THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 17, 1996 TAG: 9606170060
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: 59 lines
Many evangelical Christians were on the wrong side of the race issue in the past but now are repenting, Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed said Sunday in urging a united front on church burnings.
``There was a time in our nation's history when the white evangelical church was not only on the sidelines but on the wrong side of the most central struggle for social justice in this century,'' Reed said on NBC's ``Meet the Press.''
``I think that was wrong, I think we paid a price for that,'' Reed said in explaining why his conservative group is now trying to play a bigger role in speaking out against the burnings of black churches in the South. The Rev. Joseph Lowery, president of the Atlanta-based Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said that he would discuss issues with Reed but added that he thought the coalition's agenda had contributed to ``a climate of negativism'' in America.
The Chesapeake-based coalition has scheduled a gathering in Atlanta on Tuesday to discuss the issue with civil rights and black groups such as the NAACP, and Reed criticized Lowery for questioning the coalition's motives.
``I am afraid it is an irresponsible comment,'' he said of Lowery's statement that the coalition had contributed to the climate of hate in the country. ``We were one of the first organizations to make the bombing of the black churches one of our top issues.''
In April, the coalition offered a $25,000 reward for information on the fires that have destroyed 34 black Southern churches over the past 18 months.
``There were white evangelicals in the South who justified Jim Crow and segregation, and invoked Scripture to do it,'' Reed said.
``I have often argued that I think our movement, if it is going to gain the morally resonant voice that I think it needs on other issues such as the taking of innocent human life, . . . has got to make racial reconciliation a major priority.''
In Atlanta, Lowery said he would be happy to talk with Reed, but added, ``I think he's trying to exploit and absolve himself and his group of their exploitation of fears in this country.''
Lowery, responding to questions after preaching a sermon, said, ``We'd be glad to join with any members of the community of faith to fight injustice, to fight poverty. But they're not going to absolve themselves by exploiting these fires.''
Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick, appearing on ``Meet the Press,'' said the Justice Department was pursuing possible racial motives for the attacks, and noted that they come during ``a general retreat from the civic ideal of integration.''
The breakdown in efforts to work across racial lines ``contributes to the suspicion and the level of intolerance which is a part of American life today.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photo
Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed, right, on NBC's ``Meet the
Press'' Sunday, said some white evangelical Christians had once
``justified Jim Crow and segregation, and invoked Scripture to do
it.'' With him is NAACP President Kweisi Mfume. by CNB