ATLANTA (ABP) — Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal sent an Inauguration Day letter congratulating Barack Obama and urging the newly sworn-in president to lead America in building a more civil and just society.
Writing on behalf of the moderate Baptist group of about 1,900 churches, Vestal pledged to pray for Obama, his family and the administration and made three “heartfelt requests” in an open letter distributed Jan. 20.
Vestal asked the president to help “create a cultural ethos that transcends our religious and regional division.”
“Many of us believe it is possible to engage one another in serious conversation, even disagreement, without demonizing one another in rancor,” Vestal said. “The religious and cultural differences in our society need not be the cause of bitter division. We pledge to do our part, but we need your strong leadership and continued example.”
Vestal also called on Obama to “take bold steps to make life better for the poor and powerless.”
“You have already made clear that the challenges facing our nation will not be met easily or quickly,” he said. “But we ask of you to ask of us to serve and sacrifice so that ‘the least of these’ among us may have equality and opportunity.”
Vestal also asked Obama to “help us realize the fulfillment of Martin Luther King’s dream for America as ‘a beloved community.'”
“We realize that government can only do so much to bridge the divides among us and eliminate the disparity between us, but we ask for leadership that forges creative partnerships between government and all institutions in our nation to work for the common good and not just for the special interests of some,” Vestal said.
“We ask for policies that are fair and compassionate, laws that are just and government officials who fulfill their duties with competence and integrity,” Vestal continued. “We ask for accountability and honesty in your administration. We ask for you to tell us the truth, even when it’s not politically expedient.”
-30-
Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.