Each election year, Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State mails letters to churches warning them against any involvement with politics. Buddy Smith with the American Family Association -- a former pastor who received one of those letters -- says Lynn's method may be effective, but his motive is suspect. "We must commend him, to a certain degree, in that he is effective at intimidating some pastors from stepping forward in this arena, really pushing them into a corner of silence," says the AFA spokesman.
That may be about to change, thanks to a new website and a voter guide, both launched in cooperation with the American Family Association (AFA), the parent organization of American Family News. RepairingtheFoundations.com is a news resource for Christian leaders who want to address politics within the boundaries of the law.
"Pastors can find good information [on the website] about what they can and can't do with regard to politics in the church from a pastoral standpoint," says Smith.
In addition to political and legislative guides for pastors and churches, visitors can download a presidential voter guide provided by AFA and compiled by the Florida Family Policy Council. Smith explains that the American Family Association had been looking for a resource to help its supporters cast informed ballots.
"So we took it upon ourselves to go out and find a voter guide that we felt would address some of those key questions that Christians are asking about the presidential candidates on the Republican and on the Democratic side," he shares. "Our good friends at the Florida Family Policy Council -- who are associated with Focus on the Family as one of their state policy councils -- had already done some very good homework and research and produced a voter guide. And, so, they allowed us to take this guide.
"One of the real advantages of this particular voter guide is that it is foot-noted with some links where, online, our supporters can actually find some supporting evidence for the answers that we are providing for these candidates on these various issues," Smith explains, "such as the right-to-life issue, marriage, stem-cell research, gun control, taxes, Iraq withdrawal, and education."
The voter guide and other information is available at RepairingtheFoundations.com. Smith says his organization is sending the voter guide to its supporters prior to their state primary or caucus, encouraging them examine where the candidates stand on the critical issues. He also encourages church leaders to print out the guide and share with their fellow church members.
