Ted Haggard Opening Up the Umbrella Group:
At a meeting with President Bush in November 2003, after nearly an
hour of jovial Oval Office chat, the Rev. Ted Haggard, 48, got
serious. He argued against Bush-imposed steel tariffs on the grounds
that free markets foster economic growth, which helps the poor. A
month later, the White House dropped the tariffs. Haggard wasn't
alone in faulting the policy, and he doesn't claim to be the impetus,
but as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, he gets
listened to. He represents 30 million conservative Christians spread
over 45,000 churches from 52 diverse denominations. Every Monday he
participates in the West Wing conference call with evangelical
leaders. The group continues to prod the President to campaign
aggressively for a federal marriage amendment. "We wanted him to use
the force of his office to actively lobby the Congress and Senate,
which he did not adequately do," says Haggard. He is also working to
broaden his group's agenda. A document issued last fall offered a
theological justification for civic activism by U.S. Evangelicals,
calling on them to protect the environment, promote global religious
and political freedom and human rights, safeguard "wholesome family
life," care for the poor and oppose racism. Says Haggard: "With the
growth of Evangelicalism worldwide, we have to be involved in
political and social action to impact the culture worldwide."
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Text David Van Biema, Cathy
Booth-Thomas/Dallas, Massimo Calabresi and John F.
Dickerson/Washington
John Cloud and Rebecca Winters/New York, and Sonja Steptoe/Los
Angeles.
With reporting by Amanda Bower/New York, Rita Healey/Denver,
Sean Scully/Philadelphia and Elaine Shannon/Washington
FROM THE FEBRUARY 7, 2005 ISSUE OF TIME MAGAZINE; POSTED SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 2005
