SUMMER 2015 The Public Eye

When the Exception Is the Rule Christianity in the Religious Freedom Debates editor’s letter perspectives

BY Lindsay Beyerstein THE PUBLIC EYE quarterly

Publisher Tarso Luís Ramos Struggling to Get Church GUEST Editor Kathryn Joyce Beyond the Hate Frame LAYOUT and State Right Jennifer Hall cover art Political Research Associates always strives to see both the trees and the forest: to go Asad Badat Whether it’s a spree killing, a vandalized mosque, or a beyond caricatures to provide fresh research and analysis on individual conservative bias attack on a queer teen, Americans are quick to chalk it Printing activists and coalitions, but also to situate these actors in the larger infrastructure of Red Sun Press up to hate. The label “hate crime” invites us to blame over- the Right. The first piece in our Summer 2015 issue,“Beyond the Hate Frame” (page wrought individuals acting on extreme personal prejudice, Editorial Board , speaks to this ideal: an interview with Kay Whitlock and Michael Bronski, authors of 3) T.F. Charlton • Frederick Clarkson making it seem as if a small cadre of social deviants is our the new book Considering Hate, which explores how “the hate frame” obscures broader Alex DiBranco • Eric Ethington main obstacle to a peaceful society. In fact, such individu- issues of systemic violence. Kapya Kaoma • L. Cole Parke als are products of a society that endorses all kinds of vio- Tarso Luís Ramos • Spencer Sunshine lence against the very same groups who are targeted in hate As this issue is going to press, the Supreme Court has just announced its historic rul- Mariya Strauss crimes. The perpetrators of these crimes are taking their ing on Obergefell v. Hodges, legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. In addition to be- cues from a society that embraces mass incarceration, mili- ing a landmark moment for marriage equality and LGBTQ civil rights, the decision will The Public Eye is published by tarized policing, the school-to-prison pipeline, and other also inevitably add to the developing debate over religious freedom exemptions. Political Research Associates forms of structural violence wielded disproportionately Tarso Luís Ramos against people of color, queer and trans or gender non-con- That’s the topic of this quarter’s cover story, “When the Exception Is the Rule” Executive Director forming people, and the poor. (page 4), by PRA Senior Fellow Frederick Clarkson. Over the span of the last several Theresa Blackman years, we’ve seen the idea of religious liberty used by corporations like Hobby Lobby Operations Coordinator Kay Whitlock is an independent scholar of structural vio- to avoid providing insurance coverage for certain types of contraception; the prolifera- Eric Ethington lence who seeks to dismantle the prison industrial complex. Communications Director tion of state-level legislation affirming the right of businesses to deny services to LGBTQ She is the cofounder of Criminal Injustice, a blog series that Photo: Cindy Trinh, activistnyc.tumblr.com/ Kapya Kaoma people; and the expansion of the definition of church ministry employees that is allow- explores myths about crime, criminals, and the justice sys- facebook.com/activistnyc / Instagram @activistnyc Religion and Sexuality Researcher ing religious employers to overlook basic labor laws. It’s all a far cry from the original tem. Michael Bronski is a professor at Dartmouth College Mark Brown and author of the award-winning book A Queer History of the United States. Their new coauthored book is Considering Hate: Violence, intent of constitutional religious freedom protections, but it’s shaping up to be the tool Finance Manager Goodness, and Justice in American Culture and Politics, published this year by Beacon Press.1 This spring, they spoke with PRA about of choice for the Religious Right. Taking the long view, Clarkson explores how, when Kassia Palys it comes to balancing individual conscience and the separation of church and state, the Development Associate their work. United States is still struggling to get it right. L. Cole Parke Gender Justice Researcher What led you to write a book about hate and the role that it gone amok. In this view, hate is not about structures, not about Next is “Latin America in the Crosshairs” (page 10), Gillian Kane’s dispatch on Mariya Strauss plays in our politics? power hierarchies, not about institutional practice. Finally, how the right-wing legal advocacy organization Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is Economic Justice Researcher that hate is perpetrated by extremists, misfits, and loners who cementing its presence abroad, establishing a roster of Latin American offices and in- Aviva Galpert KAY WHITLOCK: I wrote a piece for Political Research Asso- sinuating itself into the workings of international courts and the domestic debates of Program Coordinator ciates in 2012 about reconsidering the “hate frame” as a useful are violating agreed-upon standards of fairness, and that hate foreign nations. Looking at how the U.S. Right operates overseas, often to help influ- Fellows progressive political frame. Michael and I had worked together violence is unacceptable and abhorrent to respectable society. ence policy back home, has long been a PRA priority. Kane’s story takes this analysis T.F. Charlton • Frederick Clarkson before on my book, Queer (In)Justice, which he helped acquire In fact, what is called “hate violence”—violence directed Cynthia Greenlee • Spencer Sunshine further with a vital update on a litigation enterprise for which no international culture for Beacon Press. Michael shared my PRA article with Beacon. at vulnerable and marginalized groups—is not abhorrent to Rachel Tabachnick war cause is too big or too small. Beacon was interested in the two of us joining together, open- respectable society. On the contrary, respectable society has Interns ing up the discussion far beyond just specific kinds of progres- provided the models, policies, and practices that marginalize Ally Batchelder • Cara Brewer people of color, queers, disabled people, and in many respects, Lastly, in “Big Questions About Templeton” (page 14), John Weaver takes a fasci- Eli Lee • Jaime Longoria sive politics. nating look at the role that megawatt philanthropic group The Templeton Foundation Katie Matejcak • Meghan Racklin women. The hate frame disappears considerations of structur- has played in issues related to healthcare. From prayer studies to claims of faith healing Jacey Rubinstein What is the “hate frame”? al violence and substitutes in their place the idea that there are and resurrection, Templeton has helped fund and promote questionable, and even dan- oard of irectors these crazed extremists, and that’s who we have to go after. B D KW: We think of a frame as a conceptual, and often rhetori- gerous, faith-based treatments, often in countries emerging from a colonial past. While The overarching question of the book is how hate is mobi- Dania Rajendra, Chair cal, path that shapes how people think about an issue. It always others have written before about the impact of Templeton money on the intersection of Katherine Acey • Paulina Hernandez lized for political purposes and in what ways that destroys the suggests a particular direction we ought to go in to address the belief and science, Weaver advances the story to investigate how conflicts around faith, Lynette Jackson • Janet Jakobsen possibility for good discourse on structural issues. medicine, and psychology may represent the next religion-science battleground. Hamid Khan • Maria Elena Letona situation. Scot Nakagawa • Zeke Spier In U.S. progressive politics the hate frame has four main as- Do you think it’s counterproductive for watchdog organizations sumptions: First, that hate is rooted purely in irrational, per- It’s been my pleasure to serve as guest editor for the last two issues of The Public Eye, Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D. to monitor hate groups? and I look forward to bringing you this fall’s issue as well. Founder sonal prejudice and fear and loathing of difference. In fact, it’s It’s certainly important to understand how readily bla- Till then, also rooted in ideologies and supremacy, in a historical and KW: 1310 Broadway, Suite 201 tantly racist, xenophobic, and anti-queer ideas that gain steam Somerville, MA 02144-1837 cultural context. Second, that hate is hate, and the specifici- Kathryn Joyce Tel: 617.666.5300 ties don’t matter. Third, that the politics of hate is about that on what we think of as the margins seem to migrate into main- Guest Editor [email protected] crazy irrational feeling, which is caused by personal prejudice stream politics. But the “hate group” descriptor is imprecise © Political Research Associates, 2015 All rights reserved. ISSN 0275-9322 Beyerstein, continued on page 19 ISSUE 83 www.politicalresearch.org SUMMER 2015 Political Research Associates • 3 BY Frederick Clarkson insurance packages. term ‘Christian’ very loosely,” Perkins re- proval of their nuptial decisions or their But Cogburn’s ruling, in addition to plied. “Here’s a test of what is a true reli- sexual orientation.”7 finding for the right to perform same- gious freedom: a freedom that’s based on In a stark contrast to Walker, Perkins’s sex marriages, also underscored an idea orthodox religious viewpoints. It has to and Huckabee’s talk about religious free- that transcends the issues of the day: have a track record; it has to come forth dom echoes the late theocratic theolo- When the Exception Is the Rule that religious liberty is only possible in from religious orthodoxy.”5 In April gian R.J. Rushdoony, one of the most in- the context of religious pluralism. By 2015, Mike Huckabee, the former Re- fluential evangelical thinkers of the 20th undermining the Christian Right’s nar- publican governor of Arkansas, similarly Century. “In the name of toleration,” Christianity in the Religious Freedom Debates rative about how Christianity is under at- told a group of ministers participating Rushdoony objected in his 1973 opus, tack due to the advance of LGBTQ rights in an FRC-organized conference call that Institutes of Biblical Law, “the believer and marriage equality, it also cast into supporting marriage equality