Faithful must branch out beyond politics, leaders say
Alex Johnson, MSNBC
Evangelical leaders are re-examining whether American evangelicalism has suffered from its portrayal as a conservative political movement rather than as a broad religious philosophy rooted in a literal reading of the Bible.
Although evangelical leaders have been among the most prominent spokesmen for conservative causes, "evangelical" and "religious right" are not the same thing. Studies indicate that as many as 40 percent of Americans who call themselves evangelicals are politically moderate or identify with the Democratic Party.
The declarations - a statement of principles by the National Association of Evangelicals and a study of growth in Southern Baptist congregations - serve to crystallize discontent among many evangelical and conservative Christians with their public perception in recent years.
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