The New Evangelicals? Mega-church Pastor to Appear at Dem Convention

i-022e4f2fea64b368640aa6b7f754ee32-JoelHunter.jpg
"New Evangelical" Joel Hunter (blue shirt) works with church members on a recycling campaign.

Evangelical leader Joel C. Hunter, a registered Republican, will give the closing prayer at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, joining Al Gore and nominee Barack Obama on stage in front of 70,000 stadium goers.

Hunter opposes abortion and at one time had been chosen to lead the Christian Coalition. According to the Washington Post, for several years he has been at the forefront of a so-called "New Evangelical" movement dedicated to moving beyond the divisiveness of culture war issues.

"I'll kind of be the elephant in the room, but it really says something about how far Senator Obama is reaching out," Hunter told the Washington Post. "We are expanding the agenda of what's pro-life. When you consider poverty, environmentalism and war ... those are the issues that are being addressed by the Democratic Party."

Hunter credits the documentary film The Great Warming--a film I wrote about at Science and that I have spotlighted at this blog--for motivating his work on climate change, with Hunter mobilizing his 12,000 member church around the issue.

Watch below Joel Hunter's remarks at a Third Way press conference on his efforts to bring communities together around common values and problems such as poverty and global warming. "Ideology can be transformed into progress so that everyone can advance down the field, so that there can be common progress for the common good," says Hunter.

More like this

I just received this email from some communications group trying to publicize the virtues of the Democratic Party. It had the opposite effect on me — I am appalled. It's the usual Democratic strategic inanity of pushing to ape the Republicans instead of even trying to be a party of progressive…
Many readers were shocked and disappointed last week with the forced resignation of Rev. Richard Cizik from his position heading up the Washington office of the National Association of Evangelicals. As I wrote just a day before his resignation, Cizik's work on climate change and his unique…
Gore endorsing Obama for the Democratic nomination during the primary campaign. Standing on stage before a national TV audience at Mile High Stadium, Al Gore was a symbolic reminder of what could have been. He also delivered perhaps the best negative narrative about McCain of the convention. "I…
Finally, a voice of sanity in the Republican Party and of all people, it's Hugh Hewitt. In the Weekly Standard, he issues a warning to his fellow Republicans: Fast forward four years. The Democrats have convened in late summer in Cleveland to nominate former Virginia governor Mark Warner and…

Dear Beloved in Christ,

Greetings! to you and the saints of God over there, from Mindanao island, Philippines in the mighty name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ !
I'm Bro.Edgardo E. Grande Sr. , 54 years old, married with four children. I was converted to the Lord in 1989 and became a Minister, Discipler and Church Planter in central Mindanao region, southern part of our country.
Now at present, I'm pastoring a small church with 21 families members located in the village of Tuganay, Carmen, Davao del Norte province. I ventured to send you this letter perhaps your church could help us build our faith in God to a real and genuine Biblical truth, by sharing to us your Church Doctrine and Practice and your update messages and publications.
Please pray for us, especially the needs of this Gospel works because preaching the Word of God here is not an easy task. We hike far distance under the heat of the sun and cross rivers to do short cut in order to preach the Good News unto the people who do not know the Real Great Truths about Jesus Christ saving faith. We suffered persecutions, trials and even empty stomachs, but we are not discouraged because we have deep compassion for the lost and dying souls.
We are more than happy if you will do something for us, for the sake of Christ and for the Gospel to be widely spread here in the Philippines at large. In this connection, we need your prayers for our Discipleship Training, a 9 months class program with 33 enrolled students. Our students don't have Bibles for thier deeper study and personal use.
Our earnest prayers to God that He will not reject nor neglect our sincerest and humblest request to your Church, cause we are Truth Seekers!
Your loving and caring reply will give us more strength in this mission field. GOD BLESS you more.

Yours for the Kingdom,

Bro. Edgardo E. Grande Sr.
Prk Cabilto, Visayan Village
8100 Tagum City, Davao del Norte
Mindanao, Philippines

IAs a DNC prayer leader anti-gay?

DNC Evening invocations and benedictions
Thursday, August 28
Invocation: Rabbi David Saperstein, Union for Reform Judaism, Washington, DC
Benediction: Pastor Joel Hunter, Evangelical, Northland, FL

1. Rev Joel Hunter and wife signed the fl marriage amendment petition defining marriage as only between a man and a woman.

http://www.knowthyneighbor.org/florida/index.php?first_name=&last_name=…

Who Signed the Petition?

The names and addresses posted here were collected by Florida4Marriage.org as part of the citizens initiative petition process and have been verified by each individual Florida County Supervisor of Elections. They are part of the public record.

Last Name First Name Address City State County
Hunter Michael 263 Blackwater Pl Longwood FL Seminole
Hunter Karen 263 Blackwater Pl Longwood FL Seminole
Hunter Melissa 407 Monticello Dr Altamonte Sprin FL Seminole
Hunter William 646 Palm Dr Oviedo - FL Seminole
Hunter Connie 646 Palm Dr Oviedo - FL Seminole
Hunter Nakia 1354 San Remo Pt Unit 106 Oviedo FL Seminole
Hunter Deedra 450 Forestwood Ln Maitland FL Seminole
Hunter Becky 203 Savannah Park Loop Casselberr FL Seminole
Hunter Joel 203 Savannah Park Loop Casselberr FL Seminole

2. Rev Joel Hunter hosts a group at his church that seeks to help gays leave the gay lifestyle.

Among Friends is a weekly small group for. men who struggle with homosexuality and/. or homosexual feelings that want to live a life pleasing to God. www.northlandcc.net

You decide!!!

By diane owens (not verified) on 24 Aug 2008 #permalink

He is also well known for opposing the recent moves to teach evolution in Florida, preferring instead to teach intelligent design and creationism.

I'm a bit torn. There is nothing wrong with saying "We will happily work with you on goals A, B, and C we share, but will fight you tooth and claw on X, Y, and Z."

However, it isn't so simple. Just giving these people stage time feeds their organizations and implies they have some sort of legitimacy. I'm also certain that the 'new evangelicals' (leaders at least) are looking to feed at the public trough.