meant op- is asked to associate on a common level sharp relief what Christian Right leaders posing Christianity. Raising the stakes, of total acceptance with the atheist, the hen historians recount Affirming Baptists, and he further warned that trends to pervert, the criminal and the adherents the history of separation the Central Conference legalize same-sex marriage across of other religions.”8 Many other recent of church and state in our of American Rabbis. The the country would lead to the leaders of the Christian Right do not in time, one of the signa- complaint continued: “criminalization of Christianity.”6 fact believe in civic equality for those Wture events may be a federal court case The UCC case highlighted the with whom they religiously disagree or The laws forbidding that didn’t even make it to the Supreme rise of a distinctly theocratic poli- otherwise do not approve. And they usu- same-sex marriage Court. It didn’t need to. tics at the highest levels of govern- ally ignore those who represent major tell Plaintiffs that their The 2014 case of General Synod of the ment and indeed, constitutional religious institutions that hold differ- religious views are United Church of Christ v. Cooper was a law, in which theocratic elements ent views, like Rabbi Steven Fox, Chief invalid and same-sex landmark event because, although the are reframing so called culture Executive of the Central Conference of relationships are less case was ostensibly about opposition to war issues involving homosexual- American Rabbis, who, along with other worthy, thus humiliat- marriage equality, the decision upheld ity and reproductive justice as is- Reform rabbis, declared in a statement ing each Plaintiff and foundational notions of religious equal- sues of religious liberty. It might regarding marriage equality, “There is denigrating the integ- ity and equal protection under the law be hard to see, given the nature no more central tenet to our faith than rity and closeness of that bind this diverse and often fractious of press coverage, but the culture the notion that all human beings are cre- families and religious nation. It at once affirmed the equal wars have always been about more ated in the image of the Divine, and, as organizations, depriv- standing under the law of all religious than abortion and the definition of such, [are] entitled to equal treatment ing Plaintiffs of the in- and non-religious points of view and marriage. Recent legal battles over and equal opportunity.”9 clusive religious com- showed that the Christian Right does not religious liberty help to illuminate As complicated as these issues can munity of family units represent all of Christianity. how that’s so. be, what is clear is that when we talk they wish to establish.1 At issue was a 2012 amendment to the about religious freedom, we do not all North Carolina state constitution that As a result, clergy in The Ministry of Truth mean the same thing. The United States, provided that same-sex marriages were the UCC and fellow com- Though you might not know it to which led the way on Enlightenment-era invalid. Together with the state’s General plainants,2 who rou- read the news about religious free- approaches to the rights of individual Statutes, this amendment effectively tinely perform same-sex dom debates, not all Christian—let conscience and separation of church and criminalized the performance of same- marriage ceremonies, alone all religious—leaders share state in a pluralist society, is still trying sex marriage ceremonies. The upshot of could have been subject the same concerns as Huckabee to get it right. While civil liberties and the subsequent legal fight was that the to criminal prosecution. and Perkins. J. Brent Walker, ex- civil rights need not be seen as mutually million-member United Church of Christ “We didn’t bring this ecutive director of the Baptist Joint exclusive, navigating the conflicting in- (UCC), an historic Protestant denomina- lawsuit to make others Committee for Religious Liberty terests of personal conscience and the tion with roots dating back to the Plym- conform to our beliefs,” UCC general narrative as promulgated by the Chris- Protesters gather in Washington, D.C., for the (BJC), a longtime leading propo- public interest is fraught even in the best outh Colony and more than 5,000 local counsel Donald C. Clark Jr. told The New tian Right, wherein religious liberty Stand Up for Religious Freedom rally. nent of religious liberty in Wash- of times. This task is made more difficult churches, won a clear victory for both York Times, “but to vindicate the right of debates simply pit secularism against Photo via Flickr and courtesy of the American Life League. ington, D.C., represents much of when not everyone shares the values and marriage equality and religious liberty. all faiths to freely exercise their religious Christianity.4 It demonstrated that reli- the Baptist world beyond the con- vision of religious pluralism and consti- “By depriving the Plaintiffs of the free- practices.”3 gious freedom is neither owned, nor en- usually mean when they talk about reli- servative Southern Baptist Convention. tutional democracy, and indeed may see dom to perform religious marriage cere- The case had a complicated legal tra- tirely defined, by the Christian Right. gious liberty: not a broad understanding The BJC does not have a formal position those values as obstacles to their own monies or to marry,” the UCC complaint jectory, but the final decision came from Many religious freedom cases turn on of religious freedom for all believers, but on marriage equality, but the organiza- ends. read in part, “North Carolina stigmatizes U.S. District Court Judge Max O. Cog- claims by conservative religious groups rather a narrowly-defined, theocratic re- tion disagrees with the conflation of reli- The idea of religious exemptions is Plaintiffs and their religious beliefs.” burn Jr., who, after the Supreme Court or individuals—or corporations—that ligious supremacism. gious freedom with anti-marriage equal- not new. While they have a longer his- The complainants also argued that the declined to hear an appeal by the State of various public policies and the rights of The implications of the ruling weren’t ity activism. Religious liberty in the U.S., tory than the last 100 years, in the 20th law relegated same-sex couples “to sec- North Carolina in another case, declared others, with which they disagree, violate lost on the Right. A caller to the Wash- Walker wrote in the Joint Committee’s Century, exemption debates famously ond-class status.” Along with same-sex in his written decision: “It is clear…that their constitutional rights. Most famous- ington Watch radio program hosted by monthly newsletter, is protected “like no included issues like how to deal with couples, the plaintiffs included religious North Carolina laws…threatening to pe- ly, such claims have been made regard- Tony Perkins, president of the Family other place in the world.” Providing LG- conscientious objection to military ser- denominations and clergy from several nalize those who would solemnize such ing businesses providing services such as Research Council (FRC), asked him about BTQ people with “goods and services in vice, requirements for safety features traditions, including the Alliance of Bap- marriages, are unconstitutional.” cakes and flowers for same-sex marriag- the “Christian organization” that he the marketplace is an act of hospitality,” on horse-drawn Amish buggies driven tists, the Association of Welcoming and This case did not fit the culture war es or providing contraception through heard had filed the suit. “I would use that he continued, that need not “indicate ap- on public roads, and even legal require-

4 • The Public Eye SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 Political Research Associates • 5 ments to seek medical treatment for ple, offered an amendment to the 2015 Some of the most widely publicized ligious beliefs.” The Court made clear, issues arising because of a disability, retain an unwanted minister, or punish- children instead of relying on prayer. In congressional budget that sought to ap- contemporary religious freedom con- however, that its verdict dealt “only with leading to a discrimination claim by the ing a church for failing to do so, intrudes more recent years, lawyers have litigated ply the broad framing of the Christian flicts involve individual florists and bak- religious schools—not with churches or dismissed teacher. The church argued upon more than a mere employment church zoning laws, regulations regard- Right’s political agenda to the relation- ers refusing to provide flowers or cakes other purely religious institutions.”15 that the government had no right to in- decision…By imposing an unwanted ing religious homeschools and “troubled ship between the federal government for same-sex weddings. The notion that tervene in its employment decisions be- minister, the state infringes the Free Ex- teen” group homes, vaccination require- and private contractors. “Federal agen- these private businesses’ denial of ser- Expanding the Definition of Ministry cause the teacher served in a ministry ercise Clause, which protects a religious ments, and more.10 cies,” Inhofe’s amendment read in part, vice amounts to a religious freedom A more recent Supreme Court case in- capacity. The Court agreed, and in so group’s right to shape its own faith and One of the guiding principles in weigh- “do not discriminate against an indi- battleground is based on the claim that volved the expansion of the definition doing, expanded the definition of which mission through its appointments.” ing these decisions has been Title VII of vidual, business, or organization with the proprietors’ faith forbids them from of religious ministry in ways that serve the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which pro- sincerely-held religious beliefs against supporting something contrary to their to broaden the set of institutions that hibits discrimination based on religion, abortion or that marriage is the union particular beliefs about God. Almost ex- qualify for exemptions from federal laws race, sex, and national origin. But even between one man and one woman.”13 clusively, this has meant