dan at Street Prophets got an interview this week with Barack Obama.  Check it out.

Progressive Faith Blog Con

My original plan this week was to fly off to New York for the Progressive Faith Blog Con. Unfortunately, I’ll be staying home for some minor surgery. Make sure that you check out the sites of all those attending this important first-ever event:

Rachel Barenblat, Velveteen Rabbi

David Buckley, Faith in Public Life: Blogging Faith

Jennifer Butler, Faith in Public Life: Blogging Faith

Rep. Mark B. Cohen, Phillyblog

Thurman Hart, Xpatriate Texan

Mata H., Time's Fool

Debra Hafner, Sexuality and Religion: What's the Connection?

Islam O. Yankee, Islamicate

Rabbi Jill Jacobs, JSpot and Radical Torah

Mik Moore, JSpot and Jewish Funds for Justice

Michelle Murrain, Pearlbear's blog

Jon Niven, State of Belief

Rev. Bruce Prescott, Mainstream Baptist

Stephen Rockwell, Stephen Rockwell's blog, Crossleft

Emily Ronald, The Pluralism Project

Sophia, Seeking Sophia

Andrew Schamess, Semitism.net

Lorianne Schaub, Hoarded Ordinaries

Pastor Dan Schultz, Street Prophets

Timothy Simpson, Christian Alliance for Progress

Chris Tessone, Even the Devils Believe

Jenna Tiltsman, Auburn Theological Seminary

Chris Walton, Philocrites

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, The Shalom Center

Bruce Wilson, Talk 2 Action

1/2 Million Hits

Over the course of last night someone became the 500,000 visitor to this blog. Thanks for stopping by and thanks to all who have read and commented here.

More Barack Obama Reaction

One of the brightest starts of the blogging world is author Frederick Clarkson, the force behind Talk to Action. He wrote an analysis this weekend of U.S. Senator Barack Obama’s big speech on religion and politics. Like Pastor Dan at Street Prophets, Frederick disagrees with my positive take on the speech. But unlike some of the heated anti-religious rhetoric coming from some of the liberal blogs no one can accuse Frederick or Dan of anything but the best of motives.

Alex Carpenter, writing at the new Faith in Public Life Blog, also wrote on the speech and is more in agreement with how I read the senator’s remarks. His post also links to several other blogs debating Obama’s stand. Make sure you bookmark this important new site.

Related Post: Barack Obama Takes On Issue Of Religion & Politics At Call To Renewal Conference

Liberal Blog Reaction To Barack Obama

U.S. Senator Barack Obama delivered an important speech today on religion and politics - which you can read here - and the reaction from the political left and the Religious Right has been highly critical.  Obama, who both defended the separation of church and state in his address before Call to Renewal and restated his support for gay rights and abortion, used his speech to call on progressives to be more supportive of religious voices in their ranks.  Here's a snapshot of how the speech is playing on the liberal blogs:

AlterNet's Jan Frel:

There's the argument that religion gets more acceptable as it becomes less marginal; that a tolerant, pro-science outfit like the United Church of Christ is a reasonable vehicle for the worship of the Christian God. But ultimately, the insane component -- the God-worshipping component, orchestrated by priests and higher-ups who enjoy playing games of mind control -- is still there. Why cling on to this BS in desperation, I ask?

Sure, the Jehovah's Witnesses have an environmental bent, but it doesn't make the religious component any less crazy. Or, to go to slightly saner grounds, just because Jim Wallis talks about economic justice doesn't make his Christianity any less crazy to me. And, if I remember correctly, he's out in the public sphere because he's a Christian; his positions on various issues are there to burnish his Christian creds.

And that's where we get to an evangelical suck-up like Barack Obama, who recently attacked Democrats and lefties failing to "acknowledge the power of faith in the lives of the American people." I think most of us acknowledge it, but why the hell bow to it? A long chunk of Kevin Phillips' most recent book is one long "Oh my God, this country is filled with religious nutcases -- what the hell are we going to do?!!" Folks like Phillips have acceded to the fact that fanatics are there in abundance, but that doesn't mean in the slightest that the Godless and misotheistic wing in America should stand quietly in the face of that truth.

While Rabbi Michael Lerner has been right to point out that liberals need to offer a language and lifestyle that appeals to the same grievances that attract evangelicals and other believers to megachurches, the long-term right thing to do is politely, but stiffly refuse to accept any religious recourses to explain reality, even when they would appear to help our cause. And that means for me that the starting place is to challenge him on the grounds of what he has in mind when he calls himself Rabbi.

(In)Sanity Check's Screw You, Barack Obama:

Courting any religious stripe results in a government indistinguishable from any Middle Eastern nation ruled by Islamic law, and bodes ill for the hopes of a civil society of free ideas and independent thought.

