Evangelicals warn of politicizing faith

Prominent evangelicals urged Christian conservatives Wednesday to support "an expansion of our concerns beyond single-issue politics," angering some leaders on the religious right who have been closely allied with the Republican Party.

In "An Evangelical Manifesto," more than 70 theologians, pastors and others said faith and politics have been too closely mixed. They warned against Christians adopting any one political view.

"That way faith loses its independence, Christians become 'useful idiots' for one political party or another, and the Christian faith becomes an ideology," they wrote.

Many veteran Christian activists on the right side of the political spectrum did not support the declaration.

James Dobson, founder of the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, reviewed the document and was invited to sign it, but did not, said Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Dobson.

"One of the things that disappointed Dr. Dobson was that when the manifesto was initially circulated, no African-American pastors or theologians were on the invite list," he said.

He would not discuss any other of Dobson's concerns.

The Rev. John Huffman, pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, a megachurch in Pasadena, Calif., acknowledged the effort lacks participation from blacks and women. But he said the initial signers are a beginning and "anyone can sign on if this resonates with them."

Richard Land, head of the public-policy arm of the conservative Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant group in the country, said he was not asked to sign. Janice Shaw Crouse, director of the Concerned Women for America's Beverly LaHaye Institute, said the manifesto would confuse Christian voters about the issues that are most important: opposition to abortion and gay marriage.

Conservative Christians make up about one-third of GOP members, but polls have found that younger evangelicals are seeking a broader agenda that includes fighting poverty, racism and global warming.