their particular and regulations. Whereas these exemp- the Civil Rights Act created what are The amendment was unsuccessful, but it notion of Christianity. tions historically applied to a few highly called “ministerial exceptions” for reli- epitomizes the contemporary thinking of Such claims may not ultimately pre- specific cases, now a great range of reli- gious groups.11 the Christian Right. vail, but within living memory, religious giously owned institutions is able to in- Elements of the Christian Right are The current wave of state legislation justifications have often been success- voke them. There is a distinct trend in now seeking to expand the defi- fully used to justify discrimi- this regard, away from individual rights nition of a religious organiza- nation of many kinds. Politi- of conscience, and toward the rights of tion, and the extent to which The notion that these private businesses’ cians and preachers alike cited religious institutions. religious exemptions extend to Christianity and the Bible were This was on vivid display in 2015, individual beliefs and religious denial of service amounts to a religious cited to support generations of when the Archbishop Salvatore Cordil- institutions. The contemporary freedom battleground is based on racial segregation in the U.S. eone of San Francisco (following Catho- Christian Right’s notion that almost exclusively on the plaintiffs’ But while the argument that lic prelates in Cincinnati, Cleveland, individuals and institutions particular notion of Christianity. religious beliefs should pro- Honolulu, and Oakland), declared that should have the right to choose tect racial discrimination has teachers—and perhaps all employees— which laws they will respect lost its standing, the broader in the Archdiocese’s schools would be and which ones they won’t is idea that faith merits exemp- required to conform to Catholic teach- arguably one of the more extraordinary allegedly seeking to protect the rights of tions from other anti-discrimination ing in their personal lives.16 Cordileone developments in American legal history. conscience of people opposed to homo- measures lives on. wanted unionized employees to accept They are not only claiming the right to be sexuality generally, and marriage equal- In the 1983 landmark Supreme Court contract and faculty handbook language Bishop Salvatore Cordileone at the Marriage March in Washington, D.C., 2013. selective about complying with the law, ity in particular, may be best understood case of Bob Jones University v. United that condemned homosexuality, same- Photo via Flickr and courtesy of American Life League. but are also claiming the right to deter- as abuses of the historic idea of religious States, the federal government took the sex marriage, abortion, contraception, mine the criteria by which such deci- freedom. Or, as it’s often put, it’s conser- view that the Christian fundamental- and artificial insemination. He also said employees are covered by the term—and However, calling a kindergarten teach- sions are made. vatives using the idea of religious free- ist school was not entitled to its federal that Catholic school employees must not who would then be exempt from normal er of numerous subjects, including math In recent years this notion has dra- dom to justify discrimination. tax exemption if it maintained its policy publicly contradict Church teachings.1 7 employment protections. and social studies, a minister was a sig- matically influenced U.S. political and Inhofe’s amendment, for example, against interracial dating. The case be- Union leaders were concerned that the Religious institutions themselves have nificant stretch. The teacher in question legal discourse. Those who embrace would not have protected the religious came a cause célèbre among the then-bud- Archbishop was attempting to reclassify long enjoyed a “ministerial exemption” spent only a few minutes each day lead- what theocratic evangelicals call a bibli- beliefs of those individuals and institu- ding Christian Right, and was credited by not only teachers but all employees of the from certain labor laws. Hosanna-Tabor ing students in prayer or teaching reli- cal worldview or what Catholics call the tions whose conscience compels them New Right strategist Paul Weyrich and school as part of the church’s ministry.18 expanded that and opened the door to gion for short intervals across the week. magisterium of the Church see their par- to respect reproductive rights and moral historian Randall Balmer, among oth- As chair of the Subcommittee for the further expansion. Catholic and evan- Nevertheless, this was sufficient in the ticular religious traditions as the sources consciences, or those who honor and ers, as the catalyst that politicized con- Promotion and Defense of Marriage of gelical colleges and universities may view of the court, which decided not to of law to which all law must conform. celebrate same-sex marriages. In fact, servative evangelicals.14 The case, which the United States Conference of Catholic be among the first to walk through that “adopt a rigid formula for deciding when Despite their many differences, these major, historic religious traditions and began during the Nixon administration, Bishops (USCCB), Cordileone is a leading door, as they are increasingly claiming an employee qualifies as a minister.”21 conservative believers have adopted a institutions support the very rights op- was used as a political cudgel against culture warrior in the church. He was creeping violations of institutional reli- Advocates for expanded exemptions common platform regarding issues—as posed by the Christian Right. Thus when Democratic President Jimmy Carter, one of at least 50 prelates who signed the gious liberty—from concerns about the for religious institutions in this area, they define them—of life, marriage, and the Christian Right (and the politicians turning many evangelicals against one of Manhattan Declaration, the historic 2009 Obama administration’s “contraception such as the Institutional Religious Free- religious liberty.12 But there are deep who pander to it) invoke religious free- their own. manifesto which formally aligned Catho- mandate” (which may apply to church- dom Alliance, saw the decision as a repercussions to each of these major co- dom, often they’re using it as an excuse Bob Jones University argued that to lic and evangelical leaders on a shared related colleges and universities, the “stunning victory” and a departure from alitional tenets that are not always well to deny religious freedom to others. censure an institution over this issue was 21st Century culture war agenda.19 Hobby Lobby decision notwithstanding) “the usual focus on the religious rights of reflected in public discourse. It’s also worth underscoring that, as a a violation of religious freedom under The underlying legal justification for to a 2014 ruling by the National Labor individuals.”22 On a wide range of matters—from practical matter, the “religious” in “re- the First Amendment. But the Supreme Catholic bishops to impose religious Relations Board that permits unioniza- Still, much was left unresolved. Al- abortion and contraception to LGBTQ ligious freedom” genericizes what is al- Court ultimately decided against them, doctrine on school employees was the tion of employees at religious and other though the decision drew a bright line— civil rights and federal labor laws—the most exclusively an initiative of conser- declaring: “Government has a funda- unanimous 2012 decision of the Su- private universities.20 that government may not interfere with Christian Right, in both its evangelical vative Christian institutions. mental, overriding interest in eradicat- preme Court in Hosanna-Tabor Evangeli- The reasons for religious freedom personnel decisions regarding persons in and Catholic expressions, is seeking to ing racial discrimination in education… cal Lutheran Church and School v. Equal exemptions in churches’ employment ministry—the extent to which religious- find new approaches to ensuring that the Religious Justifications for the [which] substantially outweighs what- Employment Opportunity Commission. In practices are understandable. As Chief ly-affiliated institutions such as schools, law does not apply to them. Indefensible ever burden denial of tax benefits places that case, a mainline Lutheran school Justice John Roberts wrote in his opin- charities, hospitals, and perhaps even Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), for exam- on [the University’s] exercise of their re- had fired a kindergarten teacher over ion, “Requiring a church to accept or for-profit businesses can define employ-

6 • The Public Eye SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 Political Research Associates • 7 ees as ministers is now a fair question. to employee job descriptions, to specifi- loss of the federal RFRA, but in the past was “the Hobby Lobby bill.”32 The fact is “The First Amendment ensures that re- ciling religious beliefs with the rights of And it’s one that’s certain to be tested as cally reflect doctrine so that they may fall few years, modified state RFRAs have that the federal RFRA—and until recent- ligious organizations and persons are others, but there will also always be peo- conservative religious movement lead- under the definition of ministry. This, been introduced with the obvious inten- ly, most state RFRAs—applies only to given proper protection as they seek to ple who will exploit the normal strains of ers seek to carve out zones of exemption they suggested, would be part of an in- tion of justifying discrimination against government actions. The Hobby Lobby- teach the principles that are so fulfilling a religiously plural society for their own from the advance of secular law. Chris- oculation against civil lawsuits and gov- same-sex couples by businesses and even ized state RFRAs added language—at the and so central to their lives and faiths,” political ends. The issues of the so-called tian Right leaders certainly see many op- ernment regulation.28 government agencies. behest of Alliance Defending Freedom, he wrote, “and to their own deep aspi- culture wars have been recast as a battle portunities in broadening the legal defi- We have become familiar