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Political Leaders Should Resist Pressure To Take Up Preaching, Says Church-State Expert
Trend Toward Religious Rhetoric In Politics Undercuts Constitution, Could Divide America, Says The Rev. Barry W. Lynn

Political leaders should resist pressure from religious leaders to turn public policy debate into an exercise in theology, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

"These are dangerous times for the First Amendment principle of church-state separation," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. "Religious advocates of all stripes are applying all kinds of pressure on politicians to start passing laws based on their interpretation of the Bible.

"From James Dobson to Jim Wallis, evangelicals are goading politicians to couch policy-making in Christian terms," Lynn continued. "This is deeply troubling and potentially very divisive. Politicians are not preachers, and political debate should not be turned into religious conflict."...