(RNS) In a dramatic about-face for a movement that a generation ago embraced a Cold War nuclear shield against the Soviets, evangelical Christians are now spreading the gospel of nuclear disarmament.
Exhibit A: eliminating nuclear weapons will be on the agenda of a leadership forum hosted by the National Association of Evangelicals in Landover, Md., on Friday (Oct. 9).
“It’s always been commanded that we act as peacemakers,” said the Rev. Joel Hunter, senior pastor of Northland Church in suburban Orlando, Fla. “We’ve always had a foundational affinity for it, but only recently has it become a movement.”
A major part of the evangelical anti-nuke movement has been the development of the Two Futures Project, led by 32-year-old Rev. Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, who will address the NAE’s Evangelical Leaders Forum.
In many ways, Wigg-Stevenson represents the next generation of evangelical leaders who came of age long after icons like the late Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson aligned the movement with the pro-defense Reagan-era GOP.
“The way we see it, there are two potential futures: one in which nuclear weapons are used, which will create international conflict, and the other which is free of nuclear weapons and promotes peace,” said Wigg-Stevenson, an ordained Baptist minister from Nashville, Tenn.
“The choice is disarmament or seeing a morally unacceptable outcome.”
Wigg-Stevenson said the religious foundation of his organization is the biblical imperative against “the killing of innocents,” which he believes is inevitable in a world with nuclear weapons waiting to be launched.
Wigg-Stevenson said he first learned about anti-nuclear activism from his parents in the movement’s heyday during the 1980s, but didn’t get serious about the issue until he more deeply understood its potential harm while working as projects director for the Global Security Institute of former Democratic California Sen. Alan Cranston.
Evangelical ambivalence on disarmament was common in the 1970s and 1980s, Hunter said. In previous decades, many baby boomers were involved in the anti-nuclear movement, but it was separate from their involvement in the church. During the same period, Hunter said, evangelicals had more of a “a hard-power approach to international relations,” but now have returned to “leading by example and diplomacy.”
According to Hunter, the reason for the dormant reaction of Christians is difficult to pinpoint.
“I can’t explain it biblically, it comes from more of a cultural and political aspect. We felt it was a great deal more constructive to align ourselves with self-defense and believe in using a military response to unfolding world events,” he said.
Since the launch of the Two Futures Project last April, the movement has gained the endorsements and support of former Reagan Secretary of State George Shultz and President Bill Clinton’s Pentagon chief, William Perry, whom Hunter calls “giants of the previous generation.
“But the organizational power comes from a younger generation that is taking increased social action,” he said.
Still, evangelical activism around nuclear weapons has its nuances.
In September, Robertson, Southern Baptist public policy guru Richard Land and other leaders from the old guard launched the group Christian Leaders for a Nuclear-Free Iran. The group isn’t as concerned about the U.S. arsenal, but is dedicated to making sure Iran doesn’t acquire one.
In the meantime, the Two Futures Project and other evangelicals have been mobilizing to recruit more people to the anti-nuke cause.
Wigg-Stevenson is encouraging others to write lawmakers in Washington, sign a pledge to support disarmament and speak out about the dangers nuclear weapons pose.
“No one of us can achieve this goal, it’s the work of a generation or more,” said Wigg-Stevenson. “It requires genuine leadership, so we are asking people to be part of a critical mass and lend their support through three concrete steps: Join up, pitch in, spread the word.”
Copyright 2009 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted October 8, 2009 at 7:42 pm
The men or women who are the elected-leaders of our countries are the ones that know the what, why, and how, to keep our nations safe.
posted October 8, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Now, hopefully, they do Henrietta. A very few years ago they did not and any year now we could, again, elect a president who believes Armageddon is a good thing. So I’m for these guys in the article.
