This is an exclusive Q & A which I did as a blog-journalist for
The Daily Bailout and the
Chattanooga Pulse.
I talked with Dr. Olin Ivey (Associate minister at Pilgrim Congregational Church in Chattanooga, TN and board member of the Urban Century Institute) on May 10, 2005.
Q: Have you heard about the East Waynesville Baptist Church situation?
A: Sure. I've read your Daily Bailout piece and seen the news.
Q: You're a minister at a progressive church in Chattanooga, just three hours from Waynesville. Do you think this case is isolated?
A: No. It is not isolated. This has been going on since the Sunday after the election at conservative churches everywhere. And a number of Baptist churches made it very clear, beginning with that Sunday, that any of their membership who had voted for Kerry were not welcome in the fellowship, threatening to kick them out. The other message was "you're going to hell if you voted for a Democrat."
Q: What will the religious consequences be for these churches?
A: A deep schism within the broader Christian fellowship will continue to form. It's been there for years, between progressives and ultra-conservatives pulling in opposite directions. Progressives have pushed for more open and affirmative congregations while the fundamentalists have closed down discussion and asserted that you must believe one particular way in terms of politics as a test of faith.
Q: You read my story. What did you make of the teenagers supporting the minister at East Waynesville Baptist Church?
A: The whole thing reminds me of Nazi Germany when Hitler used the youth to bring about revolution. It's so important to know history. With young people, you always have idealism. In terms of Christianity, new converts or members have a sense of new commitment which new Christians are almost always more conservative and zealous about. The minister obviously galvanized the youth in this case.
Q: How should a church deal with politics?
A: The church is always involved in politics because what counts most for people is usually real, but that does not mean that church should be aligned with a political party. Politics in church should be individual, not collective. In this case, if the church was collectively involved in politics, or the minister was using the church that way, then their tax-exempt status should be brought in question.