I just found out the pastor of my church in Orlando, Joel Hunter, was just selected to be the new President of the Christian Coalition:
Christian Coalition of America has announced a new President, Dr. Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor for Northland Church in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Hunter was recruited by Mrs. Combs this past summer and was elected President by the Board of Directors in July. Mrs. Combs will stay on as Chairman of the Board and assist Dr. Hunter in setting the course for the organization.
Dr. Hunter, a longtime conservative who seeks to build consensus across party lines, approaches politics in a biblical and balanced manner. His interest in politics began when he was a student at Ohio University in the 1960’s. Protecting life and standing for biblical values has always been the Coalition’s central focus and will continue under Dr. Hunter’s leadership. “I look forward to building upon the successes under Roberta’s leadership and expanding our mission to concern itself with the care of creation, helping society’s marginalized, human rights/religious issues and compassion issues,” says Dr. Hunter.
Dr. Hunter is a very interesting choice. He truly is a great guy and, while I may not agree with him on everything, he tends to be very moderate and well thought in his positions. He is definitely not your typical right-wing only type of thinker:
"For the most part, the religious right has been limited to the Republican Party. . . . A voice of biblical values cannot be in the pocket of one party. . . . Christians can decide for themselves how God would want them to come down on any issue."
Hunter also wrote, "There ought to be more than just gay marriage and pro-life issues, because the Bible is concerned with all of life. We need to do everything we can to relieve poverty, to heal the sick and to protect the Earth."
Like Combs, he believes evangelicals can find common cause with mainline and progressive organizations on issues such as immigration, raising the minimum wage and providing prescription drugs to the needy and elderly.
While I will defer to Milton Friedman on the minimum wage issue, I certainly wish Dr. Hunter well in his new position!
Related Links:
- Dr. Hunter's new book, "Right Wing, Wrong Bird", which takes a look at religion and politics in America. There is also a series of podcasts to go along with the book.
- What Would Jesus Do About Global Warming?
- FAQ about Dr. Hunter's new role. [PDF]
- Evangelical Climate Initiative, of which Dr. Hunter is a signing member.
Hattip JollyBlogger
2 comments:
Hm.
It is funny how so many people are ready to judge. I thought the only judge was God.
I respect those who are able to put the teachings of the Bible in Modern Day jargon. Joel Hunter does that with such ease. He truly has the talent.
If anyone can communicate and draw a picture for all to see clearly it is him.
Joel Hunter, congradulations on your new appointment. Let God guide your way, to make the many people living in glass houses, remember... we are not the one to judge. That is done on the day we face the King. One human fault is the swift way we make up our minds and judge those who think differently.
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