with how, Concepts that meant one thing in the the Becket Fund, the Mormon Church, rations to continue the family structure over the definition of religious liberty. nition of ministry. when the goals of the Christian Right federal RFRA have come to take on new and allies at the United States There is a deep, domin- Dr. C. Peter Wagner, founder of the conflict with the rights of others, the con- meanings when applied at the state level Conference of Catholic Bish- ionist agenda in play dominionist New Apostolic Reforma- flict is framed as an attack on Christian- in the wake of the 2014 Hobby Lobby case ops—that sought to extend ex- here, with the battle ity or, more broadly, religion. (and the related Conestoga Wood v. Bur- emptions to third parties, such over religious liberty Seen from their perspective, well). That Supreme Court decision ex- as corporations and individu- at its cutting edge, and there’s logic to this argument. tended, for the first time, religious rights als, on the grounds that provid- it is not limited to mat- The Liberty Institute called for Conservative Christians have to a “closely held” private corporation, ing services to LGBTQ people ters before the courts. organizations to “religify” their long understood that the stating that the company—not a church, violates their consciences. In We live in theocratic organizational documents in order origins and trajectory of reli- or school, but a chain of craft stores—did some cases the language may times. Not in the sense to fall under the definition of a gious freedom in America run not have to offer certain contraceptives be broad enough to claim reli- that the United States against the hegemony of con- via the company health plan because the gious exemptions from stand- has become a theoc- ministry. servative Christian churches owners of the company believed these ing civil rights laws in the racy, but in that the that enjoy a close relationship contraceptives to be abortifacients (a po- manner that concerned Justice uneasy theocratic co- with the state and its leaders. sition contradicted by every major medi- Ginsberg. alition we refer to as tion and a longtime professor of church cal organization in the country). The Indiana conservatives were the Christian Right re- growth at Fuller Theological Seminary,23 Turning Phrases Court held that Hobby Lobby was exempt open about their goals: they mains one of the most observed that “not only churches, but Many of the contemporary legal strug- from the Affordable Care Act’s require- intended the state’s new Reli- powerful and dynamic ministries supported by the church are gles rest on the definition of particular ment that insurance packages cover gious Freedom Restoration Act religious and political included in [the Hosanna-Tabor] ruling. terms and phrases originating in federal these contraceptive options because, as to provide a faith-based defense Tony Perkins speaking at the 2015 Conservative Political Ac- movements in Ameri- tion Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. Schools are specifically mentioned, but legislation or Supreme Court decisions. Justice Samuel Alito put it in the major- against discrimination claims, can history. Like any Photo via Flickr and courtesy of Gage Skidmore. how about a number of other kinds of In addition to ministry, one of the key ity opinion, requiring the corporation to should a business decline to other large coalition, ministries attached to our churches and terms on which religious exemptions provide this contraceptive coverage im- provide services on account of their be- they have long revered.”35 The question the interests of the main players are apostolic networks? I would think they to state and federal laws now turn is the posed a “substantial burden” on compa- liefs.33 But, faced with widespread pub- of what constitutes “proper protection” sometimes in conflict. But they remain would fall under the same umbrella.”24 phrase “sincerely held religious belief.” nies’ sincerely held religious beliefs. lic outcry, the state’s governor and legis- may well lead to a continuation of the bound together by a shared opposition Mormon Elder Dallin H. Oaks, a mem- The current use of the phrase is rooted The four dissenting justices said the lature were compelled to amend the law Christian Right’s approach to advocacy to religious pluralism, the rights of indi- ber of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the federal 1993 Religious Freedom majority opinion expanded the federal to explicitly state that their RFRA did not for many kinds of religious exemptions, vidual conscience, and the separation of of the church, said he found “comfort” in Restoration Act (RFRA),29 which enjoyed RFRA to protect companies in ways unin- provide a license to discriminate against albeit on a vastly altered playing field. church and state. Hosanna-Tabor, against the “threat” of overwhelming support in Congress and tended by Congress. Justice Ruth Bader LGBTQ people. This in turn led to loud Perkins shed light on this strategy in a Historian and Christian Right theorist governmental actions that he believes was signed into law by President Bill Ginsburg wrote, “The court’s expansive objections from Christian Right leaders, column in The Patriot Post: Gary North argues that the ratification of “are overshadowing the free exercise of Clinton. RFRA was an answer to the Su- notion of corporate personhood invites who correctly understood that the origi- the Constitution signified a clean “judi- religion by making it subordinate to oth- preme Court’s 1990 decision in Employ- for-profit entities to seek religion-based nal bill would do just that. Tony Perkins The clash between religious liberty cial break from Christian America.” He er newly found ‘civil rights.’”25 ment Division v. Smith, which had upheld exemptions from regulations they deem of the Family Research Council said the and same-sex “marriage” continues to was referring to the proscription of “re- Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York the right of the State of Oregon to deny offensive to their faiths.” She said, for clarification made matters worse by forc- explode in businesses across America, ligious tests for public office” in Article came to a similar conclusion when he unemployment benefits to Native Ameri- example, that a company could decide ing “religious businesses and even non- where shop owners, B&Bs, and other VI, which he correctly observed erected discussed the core issue in the landmark can employees fired for using peyote in a that covering vaccinations or paying the profits deemed ‘not religious enough’ to vendors try to come to grips with the a “legal barrier to Christian theocracy” case of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, religious ritual. Here Congress sought to minimum wage violates their religious participate in wedding ceremonies con- government’s twisted definition of that led “directly to the rise of religious Inc. (discussed below) a few years later. restore the rights of Native Americans for beliefs. She also noted a past religious trary to their owners’ beliefs. If the gov- “tolerance.” Faced with losing their pluralism.”37 Article VI is, of course, The so-called contraception mandate, he whom peyote was part of their religious freedom challenge from a restaurant ernment punishes people for living their jobs, businesses, and life savings, not the only codified barrier to Christian declared, was primarily about “the raw practice. More broadly, Congress wanted chain that didn’t want to serve African- faith, there are no limits to what govern- most Christians want to know: isn’t theocracy. But the theocratic activists of presumption of a bureau of the federal to reaffirm that a person’s sincerely held Americans, and that of a photography ment can control.”34 there anything we can do? modern America are patient revolution- government to define a church’s minis- religious belief may not be substantially studio that didn’t want to take pictures aries. For the rest of us, learning how ter, ministry, message and meaning.”26 burdened unless the government can at a lesbian couple’s commitment cer- A New Era for Religious Exemptions There is. In at least 10 states, conser- to recognize, anticipate, and respond to This year, Jeff Mateer of the Liberty justify the law with a compelling state emony. As this article was going to press, the vatives are fighting back with a string the Christian Right’s theocratic agenda Institute, a Texas-based legal advocacy interest, show that the law is narrowly Ginsberg’s concerns are being realized Supreme Court recognized marriage of Religious Freedom Restoration Acts remains one of the central tasks of our group, began preparing manuals for crafted to protect that interest via the in the efforts to insert “Hobby Lobby- equality as a “fundamental right” in the (RFRAs), [which] give men and wom- time. what the Institute suggested is an inevi- “least restrictive means” possible.30 ized” provisions into state RFRAs. Con- case of Obergefell v. Hodges. The court en of all faiths a powerful tool to stop table wave of anti-religious legal attacks A later Supreme Court decision limited servative supporters of these bills have was silent on the matter of exemptions, the government from walking all over Frederick Clarkson is Senior Fellow for Re- against everything from churches to frat the scope of the law to the federal govern- claimed that the state and federal RFRAs but Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing their beliefs on issues like marriage ligious Liberty at Political Research Associ- houses to for-profit corporations.27 They ment, leading some states to pass state- are all the same. This is not only false, for the 5-4 majority, emphasized that re- and sexuality.36 ates. He is the author of Eternal Hostility: called for organizations to “religify” their level versions of RFRA.31 Most of these but transparently so. The shorthand in ligious institutions and individuals “may The Struggle Between Theocracy and De- organizational documents, from bylaws laws were simply intended to replace the the Indiana legislature for the state RFRA continue to advocate” in opposition. There will always be tensions in recon- mocracy (Common Courage Press, 1997).

