Progressive religious activists, evangelicals ‘unlikely allies’

When evangelicals took center stage at an interfaith Make Poverty History rally, Chloe Breyer was uneasy. A progressive Episcopal priest and a staunch defender of abortion rights, Breyer worried how evangelicals might upset a left-leaning coalition of religious activists lobbying the U.N. World Summit.

She became impressed, however, with stories of evangelical relief work in Sierra Leone, quick responses to Hurricane Katrina and even a willingness to criticize President George W. Bush on a handful of issues, like foreign aid. “It was eye-opening for me,” said Breyer, the Harlem, N.Y.-based daughter of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

On a small but widening spectrum of topics ranging from genocide in Sudan to global warming, liberal religious groups are beginning to see evangelical Christians as unlikely allies. As evangelicals exert increasing political influence, particularly with the White House, progressive religious activists are seeking ways to collaborate — without compromising their principles.

“They believe we have access,” said Richard Cizik, vice president of government affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals, who attended the September street rally with Breyer outside the United Nations (U.N.). Cizik is courted more by liberal activists since Bush took office, and he’s happy to help on issues of common ground. “It doesn’t bother me at all,” he said.

Based in Washington, Cizik said his interfaith collaboration dates back 10 years, but no one wanted to write about it then.

He has taken some flak from conservative evangelicals, who caution him against being seduced by Washington, the left and the media. But Cizik insists he’s not easily swayed. He remains adamantly opposed to abortion, gay “marriage” and embryonic stem cell research.

But Cizik works with several interfaith groups such as Save Darfur and the National Religious Partnership for the Environment. He slammed Bush for making little progress in Sudan a year after Colin Powell called the killings there genocide.

After the U.N. rally, Cizik led a coalition to U.N. Ambassador John Bolton’s office. Speaking for Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu leaders, he urged Bolton’s staff to commit more money to developing nations.

And many credit evangelical lobbying for Bush’s unexpected verbal support for the U.N. Millennium Development Goals, which aim to half poverty by 2015.