IRD President comments on President Clinton’s “amen corner”
Institute on Religion and Democracy, September 17, 1998
IRD President Diane Knippers expressed disappointment that some prominent church leaders are minimizing the importance of President Clinton’s adultery, deception and abuse of power. These Christian leaders are serving as a political “amen corner” for the President, she lamented. Knippers said church leaders should instead faithfully witness to the teachings of the faith about sexual fidelity, about truth telling and about responsible governance.
“Mr. Clinton’s behavior cannot be dismissed as merely private,” said Knippers. “His actions were reckless, irresponsible and immoral. Yet too many mainline religious leaders are acting as though the President’s political stances, of which they approve, compensate for and are more important than the President’s ethical standards.”
Most visible among the President’s clerical defenders has been the pastor of Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, which the Clintons attend. J. Philip Wogaman, who is also a prominent Methodist ethicist, has appeared on numerous television programs to urge quick forgiveness of the President and a conclusion to national discussion about Clinton’s misconduct.
Also defending the president has been Joan Brown Campbell, who heads the National Council of Churches, a coalition of 34 denominations. Both Campbell and Wogaman have pointed to Clinton’s policies regarding racial issues, poverty, and international peace as examples of the President’s integrity and continued fitness for office.
Campbell joined in late August with numerous religious leaders in signing a “An Appeal for Healing,” which declared: “It is time to put to rest what has occurred…It is time once again to be led by our president.” Other signers included Andrew Young, the NCC’s president-elect, evangelist-sociologist Tony Campolo, Bishop Vinton Anderson of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and C. Welton Gaddy, a Baptist minister who heads the Interfaith Alliance.
Some religious leaders, including officials of the Southern Baptist Convention, have criticized the President’s conduct and have even urged resignation. This week, the National Association of Evangelicals declined an invitation to a White House meeting of religious leaders, so a to avoid the appearance of taking sides with the President. Paul Sherry, president of the United Church of Christ, has expressed deep disappointment over Clinton’s behavior. So too has the head of Washington’s National Cathedral.
“Religious leaders need not comment on all the legal or political judgements that are before us, but they must defend basic honor, morality and decency,” said Knippers. “Religious leaders would do right to hear the President’s confession, to offer him God’s forgiveness, to pray for Him, and even prophetically to warn of God’s judgement. They are most emphatically wrong in minimizing the relevance of Mr. Clinton’s behavior to our national political life. Public character depends upon personal character. We may fairly expect both from our nation’s chief executive.”
(Diane Knipper’s September 11 op-ed in The Washington Times suggests appropriate roles for religious leaders in a moral crisis. She also expresses her hope for the President’s resignation. Copies of this article on available on request.)