From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Sun Sentinel Reclaiming America Church/State Date: Wed, 4 Mar 1998 23:19:16 -0500 (EST) The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 12 congregations and organizations and 53 clergy from 15 religious traditions. If you are in the general Philadelphia area and represent a congregation or religious organization or are clergy, let us know if you want to be added - all faiths are welcome. We will also be happy to help start similar organizations in other areas. March 3, 1998 South Florida Sun-Sentinel 200 E. Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 Dear Editors: Thank you for your coverage of the Reclaiming America for Christ Conference. Coral Ridge Ministries is run by D. James Kennedy, a pastor with the Presbyterian Church in America who is generally identified as a Christian Reconstructionist, and who is identified by the Institute for First Amendment Studies as a member of the Council for National Policy. Christian Reconstructionism is a theological movement in conservative Reformed and Presbyterian denominations which essentially holds that America should be governed by various Protestant interpretations of Old Testament law. This belief system underlies many of the ideas mentioned in the article, starting with the idea that America was intended to be a Christian nation, is somehow less of a Christian nation than it used to be, and therefore needs to be "reclaimed" before Christ returns. These beliefs informs the notion that churches which do not believe and act as they do are apathetic, rather than sincerely disagreeing over the role of church in society. And finally, this contributes to the continually-repeated false dichotomy between Christians and those who support gay rights, reproductive freedom, and the separation of church and state. It is good that Coral Ridge encourages individual involvement in the current political process, but the system only works if everyone's ideas are represented. Those who prefer our Constitutional protections to church courts and death by stoning would do well to take the conference participants seriously and follow their example of active participation. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators -- Interfaith Working Group Religious organizations, congregations iwg@libertynet.org and clergy supporting gay rights, http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/ reproductive freedom, and the 215-235-3050 separation of church and state.