8 • The Public Eye SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 Political Research Associates • 9 BY Gillian Kane the $40 million behemoth it is today.6 It eration is similarly impressive. They run themselves at the European Union Agen- was created out of concern that “the Body many well-funded youth and law student cy for Fundamental Rights in Vienna, the of Christ in America was in big trouble” training projects as part of their long- European Parliament in Brussels, and because the American Civil Liberties term strategy to grow and strengthen the Organization for Security and Coop- Union (ACLU) was out to clamp down on their cadre of right-wing lawyers and eration in Europe.18 In all these regional religious expression.7 An “effective battle advocates. The Alliance Defending Free- bodies they have focused their efforts on plan” was needed to respond to the crisis; dom Academy targets a wide range of issues like abortion, euthanasia, registra- Latin America in the Crosshairs ADF was to be the legal army. individuals around the globe for training tion of churches, and homeschooling, Today, ADF is one of the largest conser- on the promotion of the right to freedom wielding their influence across countries Alliance Defending Freedom Takes Aim vative legal organizations in the United of worship. This includes not just law- such as Sweden, Turkey, Germany, Hun- States, with a budget dwarfing those of yers, but also the media and clergy. The gary, and Bulgaria.19 sister groups like the Becket Fund and Alliance Defending Freedom Collegiate One of the reasons ADF is so active Liberty Counsel. Indeed, one might argue Academy and the Blackstone Legal Fel- abroad is that U.S. courts are increasingly that it is chiefly responsible for the right- lowship reach students domestically. citing international jurisprudence in their he annual meetings of the Or- more quietly, and to greater effect. Neydy prise. ADF, an Arizona-based, right-wing ward jurisprudential shift on religion in At the international ganization of American States Casillas Padrón, with the conservative U.S. religious legal organization, has, in the the public sphere. ADF engages the ques- level, ADF runs the (OAS), of which the United organization Alliance Defending Freedom last decade, made a dedicated push to tion of religious freedom broadly. They Areté Academy, a States is a member, are gen- (ADF, formerly Alliance Defense Fund), grow its international portfolio. Having are best known for litigating on the role of weeklong Christian One might argue that ADF is chiefly Terally staid affairs. Heads of state and played a behind the scenes role in Guate- made significant inroads domestically, religion in public life, a category encom- law students’ training responsible for the rightward their representatives get together to mala, working the delegates in the room they moved into Europe, Eastern Europe, passing abortion, LGBTQ rights, freedom project.13 talk shop about trade, territorial dis- rather than lifting placards on the protest and Southeast Asia. This year, ADF an- of expression—including the right to jurisprudential shift on religion in the putes, poverty, indigenous issues, and front lines.i As she later commented in an nounced their southern expansion into religious free speech in public schools— Global Initiative public sphere. health, among other concerns. Then interview with Catholic News Agency af- Latin America.3 homeschooling, parental rights, and ADF’s ambition is they leave, having signed agreements family, among other issues. Ultimately, boundless; they work to promote peace, equity, and human all of this feeds into ADF’s fundamental not only in national rights. In 2013, during the 43rd OAS mission: “transforming the legal system courts, but are also vigorously inserting decisions.20 Accordingly, ADF’s global in- General Assembly in Guatemala, this through Christian witness.”8 themselves in regional courts and at the terventions are aimed at creating foreign quiet forum for regional negotiation ADF is first and foremost a litigation op- United Nations. In 2010, ADF launched rulings that serve their domestic objec- suffered what amounted to a major dip- eration. They have a roster of over 2,400 their Global Initiative, ramping up the tives. Piero A. Tozzi, ADF’s former senior lomatic faux pas when demonstrators affiliated lawyers across 31 countries,9 “international fight for religious liberty legal counsel for the Global Initiative and disrupted the public sessions and ral- and enough pro bono attorneys to gen- for Christians and establishing a larger a current congressional staffer for the lied outside the hotel where the Assem- erate volunteer services worth over $146 ADF footprint to accomplish this mis- indefatigable anti-choice U.S. Represen- bly was taking place.1 At issue were two million.10 No case is too small, or too big. sion.”14 That same year, ADF was granted tative Chris Smith (R-NJ),21 admits that seemingly uncontroversial treaties: the The organization has covered lower pro- United Nations ECOSOC15 special consul- their overseas work is more U.S.-centric Inter-American Convention against All file cases, including representing a- Brit tative status.ii This status is significant than it first appears. He says, “It’s intrin- Forms of Discrimination and Intoler- ish Airways employee who was asked to because it gives them virtually unfettered sically good to be helping people in their ance, and the Inter-American Conven- cover up a cross necklace, and they have access to U.N. missions during key con- countries fight the Culture of Death, but tion against Racism, Racial Discrimina- been involved—either by directly litigat- vention and treaty-drafting meetings. an additional factor is that what happens tion, and Related Forms of Intolerance. ing, funding lawyers, or filing amicus They advocate face-to-face with delegates abroad impacts the U.S.”22 Protesting loudest were conserva- briefs—in major cases such as Citizens and help them develop rights-limiting tive Catholic and evangelical churches United v. FEC, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, and language for inclusion in U.N. docu- Latin American expansion and their civil society partners. They the legal struggles around Terri Schiavo. ments.16 Recently, ADF has become active at the were incensed that both conventions ADF claims to have been involved in over In 2012, ADF opened their first inter- Inter-American Court of Human Rights, included protections against discrimi- 500 cases, not just in U.S. courts, but also national office in Vienna, Austria, which the judicial OAS agency responsible for OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights meeting in Washington, D.C., 2012. nation based on sexual orientation and in six continents and 41 countries,11 in- enabled them to easily toggle between monitoring human rights accountability Photo via Flickr and courtesy of Juan Manuel Herrera/OAS. gender identity. As they saw it, this was cluding Argentina, Belize, Honduras, the various European courts, including in Latin America. Unlike Western Europe, a gateway to marriage equality. And on filiate ACI Prensa, “Thanks to God we did Background Mexico, Peru, Slovakia, and India.12 the European Court of Human Rights which tends to be fairly progressive on is- a personal level, they claimed, it was enormous work here and were able to pre- Alliance Defending Freedom is an ADF’s commitment to the next gen- in Strasbourg.17 They have also inserted sues of sexual and reproductive health tantamount to religious persecution vent many countries from signing this con- enormous enterprise. Founded in 1994 that infringed on their right to religious vention.”2 by a group of white, male, hard-right freedom. Casillas Padrón’s participation in the conservative evangelical Christians,4 ii. This greatly enhanced their ability to influence U.N. treaties and conventions. It also supported one of their main objectives: keeping an eye on Others echoed these themes, but regional meeting should come as no sur- ADF morphed from a modest outfit5 to the domestic prize of preventing adverse international policies from affecting U.S. law. In addition, ADF uses its time at the U.N. to strengthen its collaboration with conservative states and NGOs, especially countries and organizations in Latin America. They have hosted events with the Mission of Nicaragua, and are chummy with the Missions of Mexico, Chile, and Guatemala. The list of ADF’s international NGO partners on U.N. CSO statements is extensive, and overwhelmingly populated by groups from Latin America, many of which ostensibly work with i. Casillas Padrón is a Mexican lawyer currently living in Washington, D.C. In addition to attending the General Assemblies of the Organization vulnerable populations. (Alliance Defending Freedom, “Address to Member States on International Conference on Populations and Development of American States (OAS) meetings in Guatemala (2013) and Paraguay (2014), she makes regular speaking tours in Latin America, presenting [ICPD],” United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs, 2014, http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/pdf/ at both Catholic and evangelical events on behalf of ADF. Of special interest is her recent trip to Guatemala; it is clear, following the 2013 OAS commission/2014/ngo/Agenda%20item%204/ADF_Item4.pdf; Alliance Defending Freedom, “ADF Increases Global Impact with New Status at General Assembly, that Guatemala is emerging as a regional leader in the fight against LBGTQ and abortion rights. the United Nations,” Alliance Defending Freedom, July 28, 2010, http://www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org/News/PRDetail/4201.)

