President's use of evangelical, Christian language is dangerous and divisive and cripples democracy, say Elaine Pagels and Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy

February 11, 2003

Renowned theologians Dr. Elaine Pagels of Princeton University and the Reverend C. Welton Gaddy of the Interfaith Alliance criticized President George W. Bush's consistent and reckless use of religious language at an audio news conference this morning, saying that such language is divisive and destructive to the healthy debate essential to the democratic process. Both theologians detailed how the President has used religious language to stifle political debate on key domestic and foreign policy issues, damage the separation between religion and government and undermine religious pluralism in the United States.
 

Their compelling remarks included:

On the Potential Dangers In Using Religious Language: "The sense of having the moral high ground can justify extreme acts. It is much easier to sell a war, for example, when one claims to have the high ground. When you frame a conflict as God's people versus Satan's people, one side can only annihilate the other." - Elaine Pagels  "Many fail to embrace President Bush's world-view and object to his aggressive, arrogant and war-driven foreign policy. Just as religious leaders have a duty to refrain from dictating the political beliefs of their congregants, political leaders must not hold the misguided illusion that they are prophets of God's will." - Rev. Gaddy

"[The President] is setting this country up as a target for militant Muslims, not as a magnet for pluralism." - Elaine Pagels


On Stifling Democratic Debate on Key Policy Issues:
"When the President uses the language of evangelical Christians, he stifles debate. Democracy is being crippled in its ability to practice healthy debate. When everything is 'absolutized,' the debate just stops, because there is the perception of evil on one side of the argument." - Rev. Gaddy

"The President uses moral language to simply shut down political discourse."
- Elaine Pagels


On How Religious Language Can Be Divisive:
"We need moral language to better understand horrific acts, such the terror attacks of 9/11. But it's distorting and destructive when applied to whole blocks of people or countries. Religious language is unifying, but it can be divisive since it bypasses the brain and goes straight to the gut." - Elaine
Pagels

"There is a distinction between America's civil religion and the language that President Bush uses, which comes from a specific evangelical Christian viewpoint. When he speaks in these terms, he leaves out whole segments of
America. His language implies a lack of appreciation for the vastness of religious pluralism in this land." - Rev. Gaddy

"As a Baptist minister for over 40 years, I hold sacred my beliefs and morals that come from my faith. Yet, as a Christian, I can tell you that the President does not always speak for me, nor can he claim to speak for all Christians in America. Christians, let alone all people of faith, are not uniform in their thoughts or political beliefs." - Rev. Gaddy

Background:    

Dr. Elaine Pagels, Professor of Religion at Princeton University, is an internationally acclaimed author and scholar.  She is an authority on the concept of evil.  Pagels' books include Adam, Eve and the Serpent; The Origin of Satan; and the Gnostic Gospels.

Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, President of the Interfaith Alliance Foundation --
the nation's leading umbrella interfaith group -- is an expert on religion and politics, and the rise of the religious right.  He also serves as the Pastor for Preaching and Worship at Northminster (Baptist) Church in Monroe, Louisiana.