With a generation of Christian right leaders dead or aging, the founder of the conservative evangelical group Focus on the Family says he's concerned about the movement's future leadership.
James Dobson told a group of Christian broadcasters Tuesday night that the passing of Jerry Falwell, the Rev. D. James Kennedy and Ruth Bell Graham represent the end of an era.
The radio talk show host noted that others like Billy Graham, Chuck Colson, Pat Robertson and Chuck Swindoll will also soon pass from the scene, and questioned the impact on the conservative Christian church.
"It causes me to wonder who will be left to carry the banner when this generation of leaders is gone," Dobson told an audience of nearly 1,400 at the National Religious Broadcasters conference. "The question is, will the younger generation heed the call? Who will defend the unborn child in the years to come? Who will plead for the Terri Schiavos of the world? Who's going to fight for the institution of marriage, which is on the ropes today."
Dobson's comments come as national groups like the Christian Coalition are struggling, and the organizational muscle of the movement now rests with local pastors, not national figures.
Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, who stepped out of the race last week, had won widespread support among pastors and other evangelicals at a local level, but not with those heading influential national organizations and other conservative evangelical leaders.
Christian activists and other observers of the movement say that the next generation of leaders isn't as interested in polarizing debates and wants to broaden the evangelical agenda beyond divisive issues like abortion and gay marriage.
"Who in the next generation will be willing to take the heat, when it's so much safer and more comfortable to avoid controversial subjects," Dobson said. "What will be the impact on the conservative Christian church when the patriarchs have passed?"
Dobson, 71, said many of his comments on Tuesday were the same he made at Kennedy's funeral last fall, when he told those in attendance he's praying that the next generation of Christians will answer God's call to take up the mantle of leadership.
President Bush spoke to convention attendees earlier Tuesday, saying he would not let the 2008 presidential race affect how he will run the Iraq war. He also asked the audience to send their "love and prayers" to Billy Graham, who is recovering from surgery in North Carolina. Graham's wife Ruth died last year.
Graham "led the way for America's religious broadcasters," Bush said. "He brought the Gospel to millions, and many years ago he helped me change my life. A lot of Americans love Billy Graham, and I'm one. So, Billy, we're thinking about you."
Falwell, a television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority and became the face of the religious right in the 1980s, and Kennedy, a founding board member of the Moral Majority and founder of the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, both died last year.
Dobson stepped down as Focus on the Family president in 2003 but hasn't hinted at retirement. He remains the board chairman and the ministry's public voice on its flagship radio broadcast.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Comments
I happened onto this article and found all the posts very interesting. I am in agreement in the sense that we have no really good choice for President of the United States. Someone said to put our total faith in God for our country instead of in a human being. This I am in total agreement with. In my opinion Barack Obama has a hidden agenda and through his wife's words and also his Pastor we have seen on the surface first hand some of his distaste for the United States. His comments about the flag and so on have led me to believe he wouldn't protect America. McCain has shown a great many anti-Christian sentiments...very disheartening. Hilary is moving toward socialism and greater government control...very scary. Perhaps the end times are starting in the sense that the true church will have to go underground to keep the true fellowship holy and separate from the world. It has to get worse before it gets better. Putting our full assurance with our future into God's hands seems best and prayer will and can do more than any political leader. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16 B Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's". In keeping with holiness and trusting God, it might be good for those who are disturbed by the choices for President to not vote. At this point I am not sure what I will do. I would like to hear more on this subject.
A new Christian Right leader must understand in the words of Reagan, "Government is the problem".
Most of the social ills we face today are because of government's experiments with socialism, unconstitutional spending, and unauthorized programs.
The very war against poverty keeps people in poverty, the war on drugs creates younger and younger drug users.
Our foreign policies pit one country against another, while corporations profit from the wars that ensue, leaving us less secure and one of the largest debtor nations in the world.
Our socialist schools leaves kids without a proper education in the basics and a biased and skewed world view.
Yes, the next Christian Right leader in America must understand that people need to rely less on government, and more on God, work to reduce government's size back to lawful Constitutional levels.
If the next leader doesn't address this major issue of the "role of our government", corrruption in government, and fiscal incompetence, he will have no influence on alot of the "Christian Right", in my opinion.
2 Words: Ralph (and) Reed.
gmac0961 - I can't agree more and I conjure the 2 words above that make me shudder for effect. The issue you bring up opens a huge can of worms that is far too painful to discuss within the bounds of text boxes. The "American Church", as a whole, is far too worldly, far too faithless, and has long since existed to become truly effective. The state of the soul of our country is proof of that. And when you have influential Xians like Pat Robertson putting his heart and soul behind Rudderless Ghouliani, Bob Jones III behind Mitt Moroni, and Gary Bauer behind McPain, I seriously have to wonder what Outer Limits episode I woke up in.
We DO need a serious national "repent job" as you suggest, but until that ever happens, the Church will continue to spinelessly slither down and "slouch toward Gomorrah".
Bozo- I agree with you that voting is a civic responsibility and I always vote in elections. My point is that, as I see it, the religious right often gets too wrapped up in fighting these battles in the political arena. This, I think, tends to ignore our primary purpose of spreading the Gospel. My thought is that if we can get people to real repentance and following God, the leading of the Spirit will cause them to vote as they should.