10 • The Public Eye SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 Political Research Associates • 11 on Sexual and Reproductive Rights, is a they submitted an amicus brief before heart of this case was really an issue of na- OAS Secretary General José Miguel In- Paraguayan activist with many years’ ex- the Inter-American Court of Human tional sovereignty and a country’s right to sulza to create “family-friendly” policies, perience at the OAS. She points out that Rights on behalf of a Chilean father em- self-determination. One year later, ADF including protection of life from concep- “ADF is late to the game. Women’s rights broiled in a child custody battle with his submitted an amicus curiae29 to the Inter- tion, for implementation at the national and gay rights groups have been active ex-wife. The Chilean courts originally American Court. This brief followed the level.33 Apparently demand was so great in the inter-American systems for years. denied the mother, who is gay, custodial same reasoning as the letter to Costa Ri- that the OAS was forced to create a sepa- Now, all of a sudden, since 2013, we see rights because of her sexual orientation. can congress members, again arguing for rate space for conservative anti-rights them aggressively engaging. And their The mother took the case to the Inter- a “margin of appreciation” for the state to groups. All of this, according to Casillas politics are reactive and obstructionist.”23 American Commission of Human Rights, best decide how to protect “the life of a de- Padrón, led the different organizations to ADF’s first Latin American office was which sided with her. The case was then veloping human being.” come together as a cohesive coalition: “a in Mexico, headed by the attorney Sofia bumped up to the Inter-American Court, In 2012, the Court ruled that the “right voice that has become active, a voice that Martinez.v They have since been steadi- which has the authority to issue a bind- to life should not be understood as an participates, a voice that opposes the pro- ly growing their operation. ADF has a ing decision. It was at that point that ADF absolute right, the alleged protection of abortion and homosexual agenda, a voice dedicated focus on the Organization of submitted its brief. According to a trans- which can justify the total negation of that will be silenced no more.”34 Others American States, and they are planning, lation by the conservative advocacy group other rights.”30 This progressive ruling is in her camp go further, crediting Casillas over the next three years, to open offices C-Fam, ADF contemptuously argued that very significant, and not just on the issue Padrón as the leader of the movement to in Chile and Costa Rica.24 ADF’s work the Commission’s “stop the gay agenda,” with the OAS is bifurcated between the punishing the judges and lauding her activ- Costa Rica-based Inter-American Court who ruled against ism in the year lead- of Human Rights and their Washington, the mother “indicates ing up to the Paraguay 35 Chilean pro-choice march, 2013. Photo via Flickr and courtesy of The Santiago Times. D.C., office, where the Inter-American that the Commission Even though ADF has effectively inserted itself meeting. Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is must have been over- in various OAS processes, it seems intent on Even though ADF and rights and LGBTQ equality, the pan- Three countries in the region allow same- housed.vi ADF quickly established them- come by a reckless has effectively in- orama in Latin America is more compli- sex marriage, and several others permit selves in the system, even managing to ideological impulse, casting itself as marginalized by the very system serted itself in vari- cated. Many countries in the region are same-sex civil unions.iv Still, govern- meet with the new OAS secretary gen- in service of which all it seeks to conquer. ous OAS processes, it headed by progressives, including some ments tend to legislate on social issues eral the month before he was elected.25 It other principles must seems intent on cast- who self-identify as leftists or are former guided less by human rights concerns should be noted that as this issue was go- be cast aside.”27 ing itself as marginal- revolutionaries, such as Dilma Rousseff, and more by the moral legacy of European ing to press, the inter-American system But perhaps the ized by the very system Daniel Ortega, Evo Morales, and Rafael colonization and pressure from conserva- was holding elections for new commis- most significant -ac it seeks to conquer. In Correa, to name a few. However, there is tive Catholic and evangelical hierarchies. sioners and judges,26 opening the possi- tion with which they were involved at the of IVF. It provides the grounds for chal- April, at a press conference during the often a disconnect between their liberal Despite this, the women’s and LGBTQ bility for a reconstitution of the Court and Inter-American Court of Human Rights lenging laws in countries that criminalize Summit of the Americas, Casillas Padrón posturing and their policies on abortion rights movements are strong, and there Commission with conservative leanings. was the 2012 landmark case Artavia access to safe and legal abortions based joined a crowded table of conservatives and LGBTQ rights. Latin American left- has been a recent trend toward legislative Chile is in some ways an odd choice for Murillo et al v. Costa Rica. This case was on a constitutional protection of life from decrying ADF’s exclusion from the event. ists don’t automatically support progres- reform on abortion in countries like Uru- ADF. The country is solidly conservative brought to the Inter-American Court on conception. This was a solid defeat for Casillas Padrón, ever prone to hyperbole, sive positions on these issues. In fact, guay, Bolivia, and Argentina. Moreover, on social issues and doesn’t necessar- behalf of nine infertile Costa Rican cou- ADF. claimed that the OAS, and the Summit in many of their policies are downright re- regional bodies like the Inter-American ily wield the same regional influence as ples. The claim argued that when Costa particular, were promoting “a new kind pressive. Court and Inter-American Commission countries like Brazil or Argentina. Still, Rica declared in vitro fertilization (IVF) A strong future in Latin America of ideological dictatorship intent on elim- On the issue of abortion, the region on Human Rights have been issuing posi- Chile is undergoing a fraught legislative unconstitutional in 2000, the state was Nevertheless, ADF is uncowed and con- inating the very values that define Latin has some of the most restrictive laws in tive decisions and statements on abortion debate on abortion, so perhaps they are violating the couples’ rights to privacy tinues making long-term investments in Americans.”36 the world: three out of the four countries and LGBTQ rights. hoping to establish an operational beach- and family by denying them alternative the inter-American human rights sys- Moving forward, it is clear that Latin with total abortion bans—bans prohibit- This is most likely why ADF has devel- head in a country where they can claim to means to have children. The govern- tems. Neydy Casillas Padrón, ADF’s legal America is in the crosshairs for ADF. The ing even life-saving abortions—are in oped such a keen interest in Latin Amer- have staved off abortion reform. ment’s prohibition of IVF was predicated advisor to Latin America, is also their more the OAS, the Inter-American Court, Latin America.iii There is seemingly more ica. Mirta Moragas Mereles, of the Cam- ADF takes an opportunistic approach on the country’s constitutional protection permanent representative to the OAS.31 and the Inter-American Commission is- leniency on the issue of LGBTQ rights. paign for an Inter-American Convention to its Latin American advocacy. In 2011, of life from conception. While delegates were debating ratifying sue positive decisions and recommenda- ADF was involved in this case even be- the Convention Against Racism during tions, the more ADF has a vested interest fore it reached the Inter-American Court. the 2013 OAS Guatemala meeting, Casil- in ensuring this does not become a pat- iii. Chile, El Salvador, and Nicaragua have total abortion bans. An Ipas study on the enforcement of criminal abortion law in Latin America In 2010, the Inter-American Commission las Padrón, an aggressive advocate, was tern for the region. As they are always finds that a host of additional human rights violations can occur when people are incarcerated for receiving illegal abortions. In countries like on Human Rights issued recommenda- reportedly lobbying delegates not to sign, keen to point out, being active in these le- El Salvador, there are many cases of wrongful convictions of defendants who have miscarried a pregnancy and were then sentenced to prison, tions to Costa Rica that the country lift claiming the Convention would violate gal circles helps “head off dangerous legal sometimes for up to 30 years, for having an illegal abortion. (Ipas, When Abortion Is a Crime: The threat to vulnerable women in Latin America, 2014, its IVF prohibition. By the following their religious freedom because it “treats precedents before they impact American http://www.ipas.org/en/Resources/Ipas%20Publications/When-abortion-is-a-crime--the-threat-to-vulnerable-women-in-Latin-America.aspx) year, in July 2011, Costa Rica had made homosexuals like VIPs, and relegates the courtrooms.”37 It’s a strategy that progres- iv. Same-sex marriage is legal in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and some states in Mexico. Several countries, including Colombia and Ecuador, no progress toward IVF legal reform, rest of us to second class citizenship.”32 sives would do well to recognize. allow same-sex civil unions. so the IACHR sent the case to the Inter- Casillas Padrón’s 2013 OAS interven- v. Martinez was previously their counsel for the U.N. and was particularly active at last year’s U.N. meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women, where ADF has maintained an active presence the past three years. It was reported that she was a member of the official Mexican American Court. That same month, ADF tions bore fruit the following year at the Gillian Kane is a senior policy advisor for delegation. sent a letter to every congress member, 2014 OAS General Assembly in Asun- Ipas, an international women’s reproductive vi. The IACHR and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights are the two primary OAS bodies for promoting and protecting human rights. The urging them to uphold the ban based on ción, Paraguay. Casillas Padrón reported health and rights organization. She served Commission is responsible for adjudicating on specific cases of human rights violations, while the Court is responsible for issuing opinions and the protection of life from conception.28 that around 60 anti-choice activists from on the editorial board for The Public Eye legal interpretations on cases brought by the IACHR or other OAS member states. Interestingly, ADF also argued that the 10 countries in the region lobbied then- from 2008 to 2012.