The Renegade of Junk’s Why Barack Obama just lost my respect:

"Kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt I heard God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to his will and dedicated myself to discovering his truth."

Sounds like something President George W. Bush might say, doesn't it? Actually these are the words of Democratic Illinois Senator Barack Obama as he admonished his fellow democrats for neglecting to pander to the evangelists and the rest of the God-loving people of America.

"Not every mention of God in public is a breach to the wall of separation. Context matters"

says Sen. Obama. My question to him is, how is the mention of God even relevant to the duties of a public servant? Why the need to mention God at all?

Sirotablog's Obama, Bayh & reinforcing dishonest storylines:

One of the most infuriating behaviors among some Democrats these days is their willingness to create fake straw men that undermine progressives and reinforce false narratives about the Democratic Party? A while back, it was Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) who ran around claiming "some" Democrats are supposedly "afraid" of national security. He, of course, didn't name any names. Why? Because they don't exist - his whole narrative is based on a false straw man. Now, unfortunately, we see the same behavior from Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (D).

The Associated Press reports that in a speech about religion, Obama said "I think we make a mistake when we fail to acknowledge the power of faith in the lives of the American people and join a serious debate about how to reconcile faith with our modern, pluralistic democracy."

Obama, of course, is trying to portray himself as having the courage to stand up against these supposed Democrats that constitute the "we" in his rhetoric - the "we" that supposedly make this mistake of "fail[ing] to acknowledge the power of faith." Yet, again, he doesn't offer any names to tell us who constitutes the "we." Why? Because there are none. What Democrat of any prominence at all in America "fails to acknowledge the power of faith in the lives of the American people?" I can't think of one. It is a straw man - one that might make Obama look like a man of "courage" or "principle" - but one that dishonestly reinforces right-wing stereotypes about supposedly "godless" liberals/Democrats.

Maybe some of these writers would have been better served had they actually read the senator's speech before commenting on it. 

Want to read the take from someone who did read the speech?  Visit Religious Left Online.

Read the comments on this post from Street Prophets

Hillary Rodham Clinton Hires Peter Daou

The Washington Post reports this evening that Hillary Rodham Clinton has hired Peter Daou, author of The Daou Report on Salon.com, as a new adviser to her senate re-election campaign. The hiring of a campaign staffer isn’t something that I would normally write about but Peter, who was director of blog operations for John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign, is a regular reader of my site and often links back here. Senator Clinton will be well served with Peter on her staff. Congratulations, Peter, on your new position.

"Faith in Public Life"

Press Release from Faith In Public Life

Washington, DC – After the Religious Right's decades-long dominance of the American values debate, Faith in Public Life officially launched today as a new Resource Center to strengthen the effectiveness, collaboration and reach of faith movements that share a call to pursue justice and the common good. A non-profit, non-partisan organization, Faith in Public Life (www.faithinpubliclife.org) provides strategic organizing and communications resources to diverse faith leaders and organizations.

From the abolition of slavery to the civil rights movement, faith leaders have led many of the greatest victories for justice in the course of American history. But despite a continued commitment to justice and the common good by myriad faith leaders, the religious right continues to dominate public discourse on matters of faith, often advancing a narrow and exclusive definition of what it means to be moral and faithful in America.

Yet millions of people of faith in the United States do not feel that the religious right represents them – nor do they feel they have a public voice of their own. Religious leaders established Faith in Public Life to ensure that voices for justice and the common good are heard, respected, and included in all issues of Faith in Public Life – and that those who use religion as a tool of division and exclusion do not dominate public discourse.

“Our existence represents an unprecedented demonstration of leaders from individual organizations coming together to create a resource center to serve the movement as a whole,” says Rev. Jennifer Butler, Executive Director of Faith in Public Life. “This is an exciting time in the revitalization of collective and faith voices working for justice and the common good.”

As a Resource Center, Faith in Public Life offers tools, strategic services, and informational resources to its partner groups, including an interactive website featuring a searchable database directory of more than 2,000 leading faith advocates for justice and the common good working in 21 states. Communications tools include Voicing Faith, a media bureau of faith leaders from across the country, representing Catholic, Evangelical, Mainline Protestant, Jewish and Muslim perspectives, as well as a comprehensive set of communications resources available to faith leaders. Faith in Public Life’s website also features a blog, a daily news reel, a movement calendar, case studies demonstrating best practices in the movement, faith movement facts, and issue resources.

Since becoming operational six short months ago, Faith in Public Life has supported dozens of groups, including We Believe Ohio, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Sojourners, Catholic Alliance for the Common Good, the Progressive Faith Blog Conference, and CrossWalk America.