Here’s an important analysis regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions. From it:
From our article:
Interesting, eh?
posted October 8, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Those funny evangelicals. They change their stances every 20 years, don’t they? If you don’t like their stance now, just wait a few years…
posted October 8, 2009 at 11:42 pm
“”…If you don’t like their stance now, just wait a few years…”"
…it takes mere moments for the “stances” of Liberals to change!
posted October 8, 2009 at 11:56 pm
First it was the environment, now it is no nukes. I guess we liberals were not only right, we were ahead of the curve. In some places that would be called leading. I wonder if these folks will follow our lead on other issues – say for instance full rights for homosexuals, equality in employment and the status of women and men, and perhaps the value of sex education for children and teens. Hey, I wouldn’t have guessed this turn around on the environment or nukes. Follow our lead! Anything can happen. It’s been said before, God works in mysterious ways – or humanity devises, God laughs.
posted October 9, 2009 at 4:11 pm
The evangelicals could and should have been on board with issues like the environment and nuclear proliferation–but for the past generation or more, they have been in bed with the Republican Party, and they lost their collective souls in that miscegenation. And don’t assume that they suddenly saw the light–had the last election turned out differently, they would still be in bed with political reactionaries.
What it shows: (1) The danger of mingling religion and politics; and (2) the intrinsic shallowness of fundamentalist religiosity that they could have allowed themselves to be seduced by the promise of political power.
posted October 10, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Heretics, pagans, atheists produce slander and deception because it is all they have to produce. Taking refuge in the rhetoric of the lost, they continue poisoning the wells of culture, spirituality and faith and finally debase morality by calling evil good and good evil.
Through the means of twisted logic, super-heated rhetoric and carefully crafted lies, they seek to dismember the truth so to take advantage of the ensuing chaos in order to gain power – the historic approach of fascists and tyrants.
Humanity is made up of such as this. From Christianity to paganism, from Socialism to Imperialism, the world is riven with this poison.
God has offered a way out, reconciliation with Him and eternal life.
Jesus paid for this with His life because the world’s poison had to be countered. Turn from the lies, turn from the world torn asunder, and follow God.
Accept God, follow His truth, though the price Jesus paid to make this possible.
posted October 10, 2009 at 10:51 pm
H4C the only problem with your rather descriptive narrative is that now that the liberals are in power there is no change, no difference at all. The truth is politicians are just as much praying mantis and black widows as the conservatives and liberals they jump in bed with. The liberals crowning achievement is same sex marriage, the poor are still poor, the uneducated still uneducated, homeless still homeless, and our soldiers still dying chasing terrorist in a war we cannot possibly win and we all are waiting for Iran to push the nuke button.
posted October 10, 2009 at 11:12 pm
There’s a big difference cknuck. The government is trying to do things for the poor. It’s a gigantic job and the wy is not clear and the government’s feet need to be kept to the fire but they are trying. E.g. the universal medical coverage President Obama is working for (and you seem to be opposing).
GC you make no more sense than you ever do. You make ridiculous claims with no documentation. And your god is but one of many people have dreamed up or had pounded into their heads. Even if there were a god (and there’s no evidence for it) the odds are extremely small it’s yours. Extremely small.
posted October 11, 2009 at 12:12 am
…tolerance, Grasshopper, tolerance…a hypocrite in ones own, chosen, belief system is unstable in all his ways. Until you can pluck this extremely small mustard seed from my hand, you can not become a ninja.
posted October 11, 2009 at 3:50 pm
GC…new stuff please….your comedy routine is getting really old. Write somehthing original!!
posted October 11, 2009 at 9:14 pm
…new stuff please….
…still get’s to you, huh? Once your eyes adjust to the light, you’ll be better off.
posted October 11, 2009 at 10:10 pm
What?? Eyes adjust to light? They’re fine. My life has been nothing but light, and I have been better off, GC. You would like not to think so, but it’s true.
posted October 11, 2009 at 10:54 pm
nnmns you know what the government is trying to do? You actually only know what they tell you they are trying to do and you of course beleive it. I know from being there for the people the government ignore. Two different world views mine is from experience and not what I heard.
posted November 1, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Please, please read your history, Reverend Hunter, before you engage in more “sounds good but accomplishes nothing” liberalism. Pandora’s Box has been opened and from now until the end of human history there will never be a nuclear-free world. History is replete with examples of naive people (Chamberlain anyone?) who thought we could just solve all the problems of the world by talking nicely. Reverend Hunter, please just place a nice “COEXIST” sticker on your Volvo, then get back to preaching truth to your congregation and leave foreign policy to the adults.