12 • The Public Eye SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 Political Research Associates • 13 BY John Weaver While this goal has been heavily criticized that “Templeton works in nefarious ways And it is the NIHR’s research that by many scientists (for instance, promi- to influence the people it funds.” For Car- helped pave the way for Christianity Today nent physicist Sean Carroll11), the Foun- roll, the problem isn’t that Templeton is to claim there were scientifically “credible dation has made a major name for itself anti-science, but rather that “their views reports” of faith healing in Mozambique. in academia, thanks in part to increasing on science are very wrong.”20 Quantum Big Questions About Templeton competition for research funds among physicist Michael Brooks echoes these Intercessory Prayer and the STEPP academics. This article seeks to trace the views in the New Scientist, contending Study How the Philanthropic Giant Legitimizes Faith Healing impact of the Templeton Foundation by that Templeton does a disservice not so At a Templeton-sponsored conference exploring a slice of its influence on - re much to science as to religion, by advanc- in the mid-1990s, Margaret Poloma, a search into the Charismatic and Pentecos- ing a conception of religion so “stripped- sociologist who studied Charismatic and tal movements. down, vague and wooly” that it “puts the Pentecostal religious movements, met bioethicist Stephen Post, who would go n May 18, 2012, Christianity To- so intrigued by Baker’s claims that new Templeton religion comfortably be- The Templeton Foundation 21 on to create the Institute for Research day, the most influential maga- she “sought to verify them scien- yond assault from questioners.” The origins of the Foundation can be on Unlimited Love (IRUL).27 Poloma and zine within evangelicalism, re- tifically.” Thus Brown and a small Within the hard sciences, a firm ideo- traced to the Templeton Prize for Prog- Post soon became Templeton grantees ported that there were “credible team traveled to Mozambique and logical line has developed between crit- ress in Religion, founded in 1972 and themselves, and by 2007 both had be- Oreports” that Christian evangelist Heidi tested 24 Mozambicans “before ics of the Foundation—many of whom given “each year…to a living person who come co-directors (along with two other Baker had healed the deaf and raised peo- and after healing prayer.” Brown are New Atheists—and supporters of the has shown extraordinary originality in academics) of the Flame of Love (FOL) ple from the dead where she was work- found “statistically significant Foundation, which can sometimes lead advancing humankind’s understanding Project,28 the goal of which was to es- ing in Mozambique.1 Baker claimed that improvements in hearing and to charges of partiality and anti-religious of God.”12 The Prize originally operated tablish “a new interdisciplinary field of “100% of the deaf in the Chiure area” of vision”5—an astounding claim, prejudice. Yet even Jeffrey Schloss, a Tem- like a Nobel Prize for religion,13 though study [called] Godly Love.”29 The exact the country had “been healed through given that previous studies con- pleton trustee, has admitted that without today it is as likely to be awarded to scien- parameters of the science of Godly love prayer.” In addition, Baker argued that cerning the efficacy of prayer have the Foundation, there would “be a bit less tists as to theologians or other spiritual are rather unclear; even Anthea Butler, “scores” of people had been resurrected reported mixed results at best.6 accommodationist fluff that proposes -in leaders.14 At the time that Templeton who has been involved with the Temple- and the blinded and disabled “restored.”2 The lion’s share of Brown’s tegration [between religion and science] formed his Foundation in the mid-‘80s, 22 ton Foundation’s Project on Global Pente- Such a report must have struck some funding came from the John at the expense of rigor.” writes journalist Nathan Schneider, “con- costalism,30 told Schneider that initially Christianity Today readers as oddly out Templeton Foundation’s Flame of While the Foundation’s influence on ventional wisdom . . . held that religion “nobody in the field could figure out what of place; the magazine has long been Love Project, which contributed the hard sciences has often been the fo- would retreat as science secularized the the hell [Poloma] was talking about.”31 known for approaching the miraculous $150,000 dollars to her research.7 cus of criticism, the social science- and world.”15 Templeton sought to forestall As defined by Poloma and her Temple- much more cautiously than competitors The Templeton Foundation was healthcare-related research in which it this decline. What allowed the Founda- ton-sponsored colleagues, Godly love is like Charisma, the leading magazine for founded by billionaire Sir John engages can be far more problematic. tion’s religion and science agenda to take “the dynamic interaction between divine Charismatic and Pentecostal believers.i Templeton, who made his fortune The more subjective nature of the social off, however, was Harvard planetary and human love that enlivens and ex- Yet Christianity Today’s coverage of Bak- in mutual funds. Templeton had a sciences—and, to a lesser extent, health- scientist Charles Harper’s 1996 decision pands benevolence.” To put it simply, the er’s activities could not have been more keen interest in religion, his own care—may make these fields more -vul John Templeton introduces the 2011 John M. to join the Foundation as its executive key takeaway is that while neither God credulous; the magazine valorized Bak- beliefs an eclectic union of Pres- nerable to pseudoscientific concepts and Templeton Jr. Lecture on Economic Liberties and the director. Harper took Templeton’s ideas Himself nor His interactions with hu- er’s missions and healing activities in Af- byterianism, New Thought, and dubious methodologies. Constitution. Photo via Flickr and by Jeff Fusco, use and visionary speculations and shaped The ready acceptance of pseudoscience man beings are measurable phenomena, rica, stopping just short of declaring her Eastern influences; he borrowed courtesy of the National Constitution Center. them “into a package of programs that individuals’ perceptions of interactions an evangelical saint.3 from sources ranging from Nor- undergirds Templeton’s “history of seed- could begin to look credible to the scien- between human beings and God can be In the course of the article, two aca- man Vincent Peale to Ramakrishna. Many Theology and Health, as well as a nearly ing fields of study almost from scratch,” tific community.”16 23 measured.32 demics were quoted regarding Baker: of the traditions Templeton drew from $2.2 million grant awarded to the Univer- as Nathan Schneider describes it. In the Much ink has been spilled about the The Flame of Love Project, which re- Indiana University’s religious studies emphasize spiritual exploration, “mind sity of Pennsylvania for the establishment early 1990s, the Foundation began heavily Templeton Foundation’s influence on ceived an initial Templeton grant of more professor Candy Gunther Brown and Mi- over matter” ideology, and positive think- of a Positive Psychology Center, which funding the National Institute for Health- research in the hard sciences. Zoologist than $2.3 million,33 was a massive un- chael McClymond, a theology professor ing.8 Today, the $3.34 billion-endowed afforded the Foundation the opportunity care Research (NIHR), an organization and outspoken secular activist Richard dertaking, funding ten academic books at St. Louis University. Both academics John Templeton Foundation awards some to exercise important influence over this established “to ‘objectively’ examine the Dawkins has quipped that the Templeton (by significant figures in their respective were quite flattering in their description $100 million in grants yearly to organiza- emerging school of psychology.10 role that religion and spirituality might Prize is usually given “to a scientist who 24 fields), scores of academic articles, confer- of Baker. For example, Brown comment- tions and projects that study the intersec- In general, the Foundation has sought play in physical and mental health.” At is prepared to say something nice about ence presentations, and book chapters.34 ed that “‘Heidi is a hero to young wom- tion of religion and science.9 There’s the to create a rapprochement between sci- the time, hardly any medical schools of- religion.”17 Jerry Coyne, a prominent Among these projects was Brown’s prayer en,’ so much so that scholars joke about eight-year, $9.8 million grant given to ence and religion—from healthcare to fered courses on religion. But today, af- American biologist, condemned Temple- research: the “Study of the Therapeutic ‘Heidiolatry.’”4 Indeed, Brown had been Duke University’s Center for Spirituality, biology, positive psychology to theology. ter two decades of Templeton-promoted ton’s mission as a “serious corruption of research, three-quarters of U.S. medical Effects of Proximal Intercessory Prayer… science” and warned of the “cronyism schools utilize spirituality within their on Auditory and Visual Impairments in i.The Charismatic and Pentecostal movements are Christian theological traditions devoted to the belief in, and practice of, “gifts of the Spirit” in that has always infected Templeton,”18 curricula.25 This development was facili- Rural Mozambique,” known as the STEPP the modern Christian church, such as healing and speaking in tongues. Candy Gunther Brown, much referenced in this article, uses the lower- particularly in relationship to its study of tated by a combination of awards given study for short. The study focused on Iris case term ‘pentecostal’ to refer to “both Pentecostals and second and third-wave Charismatics.” ‘Charismatic’ often refers to a kind of Pentecostal- “Big Questions,” a somewhat vague field to NIHR researchers; an NIHR-derived, Ministries (now Iris Global), which Baker lite, or alternately to the combined Charismatic and Pentecostal traditions (which is the sense in which I use the term here). As I have argued in of inquiry centered on quandaries like the multi-volume literature review of reli- and her husband founded, along with the The Failure of Evangelical Mental Health Care and in a forthcoming work on the New Apostolic Reformation, the idea that “classical” or traditional nature of free will, consciousness, and closely aligned Global Awakening minis- Pentecostals are more theologically and politically extreme than Second or Third Wave Charismatics collapses under any sustained historical gion and health research; and numerous 19 35 scrutiny. (See John Weaver, The Failure of Evangelical Mental Health Care, [Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2015], 15-16 and Candy Gunther Brown, evil. Sean Carroll’s criticisms of Temple- Templeton Foundation-funded programs try. “Introduction: Pentecostalism and the Globalization of Illness and Healing,” in Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Healing, [Oxford: Oxford ton are somewhat more measured; he concerning the intersection between sci- Brown’s STEPP project is a part of a long University Press, 2011], 14.) does not think there is any hard evidence ence, religion, and medicine.26 line of academic “prayer studies” con-

