Christian Coalition Survival Questioned

The Associated Press

12/15/01

NORFOLK — The Christian Coalition was once an influential force in U.S. politics, helping Republicans to control the House of Representatives in 1994 and championing conservative causes. But without Pat Robertson as president, some observers are questioning whether the group he founded can survive. Robertson says he's confident it will and few can imagine the American political landscape without conservative Christians.

When it comes to the Christian Coalition itself, there have already been signs its influence is on the wane: Membership has ebbed in recent years, analysts say, and. the. Organization has been forced to endure legal fights, staff conflicts and key departures. “Quiet frankly, the Christian Coalition is on its last legs,” said Mark Rozell, a professor of politics at Catholic University in Washington. “The bottom line is, I don't see anyone with his (Robertson's} national profile, his ability to raise money, his ability to organize, to save the Christian Coalition from extinction.”

Stephen Medvic, a professor of political science at Old Dominion University, said the coalition has achieved many of its goals and may have outlived its usefulness. “A lot of Republicans in Congress do believe a lot of what the Christian Coalition believes,” he said. “In some sense, there is a ceiling on these things.”

Yet John Green, director of the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron, cautioned against writing off the Christian Coalition too quickly. The impact of Robertson's departure depends on whether he withdraws his financial backing and influence, or simply plays a more behind-the-scenes role. Green said And Robertson has becomes such a controversial figure that his movement may benefit from some new faces, he added.

In announcing his resignation on Dec. 5, Robertson said that, at age 71, he wants to concentrate on his ministry. He said he's done with politics, except for commenting on public affairs on "The 700 Club" the flagship program of his Christian Broadcasting Network. "I think this is for me a change of direction," he said in an interview from CBN headquarters in. Virginia Beach, "I'm concerned about the public affairs of the nation and will always be, but my active participation has come to an end as a member of the Christian Coalition."

The board's election of Roberta Combs as the new president-she had been executive vice president since late 1999 - leaves the Coalition in capable hands, he said.

Experts divided over attacks' impact on religion, a summery

The Associated Press

12/15/01

Statistics seem to show that the terrorist attacks of September 11 has produced the big religious revival fundamentalists had hoped for-in fact the opposite. Will fundamentalists in both Virginia and Tennessee has tried to tear down the Wall of Separation that protects Americans from abusive religion, polls show no real increase in church attendance.

In a Sep. 21-22 Gallop poll showed 47% "said" they attended church in some form in the "last seven days" a "level not seen since the 1950s." But this is still means 53% since the 1950s don't regularly attend church. These religious polls are also notoriously inflated because many seemed embarrassed by saying no. There was a greater interest in church at the time, but another poll in November showed the level back to 42%, the same as other years. The revival was a dud.

The article goes on that a poll in November found only 16% of Americans attended church more frequently and said the reaction fits a pattern that during a time of crisis church attendance increased. What this doesn't say is non-church goers or those of alternate faiths showed up in any numbers. The jumps are temporary.

Yet churches claim the numbers are up, but lag far below the 50% marks for all three main religions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The rest of the article goes on how Bible sales are up by 40% over last year. But to me they are going to those already in church and there have been claims about sending out Bibles as gifts to get people interested in church. It doesn't seen to have worked because alternate faiths and the ranks of the "unchurched" continue to grow.

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