Evangelicals Quiet About War
Pastor Dale Morgan
Evangelicals Quiet About War*
August 12, 2006 8:46 PM
By RACHEL ZOLL
AP Religion Writer
In the flurry of pro and con statements from American Christians
regarding Israel's strikes on Hezbollah guerrillas, one major religious
group has remained notably quiet - evangelicals.
The most influential organizations in the movement, usually vocal
backers of the Jewish state, have made no formal comment on the war in
Lebanon despite pleas from Israelis that they do so.
Among those who have taken no official stand are the National
Association of Evangelicals, which represents thousands of local
churches and ministries, the 16.2 million-member Southern Baptist
Convention and James Dobson's Focus on the Family.
The Rev. Ted Haggard, president of the evangelical association, insists
the inaction is not a criticism of Israel, but reflects a new caution
about the risks for Christians living in Muslim countries. After the
Sept. 11 attacks, American evangelicals came out strongly against
terrorists, with some calling Islam a violent religion. That created a
backlash overseas.
Haggard said Israeli embassy officials called him several times a day
during the first two weeks of the conflict, which erupted last month,
asking for a public expression of support. He declined.
``Our silence is not a rejection of Israel or even a hesitation about
Israel. Our silence is to try to protect people,'' said Haggard, pastor
of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colo. ``There's a rapidly
growing evangelical population in virtually every Islamic country. Much
of it is underground in the countries that are more radicalized, and
many of the Christians survive based on their neighbors just ignoring
the fact that they don't go to mosque.''
Asked for comment, Richard Land, head of the public policy arm of the
Southern Baptist Convention, said only that, ``Southern Baptists
overwhelmingly support Israel's right to live at peace with her
neighbors within secure borders and they pray for the peace of Jerusalem
to prevail in the Middle East.''
Paul Hetrick, a spokesman for Focus on the Family, said Friday that his
organization was ``contemplating issuing a statement.''
The three groups have far greater impact on public policy than do
Christian Zionists, a minority among conservative Christians who back
Israel unequivocally because they see its existence as part of biblical
prophesy.
Many evangelicals have individually expressed support for Israel.
Evangelist Pat Robertson was in Jerusalem this week, where he joined
hands with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to pray for victory in
Lebanon.
However, Robertson's support among American evangelicals is waning and
other conservative Christians have quietly expressed concern about the
hundreds of Lebanese civilians killed.
While Israel is the biblical homeland, Lebanon also holds a special
place in the Christian community.
About 36 percent of its population is Christian, comprised mostly of
Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics, according to the World
Christian Database at Gordon Conwell-Theological Seminary. And
Christians across the spectrum of belief have long-standing missionary
ties there, setting up hospitals, schools and other ministries.
The Web site of Christianity Today, a top evangelical magazine, has
drawn comments from Lebanese Christians pleading with evangelicals to do
more to end the violence.
``I think there is a little concern about being too closely identified
with Israel on the part of some evangelicals,'' said Corwin Smidt, a
political scientist at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., who
studies evangelicals. ``I think there is some uneasiness.''
Those reservations have mainly been expressed by the Roman Catholic
Church and the more liberal mainline Protestant groups. The World
Council of Churches, which represents about 350 Protestant and Orthodox
Christian churches, along with the Lutheran World Federation and the
Vatican have repeatedly called for a cease-fire.
Nathan Diament, public policy director for the Union of Orthodox Jewish
Congregations of America, which has strengthened ties with evangelicals
in the last few years, said ``Israel needs as many friends as she can
get right now,'' but he was not worried that some groups have not spoken
out.
``I don't think anyone doubts the great support that Israel has in the
evangelical community,'' he said.