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Religious Leaders, Democrats Talk About Moral Issues At Goleta Summit |
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By Melissa Evans
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Monday, June 04 2007 |
The Rev. Billy Calderwood recoiled a bit when he brought up his religious background to a group of Democrats and religious leaders Sunday.
As an evangelical Christian, his presence at a summit about the mingling of religion and blue-party politics was, at least stereotypically, out of place.
"It seems that we as evangelicals have increasingly lost our mandate and our imagination," he said, referring to conservative religious leaders and their influence on politics in the last Presidential election.
In 2004, Republicans were able to seize on the moral issues of abortion and gay marriage, hot issues for many evangelicals, to sway a number of voters. Democrats are now initiating a diaologue with more liberal and progressive religious leaders to talk about issues they say are also moral: the environment, health care, immigration and foreign policy.
Sunday's summit -- the first of its kind locally -- drew about 300 community members, politicians and clergy members to the Goleta Valley Community Center. The event included representatives from a variety of faiths, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism.
 Lois Capps
"You look at something like immigration, and there are huge moral implications," Rep. Capps said. "This is about how we as a society treat people, how we treat those who come here from other countries."
In her address to the full group, Rep. Capps made mention of her late husband, UCSB religious studies professor Walter Capps, a former House member who was known for his work with interfaith groups.
"I have a hunch Walter is smiling down on us right now," she said.
Rabbi Allison Conyer of UCSB Hillel said the Religious Right has "hijacked" the language of the religious community.
Others in the religious community have a "responsibility to say something. Action is integral to our faith and our tradition."
The Rev. Calderwood, pastor of Aqueous Church in Isla Vista, said he was raised in a conservative family, but over the years changed his political persuasion.
He described this experience as an "explosion that went into my life and bruised my soul -- and turned it literally blue," he said, referring to the color of the Democratic party.
The event was organized primarily by Karin Quimby, an activist in the Democratic party who also serves on Capps' staff. The Congresswoman said she will use the feedback from the three-and-a-half hour summit in future policy discussions.
"I hope these conversations will continue," she said. "It's important the clergy and the religious community have a voice in the important issues facing our country." |
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