Bozo,
You are right. I probably will vote this fall. I know Jimmy Stewart (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) won't save us from all the corruption that exists in politics today, but I pray God's will be done, and I do know He is ultimately in control.
kpercy07: hearty thanks for the props, but you are sadly mistaken about your voting options. You see...in November 2008, you WILL be voting for Bozo. That's the whole point of my ID. I see you nodding your head. Aahhh...now you get it.....
59innings and gmac0961: I agree with your sentiments as all believers should (yes, even our beloved Dr. D) - that our hope should not be in politics, chariots, horses, or horses' a_ _ es. But I genuinely can't imagine how we as Xians can approach civic duty as an optional such as stuffing or potatoes. God has called us to get involved until his return. We can interpret that however we want, but not to participate in the election of officials, I think, is an abdication of our moral duty. I think we can all think of countless illustrations where we did something we didn't want to do, but we did it because it was the right thing to do. Has God called us to simply roll over and die and allow the enemy to take over? At the very minimum He's called us to fight - and He'll take care of the results. And one of the many battles we are called to fight take place in the voting booth. (I'm not suggesting either of you are not voting, but I know there are a lot of Xians out there who won't this time around).
I have several friends that won't vote for McPain because they don't want to "support" him. So anyone that is reluctant to vote - and I empathize more than anyone since I am a military member and the POTUS is also my Commander in Chief - think of it this way: A vote for your candidate is not a vote of support...it's DAMAGE CONTROL.
Sovereignly, God is completely in control, but he's still left us in this world to be light and salt. But we can't be so spiritually minded to where we're no earthly good. Last time I checked, the pavement I walk on is asphalt, not 24K gold. Until that changes, I'm going to vote in every election available to me - even if it is Bozo 4 President every 4 years.
Let's all just pray Jesus comes back.......Nov 3rd.
I think worring about politics misses the point of why we are on earth as Christians. Our problems our social, not political.
My whole problem with this attitude is that it seems to really be the same point of view of the liberal left. Namely, that the solutions to our social ills will be found in the political arena.
Many think this too unrealistic, but I think we should be focusing on getting people to repent and follow Jesus. Compelling people to follow the laws of man, whether the right or the left makes those laws is of little value. It does nothing to promote real salvation, which is the real aim of the church. As we progress toward that goal, the politics will take care of itself.
Would Jesus have voted for the lesser of two evils? Would He have voted? I don't know. Maybe He would have. I just know I'm not looking forward to this upcoming election or the next four years, but my hope is not in politics.
Hear hear, Bozo. Exceptionally well said. But I'm not voting for you ...
I agree with you Bozo the secular humanists have the upper hand, never more so was that on display then with the Terri Schiavos case.
CLEARWATER, FL, July 21, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Attorney Patricia Anderson, representing the parents of Terri Schindler-Schiavo, has filed a motion in the Sixth Judicial Circuit today seeking relief of judgment based on a March 20, 2004 statement by Pope John Paul II regarding the provision of food and fluids to incapacitated statements.
In his March speech, titled "Life-Sustaining Treatments and the Vegetative State: Scientific Advances and Ethical Dilemmas", the Pope stated that "A man, even if seriously ill or disabled in the exercise of his highest functions, is and always will be a man, and he will never become a 'vegetable' or an 'animal'."
The Pope went on to say "..administration of food and water, even when provided by artificial means, always represents a natural means of preserving life, not a medical act.
"Death by starvation or dehydration is, in fact, the only possible outcome as a result of their withdrawal. In this sense, it ends up becoming, if done knowingly and willingly, true and proper euthanasia by omission."
In her 12-page motion, Attorney Anderson points out that Ms. Schiavo has been a practicing Catholic her entire life (attending Catholic services, Catholic Schooling and other faith-based training) and that the withdrawal of food and fluids that would result in an act of 'euthanasia by omission' would be a violation of her religious beliefs.
It was a sad day in America and the world while we watched and waited for 12 days while she was starved to death. May she rest in Peace.
Additionally, Attorney Anderson cites that "state power is no more to be used so as to handicap religions than it is to be used to favor them (Brown, supra at 182).
OMG, who will be around to tell us which cartoon characters are gay?!?!
I hear the Phelps family has bred quite a few offspring.
"The question is, will the younger generation heed the call? Who will defend the unborn child in the years to come? Who will plead for the Terri Schiavos of the world? Who's going to fight for the institution of marriage, which is on the ropes today."
I find it amazing that Dr. D can say state this call for Christians to action and at the same time pout, stomp his feet, and announce he's going to boycott the presidential election in November and simply not vote. This is lunacy. As much as I like Dr. D, he's really missed the boat, dingy, and all. How can we as Christians influence law and legislation...but then not participate in the political process? I see a blatant lack of consistency here.
If you don't "prefer" any of the candidates, you have the option to vote for the lesser of 2 distinct evils, or you could do what I'm doing - obvioulsy - writing in BOZO 4 President!
Dr. Dobson is correct. We must be careful not to let the liberal post-modernists take control. RIck Warren has somehow manuevered himself into a place of leadership. He does not represent the interests of the evangelical community and frankly is hostile to it. I think its time to begin the search for the next generation of leadership.....