Maston Colloquium Statement Countering the Radical Religious Right

(A statement made by participants in the Maston Colloquium. Their names are affixed, together with those of others who have identified with it. Convened by the Center for Christian Ethics on May 30, 1995, in Dallas, Texas, the Colloquium name honors Dr. T.B. Maston for his pioneering work in Christian ethics as a teacher, writer, and prophet.)

We are a company of American Christians who are committed to the integrity of our churches, the welfare of our country, and the strengthening of the moral fiber of our people.

We affirm the desperate need for love instead of hate in our churches and in our body politic. Therefore, in sincere Christian love we are compelled to take issue with the Radical Religious Right whose initiatives disturb Christians and concerned citizens across the political spectrum.

We are not willing for the Radical Religious Right with its demagogues, rabble rousers, opportunists, and business entrepreneurs masquerading as Christian evangelists to go unchallenged in their claim to be the only rightful occupants of the high ground of Christian morality. This is a firing line we ourselves have been on for a long time, are now on, and expect to stay on.

We will not allow the leaders of the Radical Religious Right to go unchallenged in their shameless identification of Christianity with one extremist wing of a single political party.

We are alarmed because the Radical Religious Right poses significant dangers to our churches, our political system, and our American way of life. These dangers include their:

1. Threatening our personal liberties with government intrusion into our most intimate religious experience, family life, and health decisions.

2. Distorting the gospel by identifying the cause of Jesus Christ with their own narrow political agenda.

3. Undermining the political process by attempting to merge church and state.

4. Abusing the powers of government and perverting the soul of the church to force their oppressive religious dogma on all Americans.

5. Stifling free and robust public discussion of political issues through arrogant intimidation that claims the exclusive right to speak for God.

For too long too many Christians have been silent about these grave clangers. We urge all concerned Christians to:

1. Confront and challenge the distortions, misstatements, revisions, and myths of the Radical Religious Right.

2. Speak out, distribute materials, write letters, and communicate with your elected representatives in government and with your church leaders as well.

3. Vote for and support those public officials who courageously stand for America’s historic tradition of religious liberty for all and oppose those who would merge church and state.

4. Give financial and moral support to individuals and organizations who work to awaken Americans to the dangers of the Radical Religious Right.

5. Challenge unethical tactics of the Radical Religious Right, such as the deceptive infiltration of churches, the distribution of inaccurate and biased “voter guides,” the putting up of candidates who conceal their Radical Religious Right ties when running for school boards and other public offices, and the browbeating of public officials.

Keep the faith. What our forebears gained at great sacrifice, let us not now carelessly relinquish.

SIGNED:

Sarah Frances Anders, Professor of Sociology Emeritus, Louisiana College, Pineville, LA

John Leland Berg, Pastor, Grace Fellowship Church, Meridian, MS

Lavonn D. Brown, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Norman, OK

James Dunn, Executive Director, Baptist Joint Committee of Public Affairs, Washington, D.C.

Richard Pierard, Professor of History, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana

Foy Valentine, President, The Center for Christian Ethics, Dallas, TX

ADDITIONAL SIGNERS:

Jimmy R. Allen, Chaplain, Big Canoe, GA

Patricia Ayers, Trustee, Center for Christian Ethics, Austin, TX

Grady Cothen, Co-Chair, Religious Liberty Council, Miami Beach, FL

J. Joseph and Carolyn W. Crumpler, Cincinnati, OH

Calvin Didier, President, Americas United for Separation of Church and State, St. Paul, MN

Barry Lynn, Executive Director, Americans United, Washington D.C.

Darold H. Morgan, Dallas TX W.

David Sapp, Trustee, Center for Christian Ethics, Richmond, VA

Cecil Sherman, Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Atlanta, GA

Daniel Vestal, Trustee, Center for Christian Ethics, Houston,TX