On Fresh Air with Terry Gross, National Association of Evangelicals vice president of governmental affairs Rich Cizik admitted that his views on same sex unions are shifting. While he made it clear that he does not favor same sex marriage, he did affirm the that he favors same sex civil unions. Cizik also admitted that he voted for Barack Obama in the primary election, although he did not reveal for whom he voted in the general. As a result of these comments, NAE president Leith Anderson asked Cizik to resign, which Cizik did.
Cizik has been a leading figure in the evangelical world over the past several years, battling evangelical lions like James Dobson and Charles Colson on several issues, most noteably the environment. As a result of Cizik's tireless efforts, the NAE affirmed care for creation as one of its chief concerns.
Cizik is a loss for all progressive evangelicals who still think the NAE is a potentially potent force. But he's a gain for those of us who are post-evangelical, post-religious right, post-moral majority, post-polarized politics, post-discrimination, and post-closedmindedness.
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I am so disappointed with the NAE... I disassociated myself from them a long time ago. The leadership needs to get back to the basics and read the Bible... all of it... and embrace the theme throughout! As Jesus said, the greatest is Love!
Civil Unions allow for shared property rights, the ability to visit in a hospital, to act on a loved one's last wishes, etc. It does not equal marraige. May I humbly suggest if the NAE is concerned with the sanctity of marraige it start with the families in the church. The divorce rate is 60% nationally, and is no different for Christians. Now that would be an effort that Jesus would support!
The NAE has a forest in their eye!
Why is the evangelical establishment so determined to alienate their friends and allies? Their childlike faith has devolved into childlike reasoning - that is, a black-and-white pattern of thinking which discounts the complexity of human experience and attempts to force consensus rather than to build it.
I'm a pastor at a church in the Mpls/St.Paul metro area. The church I serve has a conservative protestant evangelical heritage. My wife and I were both very surprised and encouraged by Cizik's interview on Fresh Air. We thought he demonstrated a thoughtful perspective, realistically addressed the tension between his personal views and the NAE, and showed a healthy appreciation for the need to recognize the difference between political policy and religious convictions.
His resignation underscores why we were right to be surprised. In pressuring Cizik to resign, the NAE just reinforced the negative attitudes so many people have against them. Cizik's leaddership could have changed that, but the NAE seems determined to continue it's downward spiral toward diminished influence and relevance.
Thank God I'm an atheist.
All the tired, impoverished dogma is long behind me and I'm free to be an open, honest human.
All you folks trying hard to be angels, have you actually read the Bible to know what God's perfect agents represent: Murder, genocide, pestilence, and mass destruction.
Good luck with that. I'm happy to be post-Christian.
Raoul, congratulations on your liberation. Although it is curious that you would even be visiting "Beliefnet" after you had put all that stuff behind you so long ago.
No worldview has a corner on truth, but the message of Christ is as sorely needed by Christians as it is by atheists ... or any one else for that matter. The situation in China is a good case in point; merely flipping the coin over introduces a new set of problems. We need new currency.
Cizick's spiritual insight and bravery are a God-send, a bright foreshadowing of a new pluralism beyond the red/blue; black/white; Christianist/Atheist false dichotomies of the cultural moment.
God bless you, Rich
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