Panel Proposes ‘Third Way’ for Evangelical Christians : Politics: Position would emphasize the moral responsibility advocated by Religious Right and some governmental actions called for by the left.

A panel of evangelical leaders and authors has called on evangelical Christians to forge a political “third way” between the “politically correct” left and the conservative Religious Right.

“Americans are fed up with the culture wars,” said Tom Sine, a well-known evangelical author and adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. “They want to try to solve America’s problems.”

Sine, joined by James Skillen of the Center for Public Justice, an evangelical think tank in Washington, and Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine, spoke at a news conference Wednesday, calling for other evangelical voices besides the conservative Christian Coalition to be heard in the political arena.

That “third way” would emphasize both the personal, moral responsibility advocated by the Religious Right and governmental actions to improve health care and preserve the environment called for by the left.

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Their view was seconded at a separate news conference held by People for the American Way, a liberal civil liberties advocacy group.

“American families have real problems that call for real solutions,” said Tom Andrews, the group’s president.

“But what’s hurting American families is not public education, public television, religious liberty and reproductive choice, all of which are targeted in the Christian Coalition’s Contract [With the American Family],” he said, referring to the legislative agenda backed by many conservative Christians.

Andrews released a poll, commissioned by People for the American Way, that found majority public support for only two of the 10 items in the coalition’s contract--those dealing with crime and pornography.

According to the poll of 1,252 registered voters, conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, a majority of respondents rejected proposals that would: grant vouchers for private and religious schools; replace public assistance with private charity; amend the Constitution’s religious liberty provisions; abolish the Department of Education and cut education funding; abolish federal support for the arts, humanities and public broadcasting; restrict abortion, and eliminate federal funds for family planning programs.