Rev. Jennifer Butler, Faith in Public Life Executive Director, is available to discuss the resurgence of faith communities working for justice and the common good, and to discuss Faith in Public Life’s mission, capacities and recent successes. An ordained Presbyterian minister, Jennifer most recently served as the Presbyterian Church (USA) Representative to the United Nations (UN). During her nine years at the UN, Butler represented the denomination on a range of issues, including women’s rights, genocide in the Sudan, and the war in Iraq. Her book on the Christian Right and international policy will be published by the Pluto Press in December 2006.

Interviews with Jennifer, or other Faith in Public Life partner groups, can be arranged through Jessica Watson at 202.544.7921, or press@faithinpubliclife.org.

Faith in Public Life envisions a country in which diverse religious voices for justice and the common good consistently impact public policy; and those who use religion as a tool of division and exclusion do not dominate public discourse.

Progressive Faith Blog Con Line-up

The first ever Progressive Faith Blog Con will - as I wrote a couple of weeks back - be held outside of New York on July 14-16 and I'm planning on attending.  Who else will be there and what are they writing about?  Check them out:

Rachel Barenblat, Velveteen Rabbi

Kety Esquivel, CrossLeft

Thurman Hart, Xpatriate Texan

Mik Moore, JSpot and Jewish Funds for Justice

Michelle Murrain, Pearlbear's blog

Jon Niven, State of Belief

Rev. Bruce Prescott, Mainstream Baptist

Andrew Schamess, Semitism.net

Lorianne Schaub, Hoarded Ordinaries

Pastor Dan Schultz, Street Prophets

Chris Tessone, Even the Devils Believe

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, The Shalom Center

Bruce Wilson, Talk 2 Action

This is a great collection of writers and faith-based activists.  You can attend as well.  Registration is available online.

New Good Faith Sites To Visit

New web sites / blogs to check out:

"Save Yourselves From This Corrupt Generation: God-Based News, Commentary, and Nonsense" is written by Josh Tinley, a United Methodist in Nasville and includes contributions from Cole Wakefield.

Straight into Gay America is written by Lars Clausen, a "heterosexual pastor ordained by the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)." Lars went on a 5 week unicycling trip where he covered 1,000 miles in support of gay rights. He also has a blog.

Progressive Faith Blog Con

The Progressive Faith Blog Con will be held Friday, July 14th - Sunday, July 16th at The Conference Center at Montclair State University outside of New York. I'm planning on attending if the funding comes through. Pastor Dan has more info on Street Prophets.

New Blogs Worth Reading

Kevin Hayden has a new blog: Wagon Tongues. The site reports on Oregon politics.

Danny Fisher, MDiv., is also back on the web. Check out The Blog of an American Buddhist Chaplain. Congratulations to Danny on his recent graduation from the Master of Divinity program at Naropa University.

The Les AuCoin Blog

Former US Rep. Les AuCoin (D-OR) has a new blog.  Check it out.  I volunteered on everyone of his campaigns from 1982-1992 and would still do anything for this guy.  He represented a swing district and instead of walking down the middle of the road thinking about the next election he fought hard against the Reagan military build-up, he worked to help create a federal response to the homeless crisis, and became the first westerner in Congress to break ranks with the NRA and endorse gun control legislation.  Now he teaches and writes.  I still can't think of who to vote for in the democratic primary race for governor.  Maybe I'll write-in Les AuCoin. 

Oversight

I've been reading Faithful Progressive, well, forever and somehow never put the site on my blog roll.  That's a mistake I'll correct tonight. 

Another UCC Blog

Another United Church of Christ-related blog that I didn't know about is out there:

My Blurred Vision is written by The Rev. Ryan Lambert.  Ryan is the associate pastor at First Congregational UCC in Corvallis, Oregon.

I've read a few of Ryan's sermons online before.  Good stuff.  Make sure you check out his site.   

New United Church Of Christ Pastor's Blog

It is a beautiful Sunday morning.  Where I should I be right now?  Church, of course.  But I managed to misplace my keys and Liz is off with the twins looking to replace our dishwasher.  I'm stuck.  Stranded.  So I'm going to take Hugo and Hazel off the to park by our house and throw the ball the around for awhile.  Later we're going to navigate mud slide closed roads and head to my mother's for Sunday dinner.  In the meantime, I'd like to note a new UCC-related blog:

Rev. Jim's Journal written by Pastor Jim Hollister from First Congregational UCC in Sheboygan, WI.

New Feedback From Readers

Everyonce and awhile I go through my e-mails and search the web for feedback regarding this site. Some of what people write is a little nutty. On the other hand, some of the e-mails are great and I learn a thing or two from people who write in.  Here is a small selection of recent e-mails:

When 1 UCC church was vandalized, you condemned conservative evangelicals for being slow to the draw in condemning that act. Well, some angry liberal who hates Southern Baptists just torched 6 of their churches in Alabama. It's your turn. How long are you gonna wait to condemn it and how many words will you use? Are you gonna condemn every single liberal religious voice out there that hesitates the least bit? Let's see how consistent you are.

