Iranian Ayatollah at National Cathedral?

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An Iranian ayatollah and other Muslim clerics are gathering at the National Cathedral here in Washington, D.C. this week with Episcopal Bishop John Bryson Chane and other liberal Christian clerics for some Christian-Muslim dialogue. What are the chances that any of the churchmen will challenge Islam’s global persecution of Christians, not least of all in Islamist Iran? Sadly, Bishop Chane and the others will probably offer the usual apologies for Christian and Western misdeeds, real and imagined, against the Muslim world. Please read Faith McDonnell’s article here as well as our press release.

During this summit, Faith plans to join some Iranian dissidents and Egyptian Christians who will be demonstrating across the street from the Cathedral, where the proceedings are closed to the general public. Please pray for Faith and the witness of that demonstration.

Certainly not joining Faith at that demonstration will be evangelical left activist Jim Wallis, who only demonstrates against the U.S. Government. Wallis is upset that the U.S. electorate and Congress are not fully backing all the liberal legislation that he equates with God’s Kingdom, especially Obamacare. So Wallis has launched a special Lenten fast, modeled after the Prophet Daniel, to bewail America’s failure to back the full Wallis political agenda of Big Government. Here’s my article.

Similar in political perspective on the evangelical left is “urban monastic” Shane Claiborne, an outspoken pacifist and proponent of Big Government who is an increasingly popular speaker at some evangelical and mainline Protestant events. In his 2008 book, “Jesus for President, Claiborne equated U.S. “imperialism” with Nazi Germany’s. Last year, he addressed a youth gathering of United Methodism’s Virginia Conference. Most recently he was at a Maryland Presbyterian church. Read Connor Ewing’s article.

Moving in a somewhat different direction from Claiborne, Goshen College in Indiana, a Mennonite school, has decided to start playing the National Anthem at sports events. Some hardcore pacifists and anti-American zealots, like Stanley Hauerwas of United Methodist Duke Divinity School, have petitioned for Goshen to renounce its new policy. Here’s my article.

Why are some church officials and clergy so liberal while the laity are often more conservative? A new national survey examines these differences, and Alan Wisdom writes about it here.

Finally, please read Faith’s appeal for prayer on behalf of a persecuted Chinese human rights lawyer and his family. And please continue to pray for IRD’s ministry of church reform and accountability. By God’s grace we depend on you! Your gift of $25, $50, or more can be made here. Your gift will be very much appreciated and well used as we continue to challenge church officials who often and erroneously claim to speak for you and for the Gospel.