abstract: Correspondents say we're publishing a writer who disagrees with us.|

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The stark incongruity of two of the Articles in the November-December 2002 issue of The Christian Statesman begs to be addressed.

The lead story from the Editor's Desk outlines the reality of what faces Truth and Righteousness in our generation, while the misguided optimism expressed by Rod Martin, Quiet Revolution: The Christianization of the Republican Party, is pure fantasy.

At this time America is home to some 150 different Christian religious denominations. Orthodoxy has long ago been discarded and getting two Christians to agree on anything is a difficult task.

The last sermon given at my Presbyterian Church of America involved a teaching on the benefits secured by Christ's crucifixion. Preaching that delves beyond personal blessings is rare to nonexistent. American Christians are still in swaddling clothes and have not been weaned to meat. There is no cohesive Christian world view.

Since God often selects the foolish and the base, immature American Christians are prone to stupidity and foolishness and often exhibit this characteristic behavior in their professional life. Having been taught that God is their servant, personal evangelism marks the extent of their service. Bringing about godly dominion in society is beyond their ken.

It was not Barry Lynn that created the problem at the NRA annual conference. Barry Lynn acted in a predictable fashion. It was the two Republican Representatives who caved in order to protect themselves from the evil derision of "Americans United Against Church and State." Like weak kneed Trent Lott (he professes Christianity--I assume your two invited guests do as well) both of these poltroonic individuals failed to announce a modicum of Christian truth.

American Christians and particularly their leaders are a naive bunch when they can be led to support a professing Christian president who embraces Islam, Kwanzza, and most any other religion that comes along.

If the growing number of Christians in the Republican Party which Rod Martin crows about are as pixilated as your invited Republican Representatives it is highly unlikely that a seventy percent majority would generate much righteousness.

Without law, there is no right and wrong! Until God's laws are accepted by Christians as the standard of aspiration, we are wasting our time electing Christians to positions of responsibility.

Without the cohesive effect of returning to some sort of Christian orthodoxy, Christians would be better off in heaven for they are of little use here on earth.

In his August talk at Bethany College, Andrew Sandlin was correct in recommending respect for history and tradition. We need organizations that are willing to subscribe to the Westminster Confession. Unfortunately he was wrong about the Republican Party. Not only do they have no respect for history and tradition but they are quickly abolishing any vestige of the Constitution they have sworn to uphold.

- Al Cronkrite
Ocala, FL

I received the article, Quiet Revolution: The Christianization of the Republican Party, you sent from The Christian Statesman and frankly, I must say that I was extremely disappointed in Mr. Martin's article.

He says, "Could the party lead America? Yes. But to succeed, there is a lot Christians still have to learn: how to take and keep the offensive: how to articulate one (and just one) unified vision that's saleable to the broader conservative majority...But if they act wisely, Christians could well recover their role as the leading force in conservatism..." I would much rather have a vision based on a foundation that provides truth and wisdom to the nation. Having a "saleable" vision belongs to the pragmatists and secularists, not Christians.

His emphasis throughout the article is on achieving power and influence--and "conservatism" seems to be the acceptable foundation to gain it. I was very surprised to see this article in The Christian Statesman considering their stand as expressed in their foundations or in the book, Explicitly Christian Politics.

In my opinion, until Christians turn away from "conservatism," and turn toward a biblical and Godly foundation for their "politics," and their political parties, they will never see victory. When victory is the goal, principles go out the window and politics is reduced to little more than clamoring for power. Senator Harold Hochstatter was just over here and spoke to our group and he talked about this very thing.

As you can tell, I'm still no admirer of the Republican Party. It would have to undergo a complete makeover, including its very foundations to ever be considered "Christianized". The way I look at it is this: A home isn't a "Christian" home just because Christians live in it, it should also operate in a Christian way as the Bible would define it. A church isn't "Christian" just because a bunch of Christians gather, it must be a church as defined by the Bible. And, a nation isn't "Christian" just because many of its citizens are Christian. What does "The Christianization of the Republican Party" mean to Mr. Martin anyway? If it's what is implied in his closing statement, "But if they act wisely, Christians could recover their role as the leading force in conservatism, not merely restoring balance to a too-secularized public square, but giving expression to mainstream, historic American beliefs they invented ; in limited government, individual responsibility, and the dignity and rights of man," [emphasis added] then I think he needs to reconsider what "Christianization" means. And lastly, I thought God "invented" limited government, individual responsibility and the dignity and rights of man.

- Roxanne Sitler

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