Pastor Quits Panel Over His Comments

A former Cleveland police chaplain who was fired in 1995 for making derogatory comments about other religions has resigned from a committee advising congressional Republicans on faith-based issues.

The resignation of Bishop J. Delano Ellis, pastor of the Pentecostal Church of Christ in Cleveland, averted a conflict with Jewish committee members. It came as Republicans are trying to showcase support for the Bush administration’s faith-based initiative and opponents are gearing up to fight it.

Ellis’ resignation came before last Tuesday’s start of a GOP congressional meeting on faith-based issues. The meeting, which featured appearances by leading Bush administration officials, drew hundreds of clergy members from across the country.

Ellis resigned Monday from an advisory committee that helped organize the meeting after two Jewish members of the panel expressed concerns about reports that Ellis had referred to Jews as “carnal, selfish . . . dirty and lowdown and wicked” in a 1994 Cleveland radio sermon. Ellis also had said that God allowed Hitler to hurt Jews because they had mistreated others, but that Hitler’s actions were wrong.

Ellis later said that his remarks were taken out of context and that he was referring to biblical characters, not to Jews living today. Ellis was traveling and unavailable for comment, said Minette Jackson, a spokeswoman for his church.