BUENA PARK, Calif. — An early candidate for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has called on Baptists to pray for misfortune to befall employees of a church-state watchdog group.
Wiley Drake, a pastor, radio crusader and Baptist gadfly, issued an Aug. 14 statement calling for “imprecatory prayer” from his supporters against two communications staffers for Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU). The term “imprecatory prayer” is used to describe prayers, mostly in the Bible’s Old Testament, that the righteous use to call down God’s wrath against their enemies.
AU, based in Washington, advocates for a strict interpretation of the Constitution’s ban on government support for religion. It asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the tax-exempt status of Drake’s congregation, First Baptist Church, Buena Park, Calif., after Drake used church letterhead and a church-supported radio show to endorse a Republican presidential candidate.
Drake, who served as SBC second vice president 2006–2007, also became the first person publicly announced as a nominee for the SBC presidency Aug. 13. That day, a member of Drake’s church, Robert Bosworth, announced his intention to nominate his pastor for the SBC presidency at the next annual meeting, which will be held in June in Indianapolis.
Drake sent out the statement endorsing former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee Aug. 11 and later endorsed him again on his radio show. On Aug. 12, Huckabee surprised many observers by coming in second place in the Republican field in the Iowa Straw Poll.
The federal revenue code prevents churches and other nonprofits organized under certain sections of the law from endorsing political candidates or parties. However, they are allowed to speak out on ballot issues.
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