Fred Thompson and the United Church of Christ
Monday, September 10, 2007
Jacques Berlinerblau is an associate Professor and Director of the Program for Jewish Civilization at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University... and writes on a blog for the Washington Post's "On Faith" web site. This week, he takes a stab at dissecting Fred Thompson's presidential candidacy and the role religion is playing. From Berlinerblau's Georgetown Blog:
Back in January, I cautioned against anyone drawing conclusions about Barack Obama based on the beliefs of his controversial minister, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. "To draw any conclusions about Obama based on his membership at Trinity UCC would be a huge mistake." The same could be said about Thompson's wife since, according to a Hartford Institute for Religion Research study, roughly one quarter of the UCC's members consider themselves liberal, one quarter consider themselves conservative and about half consider themselves moderate.
So... what is Berlinerblau's point? It seems like he is trying to manufacture a political / religious issue where, as far as I can tell, none exists.
This past week a minor scrum broke out concerning the religious bona fides of newly announced presidential candidate, Fred Thompson. Some of the questions raised included: Is he still a member in good standing of the Church of Christ where he was baptized more than a half century ago? What does his wife’s membership in the liberal, mainline United Church of Christ denomination (which is, I might add, Sen. Barack Obama’s spiritual home) suggest about the Thompson clan's commitment to the Conservative Christian worldview? And what’s he been doing attending (sporadically) that Presbyterian church in Virginia?These questions seem a bit manufactured. A quick google search of news items over the past 30 days didn't reveal any question about Thompson's wife being a member of the UCC. There is a fair amount of confusion in the blogosphere over the differences between the "Church of Christ" and the "United Church of Christ," but nothing about Thompson's wife and the United Church of Christ. There's also a leap being made that by virtue of her membership in the UCC (which I can't verify anywhere - only that they were married in a UCC church) that she is also liberal.
Back in January, I cautioned against anyone drawing conclusions about Barack Obama based on the beliefs of his controversial minister, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. "To draw any conclusions about Obama based on his membership at Trinity UCC would be a huge mistake." The same could be said about Thompson's wife since, according to a Hartford Institute for Religion Research study, roughly one quarter of the UCC's members consider themselves liberal, one quarter consider themselves conservative and about half consider themselves moderate.
So... what is Berlinerblau's point? It seems like he is trying to manufacture a political / religious issue where, as far as I can tell, none exists.
4 Comments:
I think Fred Thompson might have a shot consider where the rest of the candidates are at. We'll have to see.
commented by 
Anonymous, 11:15 AM
Anonymous, 11:15 AM
"Moderate" is a word for liberals who don't want to admit it (in this case).
To the contrary, "Moderate" can also be a word for conservatives who Love their Neighbors and Love their Enemies because Jesus taught (nay, commanded) this.
In my own case, I go home for Christmas to a lean-to the left dad and a lean-to the right mother who love each other very much. How shall I honor my parents?
Fred Thompson doesn't seem particularly religious, but that doesn't mean he would make a bad president.
In my own case, I go home for Christmas to a lean-to the left dad and a lean-to the right mother who love each other very much. How shall I honor my parents?
Fred Thompson doesn't seem particularly religious, but that doesn't mean he would make a bad president.
moderate is also a word for conservatives who grew up middle children and recognize the wisdom of "love your neighbor / love your enemies."
