AND WHILE I'M POSTING ABOUT GREAT FEATURE ARTICLES APPEARING TODAY...

Let me encourage you to read carefully this Laurie Goodstein piece in today's New York Times about one evangelical pastor in Minnesota who is bucking the trend of megachurches by refusing to mix religion and politics...and lost approximately a fifth of his congregation because of it.

Reverand Dr. Gregory A. Boyd is senior pastor of the 4,000 member Woodland Hills Church in surburban St. Paul. While he says he is no liberal, he refuses to divulge his political party affiliation...or if he even has one. He does oppose homosexuality and abortion. But he refuses all requests to introduce politicians from the pulpit, set up tables for anti-abortion efforts, and distribute "voter guides". There is not even an American flag hanging in the sanctuary. It came to the point where, according to the feature:

Before the last presidential election, he preached six sermons called “The Cross and the Sword” in which he said the church should steer clear of politics, give up moralizing on sexual issues, stop claiming the United States as a “Christian nation” and stop glorifying American military campaigns.

“When the church wins the culture wars, it inevitably loses,” Mr. Boyd preached. “When it conquers the world, it becomes the world. When you put your trust in the sword, you lose the cross.”

Friends, please stop and take a moment to read that last paragraph again.

There is nothing wrong with preachers focusing their messages on what they see as sin and sinful behaviour. I do not believe there is anything wrong with ministers encouraging their congregants to do their civic responsibility and vote, based on each individual's thoughtful and prayful reviews of the candidates, their opinions on issues close to their heart, and (I would hope and encourage) personal meetings and discussions with the candidates. But the church should not be in the business of endorsing --- formally or informally --- any political party or candidate. A church service should, likewise, not be used by any political candidate as a "photo opportunity". It is simply inappropriate, and bastardizes the worship experience.

And, this Philadelphia Inquirer feature from June notes:

Boyd argued that the state, with its power to enforce its will over others through law and punishment, and the kingdom of God, with its power to transform others "through love," should never mix. Any attempt trivializes God's kingdom, he said.

Amen, Dr. Boyd! And thanks to Mustang Bobby at the Miami-based Bark Bark Woof Woof, a great progressive blog worth checking out regularly, for the heads up on this feature piece.