- February 3, 2006

Martin Luther King was almost entirely a media-created hero. Even the idealized King would be useless against a Bin Laden, a Hitler or just anybody who's determined to be violent.

- February 9, 2006

Hi there I saw that you were encouraging Email. I want to highlight one of the founders of Evolution a man named Earnest Haeckel. He can be quoted as saying "...where faith commences, science ends...". I think it is an important quote. I'm sure glad he said it. Earnest is credited with the theory of recapitulation, the idea that we all go through the evolutionary stages as embryos, "the fish stage" may ring a bell. Haeckel likely was a brilliant man who believed that we evolved. His works on the embryonic stages we go through have been in many books. Even today the idea is still contained in some science books. During his time, his contemporaries challenged the accuracy of the drawings were. We now just take pictures; photographs do not have any opinions and are much more objective. Embryologists of today have shown that his drawings we’re wrong, this has been known for a while now. Embyos do not look like each other, especially not as Earnest depicted them. As Earnest so eloquently put it, ..."where faith commences science ends." His faith, belief in evolution, guided his drawings, his drawings are not scientific. The photos are irrefutable. I'd be happy to send you a copy of the evidence against his work in the regard to recapitulation theory. As for the rest of his work I'm sure he believed in it too. It has taken 100 years until we could photograph the evidence and it still won’t go away. That is because Evolution is not a theory, it is a hypothesis that can be loosely supported when you throw out the evidence that doesn't fit and then, find a platform that can not be challenged like the public schools and the universities. May you consider the "cleverly invented stories" that have been told and examine them, but also consider the great Christian men and women today who are scientists and find much reason to question the last 100-150 years of evolutionary indoctrination?

- February 8, 2006

Republicans have cut college funding and doubled Army enlistment bonuses to ensure only the poorest will suffer the burden of arrogant Republican foreign policies.

- February 7, 2006

I just finished listening to the interview and it sounded great. Welton, myself and the entire staff really do appreciate your work and determination to make sure religion is used properly in American life. Jon Niven Deputy Press Secretary, The Interfaith Alliance

- February 7, 2006

Good to hear you are feeling better and great to see you back on your blog. I just recently read Bono's speech at the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 2 and was wondering if you have read it yet. I know you are probably busy with your new appointment, settling in and playing with the twins. I thought I would send along the speech in case you haven't read it.

- February 5, 2006

The fact that Christians, believers in god could support abortion shows just how phony most Christians are, I guess if you're involved in a convoluted belief in an imaginary god you can justify anything. Christians worship a god that murders children....it's in the bible many times, so I guess that's ok,,,,,what a f-------- joke. Take your bible and throw it in the garbage, it's MADE UP NONSENSE, A FABRICATION OF ANCIENT STORIES MEANT TO SCARE PEOPLE INTO COMPLIANCE, HA HA HA HA ! A JOKE!

- January 28, 2005

Much to my dismay, my own congregation chose to leave the UCC this year. It was one of the oldest, largest, and most properous within the State of Illinois, and generally felt that the UCC had departed from the founding faith. Most members are conservative in religion or at least mainline and also in politics. From my travels, that appears to be the case in most UCC congregations. Within the leadership of the denomination, there seems to be less and less toleration for such positions. We really were a "community church" and mainline in orientation. The congregation continues to grow rapidly, and intolerance within the UCC was restraining it.

- December 27, 2005

I came across your site while looking for discussion on being a Christian and being pro-choice. I found this entry and its comments

http://chuckcurrie.blogs.com/chuck_currie/2004/11/can_christians_.html

particularly helpful. I'm from a fairly fundamentalist background, and I'm just now finding out that I can make my faith my own -- and not what someone tells me I should think/believe. I'm now starting to articulate where I stand, and the resources and discussion I've found through your site have been very helpful. Thanks so much! I'm bookmarking your site so I continue reading (and maybe participating in?) the discussions you generate.

- December 25, 2005

Im not sure why Archbishop Burke is the lightening rod, he is only holding fast to the unending teachings of the magisterium of our mother church. His stand is just what an archbishop is to do and I applaud him.

- December 23, 2005

John Dorhauer: New UCC Blogger

The Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, minister for the St. Louis Association of the United Church of Christ, is a new writer on the blog Talk To Action. John will be writing weekly “on the attacks on the mainline churches and what is being done about it,” according to Talk To Action founder Frederick Clarkson. I had the good fortunate of working with John during my time in St. Louis and look forward to reading what he has to say on these critical issues. John is widely admired across the UCC for his work (he get bonus points with me for being an Eden grad). His first post, Religion Under Attack, is available today.