Twenty-four evangelical leaders–both progressive and conservative–placed full-page ads in leading U.S. newspapers Oct. 18 calling for President Bush and the American public to stop genocide in Darfur.
The leaders requested an immediate session with the president to discuss economic sanctions and deployment of United Nations peacekeeping forces to stop the ethnic cleansing in western Sudan.
Since African rebels fought against the Sudanese government in 2003, extreme government repression by its military and a murderous Arab militia have left more than 200,000 people dead in the Darfur region and more than 2.5 million displaced, according to relief groups.
Along with radio ads, the print ads ran in the Washington Post, Washington Times, New York Times and USA Today, plus selected local dailies. The 24 evangelical leaders who signed the ad represent more than 50 million constituents nationwide.
And with leaders from both conservative and progressive organizations on board–from Ted Haggard to Brian McLaren–the call could mark a tipping point in ongoing efforts to intervene in Darfur.
When Washington “feels the heat” from so many varied constituents, it will “see the light,” said Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
“What we're seeing is concern, concern, talk, talk, but no action, action. And people are dying,” Land said. “I believe the president does care deeply about this. I see this [request] as helping to strengthen the president's hand. To enable the president to do what is in his heart to do.”
Other members of the group called Evangelicals for Darfur said the ads demonstrate that modern evangelicals care about more than just domestic issues. Rich Cizik, the vice president for government affairs at the National Association of Evangelicals, said evangelicals are the new internationalists. As such, they are in the best position to voice outrage at the atrocities in Darfur.
“I believe the voice that is needed and is, frankly, the most influential is the evangelical voice,” he said. “I believe, in the political and international arenas, that when evangelicals speak, governments listen.”
Associated Baptist Press