The president of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCCUSA) has said that the majority of the Christians in America do not share the values of religious right pundit Ann Coulter, following her recent comments about Jewish people.
Ms Coulter, an author, columnist and frequent TV interview guest, recently reportedly referred to Christians as “perfected Jews” and said that America would be better off if there were no Jewish people there.
“Ann Coulter…has dismissed most of the Bible and the words of Jesus defending the poor, the widow, the prisoner – the least among us – and spewed her venom that has little or nothing to do with orthodox Christianity,” writes the Rev Michael Livingston, NCCUSA’s president, for the Washington Post and Newsweek ‘On Faith’ blog.
The Rev Livingston says Ms Coulter and other “extreme ultra-conservative” Christians represent “a political philosophy masquerading as gospel that is wrapped in religious rhetoric and painted red, white and blue.”
The NCCUSA president laments the media’s overarching attraction to such ultra-conservative leaders and its concurrent ignoring of the majority of Christians.
“Most American Christians struggle each week to apply Biblical truths in their daily lives,” writes Livingston. “They seek to follow the words and actions of Jesus reminding his followers about taking care of the widow and the orphan, the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked and visiting the prisoner.”
“Most Christians believe in an authentic, inclusive and welcoming gospel in the thousands of communities where they worship,” said Livingston, who is also the executive director of the International Council of Community Churches.
The National Council of Churches USA is the shared voice of 35 of America’s Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace churches. These NCCUSA member communions have 45 million members in 100,000 congregations in all 50 states.