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The current installment of the COEC began meeting in 2007.

We are currently on a "break," for no particular reason, and many little reasons - mostly pertaining to life circumstances. If anyone is interested in calling a meeting, feel free to post on the blog, join the google group (see link below) and send an email, or contact either Nancy (nancykj10@yahoo.com) or Jesse (schroeder.jesse@gmail.com) for more information.

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12.13.2008

The Cizik Ouster

By now everyone has probably heard about the recent resignation of Richard Cizik, former vice president for governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals. If you missed the story, it all started because of an interview he did on NPR's Fresh Air, in which Cizik makes known his support of civil unions for same-sex couples. Kara forwarded this brief editorial by Nicholas Kristof of the NY Times, which essentially highlights the hopeful work that has been accomplished in places like Cambodian brothels not to mention other parts of the developing world in large part because of the bridge-building efforts of individuals like Cizik. Jesse's blog discusses how these sorts of stories illustrate the rationale behind words such as post-evangelical or post-denominational. Also of note, is an interview that our friend Sarah Pulliam did with the president of the NAE. In one part of the interview, President Leith Anderson explains, "I think the consensus of the executive committee was that he did not appropriately represent us. And if he did not appropriately represent NAE, then he has lost credibility as a spokesperson." A few questions later, Pulliam asks "whether one person can speak for such a diverse group politically when evangelicalism is not a political group per se," to which he responds "in answer to your question, can one person speak for everybody? Obviously not." To that, I have to say, make up your mind! 

2 comments:

Jane Johnson said...

I was amazed by how similar Cizik's worldview was to my own, because it seems that for the past few years I've been away from the evangelical community, while he's been right in the middle of it. How could we arrive at such a similar place on such different paths? What this seems to sugest to me is that God is really moving powerfully right now among Christians. It turns out that I wasn't the only one from an evangelical background that God spoke to insistently about a renewed vision. Cizik reports on how many young evangelicals care about the environment, poverty, and human rights, enough to go against what have been seen as traditional evangelical beliefs for the past 25 years. I wonder if I have as much in common with this generation of evangelicals as it seems, and if so, I wonder if in 15 years when they become the culture's leaders, I might find myself happily back in an evangelical church...

Kara Newby said...

thanks for posting this Greg. I hadn't seen the interview with Sarah, and I thought it was great reporting. I was REALLY (but at the same time not at all ) surprised at the inconsistencies in the interview. That he would actually say "in general we don't think it's a good idea to say who you voted for!" What? This from a man who represent hundreds of churches that FROM THE PULPIT (illegally) advocate for the republican party?

But I also agree with Jane. I am so excited about the movement and shift that Cizik has found. It gives me hope for this faith and the future of evangelical churches. I am just strongly disappointed that there are some who are trying their hardest to stop the shift.