CWA asks, “Can the NAE Have It Both Ways on Same-Sex ‘Marriage?’”     12/10/2008

Washington, D.C. –– The spokesperson for the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), Richard Cizik, told National Public Radio (NPR) that his views of marriage are “shifting” away from traditional marriage. In a December 2nd interview with Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air program, Cizik admitted that he believes in civil unions, but he said, “I don’t think” that I “officially support redefining marriage” (emphasis added). Further, he added that all the attention to “gay rights and the rest” had taken attention away from the “challenges and threats” to heterosexual marriage. Cizik wanted to “reframe” the issue and “give the Biblical point of view a different slant.” He preferred to turn attention away from marriage to climate change and the fact that “our parents,” who lived through the Great Depression became “the greediest generation.” He also admitted that “evangelicals who disagree with Barack Obama on same-sex marriage and abortion” could vote for him because “other issues, economic issues, the environment” are very important. He saw a “lack of humility” in Sarah Palin and didn’t like the “big stick” politics of many evangelicals.

Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America, said, “Mr. Cizik claimed that his views are five years ahead of his constituency, but these views are not anywhere close to Biblical orthodoxy, traditional Christian theology nor the bulk of Evangelicals who ground their faith in the Bible. Perhaps this is why he espouses them in forums to which most of his supposed 'constituency' do not listen.”

Janice Shaw Crouse, Director and Senior Fellow of Concerned Women for America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute, said, “The NAE consists of 45,000 churches, 50 denominations and 30 million constituents. I cannot believe that they are happy to have a spokesperson, who supposedly represents them, expressing views that are contrary to Biblical authority and contradict theological orthodoxy. I think, perhaps, my dear friend Rich has been inside the Beltway for too long and has swallowed too much of the NPR and Vogue Magazine Kool-Aid.”

For Information Contact:
Demi Bardsley
(202) 488-7000, ext. 134
media.cwfa.org

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