Evangelical Movement: Jesus for President
Like many Americans, evangelicals are finding themselves disaffected with Republican leadership and increasingly up for grabs. These voters say views on abortion and homosexuality won’t define them in November. The environment and social justice are moving to the forefront of their discussions.
CNN Politics.com, CNN News, June 30th 2008
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (CNN) — They’re spiritual misfits. Rabble-rousers. They packed the shell of the old Baptist church on Negley Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to hear author, Christian activist and fellow misfit Shane Claiborne stump on the campaign for a third party candidate, Jesus.
The dreadlocked Christian activist from Philadelphia and his team parked a black school bus around the back. The hand-painted gold letters on the side read “Jesus for President.”
The bus runs on vegetable oil and, yes, it’s a political statement.
“It’ll be a long time before we fight a war over used veggie oil,” says Claiborne with a sly smile.
Claiborne is touring the country, packing churches and community centers, in support of the book he and Chris Haw co-authored, “Jesus for President.”
“This whole project is about the political imagination of what it means to follow after Jesus,” Claiborne said. “The language of Jesus as Lord and savior is just as radical as it would be to say ‘Jesus as our commander in chief’ today.”
Young evangelicals represent an important swing-voting bloc. They’re not a lock for Republicans as their parents were. Their feet are firmly planted on issues dear to both parties. Traditional family values are, as they have been in the past, an important issue.
But these voters say views on abortion and homosexuality won’t define them in November. The environment and social justice are moving to the forefront of their discussions. Click here to read more at CNN News.