14 • The Public Eye SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 Political Research Associates • 15 ducted in recent years, not all of which and what is perceived as the divine—can of Love’s highlighted Godly exemplars. tiple personality disorder, that individu- have found prayer to have positive effects. be studied through figures known as ex- The STEPP study, too, is marked by such als with bipolar disorder have “parts,” or Many of these studies sought to evaluate Google’s research director called Brown’s methodology “a emplars: individuals who are supposed connections: Alliance member Randy people living inside of them who need to “distant healing” or “distant intentional- to be unusually benevolent within their Clark, founder of the evangelical Global be integrated into a core personality.ii) ity”—the act of praying for others often perfect example of how not to do experiment design.” own communities, and who have often Awakening ministry, has worked closely While the Flame of Love Project was os- referred to as “intercessory prayer.”36 received awards and honors (both secu- with Stephen Mory, one of the study’s tensibly a scientific enterprise, in practice As of 2005, three studies had been con- lar and religious) for meritorious acts of co-authors.55 Moreover, Candy Gunther the project served primarily as a public ducted on remote intercessory prayer’s service.50 These individuals were held Brown herself has served on the board of relations project celebrating NAR lead- effect on heart patients. Two of these with auditory and/or visual impairments, cal problems associated with Brown’s up as the best embodiment of the Great directors of the Global Medical Research ers, as well as providing an academic studies concluded that the prayed-for especially in contexts where access to study, it received plentiful funding from Commandment. This research relied on Institute, a prayer research organization justification for many of their beliefs and group fared better than a control group. conventional treatments is limited.” She the Templeton-sponsored FOL project what is known in the social sciences as that originated as a Global Awakening ini- policy priorities, including their econom- However, the third found no difference. continued: ($150,000), as well as from the Lilly En- an inductive/phenomenological method, tiative, though independent of that min- ic agenda. The Templeton Foundation Another study—a relatively well regard- dowment ($50,000) and Indiana Uni- which sought to “better understand” the istry.56 Subjects for the STEPP study were has enjoyed a friendly association with The implications are potentially vast ed, Templeton-funded $2.4 million proj- versity Bloomington ($50,000), Brown’s subjective experiences of exemplars.51 primarily recruited at meetings cospon- a variety of right-wing groups and think given World Health Organization es- ect directed by Herbert Benson—studied home university and a premier institution While there is nothing inherently wrong sored by Global Awakening and Baker’s tanks that share its support for open mar- timates that 278 million people, 80% 1,802 patients recovering from coronary of higher learning.46 Brown also used the about such a research process—anthro- Iris Ministries.57 kets and entrepreneurship; the Heritage of whom live in developing countries, artery bypass graft surgery and concluded STEPP study as the basis of her 2012 book pology, for instance, often relies Foundation, for instance, re- have moderate to profound hear- that “distant prayer” had no effect. And, Testing Prayer, which was published by on the phenomenological ap- ceived more than $1 million ing loss in both ears, and 314 million as Dr. Richard Sloan, a leading critic of Harvard University Press. Such scholarly proach—it made the Flame of in Templeton funding between people are visually impaired, 87% of prayer research, points out, researchers trajectories are becoming increasingly Love project unusually open to 2005 and 2008, while the whom live in developing countries, claiming benefits from prayer may have common for Templeton academics in a political propagandizing, since Cato Institute received more and only a tiny fraction of these pop- succeeded simply because they tested wide variety of fields. It is startling to see the subjective experiences stud- than $200,000.61 Relatively ulations currently receive any treat- for so many different health benefits that how many Templeton-connected academ- ied depended almost entirely on speaking, grants to conser- ment.41 simple random chance produced the posi- ics end up publishing their work through which “Godly exemplars” were vative think tanks represent tive results.37 In other words, Brown was suggesting Oxford or Harvard University Press. A chosen to represent the idea of only a minor portion of the If one were to accept the prayer stud- that work like Baker’s might serve as an 2014 report enumerating IRUL-produced Godly love. Foundation’s philanthropy, ies’ premises and conclusions, one would effective treatment strategy in medically books (i.e., works published or edited by Many of the Godly exemplars but even prominent conserva- still encounter other basic problems with underserved developing nations. IRUL associates) includes seven titles pub- profiled by Flame of Love are as- tive political voices like The conforming prayer-based research to the Unfortunately for the study’s subjects, lished by Oxford University Press, and sociated with the New Apostolic National Review have pointed scientific method. How can researchers, however, Brown’s claims were not all they another three in press or under review by Reformation (NAR), a right-wing to the Foundation as a funder for example, be sure that it is intercessory appeared to be. Peter Norvig, former di- that prestigious publisher.47 While not as Charismatic and Pentecostal of right-wing policy drivers.62 prayer performed by study participants vision chief of computational sciences at many Templeton-associated academics movement organized around Heidi Baker pays a Christmas visit to Iris Ministries’ Zimpeto Transformationalism, the that is helping, and not the prayers of con- NASA’s Ames Research Center and cur- seem to have linked themselves with Har- parachurch groups known as Children’s Center in Maputo, Mozambique. NAR’s unique form of conser- cerned outsiders? rent director of research at Google, de- vard University Press, some of those who apostolic networks. The NAR is Photo from Wikimedia Commons and courtesy of user Wunder- vative economics, fits in well Candy Gunther Brown and her team clared that Brown’s study suffered from have published through it have close links committed to the principle of with the Templeton agenda; sought to address some of these issues several fatal design problems:it lacked with the Foundation or are major figures spiritual warfare against evil spirits that it The Revival Alliance leaders’ work in- it promises a solution to global poverty by looking at a more immediate form of a randomized control group; there was in the Foundation’s history. For instance, believes threaten the well-being of Chris- corporates some shocking ideas about rooted in the belief that the marketplace prayer known as proximal intercessory no double-blinding in the study; and the Charles Taylor, whose A Secular Age was tians. One such exemplar is Che Ahn, a variety of issues, particularly mental is the best foundation for economic re- prayer (PIP), which focuses on physical sample size for the treatment group was a major Harvard University Press publica- who founded the evangelical organiza- healthcare. Baker is known for “‘expel- form.63 healing (primarily through laying-on of only 24 people.42 According to Norvig, tion in 2007, won the Templeton Prize for tion The Call along with Lou Engle, the ling’ demons from children.”58 Another Flame of Love co-director Margaret hands, per Charismatic tradition). More- “Rather than choose a cross-section of the same year.48 Charismatic evangelist associated with couple has helped promote the supernatu- Poloma was herself so well regarded in over, Brown argued that one must dis- subjects, the experimenters specifically the 2009-2010 Ugandan “Kill the Gays” ral healing of autistic children59 through a the NAR movement that Charismatic tinguish between PIP and other proximal chose subjects from rural Mozambique Templeton and the New Apostolic bill.52 Poloma herself describes the two particular form of Charismatic exorcism, leader John Arnott (yet another exemplar) healing techniques, such as “Therapeutic who were attending an evangelical re- Reformation men’s close friendship in glowing terms.53 or deliverance, called Sozo.60 As I wrote entrusted her with the task of mediat- Touch,” since they had a “different heal- vival meeting—subjects who would be Brown represents a particularly ex- Ahn (like Heidi Baker, another ex- in my 2015 book The Failure of Evangelical ing a conflict between his ministry and ing mechanism.”38 Her study looked at favorably inclined to (consciously or un- treme example of distorted research en- emplar) is a member of the Revival Alli- Mental Health Care, Sozo’s healing prac- John Wimber, a major evangelical leader the effect of “direct-contact prayer,”- in consciously) demonstrate a benefit from gendered by Templeton money and le- ance, a powerful apostolic network that tices seem little different from the long- who was critical of Arnott.64 At the time volving touch and the laying-on of hands, prayer.”43 Brown’s research methodol- gitimized by a major academic publisher. oversees six other major apostolic net- discredited practice of recovered memory when Poloma engaged in this mediation on subjects’ vision and hearing.”39 Brown ogy was so flawed that Norvig called it “a However, the methodological flaws in the works.54 The leaders of five of these six therapy. (Sozo leaders and proponents process, she was conducting academic re- and her colleagues claim to have found perfect example of how not to do experi- STEPP study point to problems pervading subordinate ministries, along with sev- also maintain, in terms akin to the in- search on the Toronto Blessing, a revival “statistically significant” findings in visu- ment design.”44 Psychologist Jean Mer- the Flame of Love project as a whole— eral of their spouses, are among Flame creasingly discredited diagnosis of mul- that Arnott was leading.65 Most academ- al and auditory improvements across the cer, a leading authority on pseudoscience problems the Templeton Foundation tested populations.40 in the social sciences, further criticized should have recognized. The “Godly love” Brown argued that the findings of the Brown and her colleagues for introducing study that anchored the larger FOL project ii. It is quite clear from the Sozo material that the term “parts” is being used in a semantically identical fashion—albeit with a Christian twist— to the term “alters,” utilized among secular supporters of the increasingly controversial dissociative identity disorder (DID) diagnosis. Monica too many confounding variables into the was based on the “Great Commandment study were significant enough to - war Pignotti and Bruce Thyer, writing in Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology, have expressed concerns that DID therapy and parts work 49 rant further study, which would “assess study through their “amateurish methods to love God and love neighbor as self.” have not been adequately tested and can in fact cause further illness. (See Monica Pignotti and Bruce A. Thyer, “New Age and Related Novel whether PIP may be a useful adjunct to of assessing hearing and vision.”45 The researchers proposed that Godly Unsupported Therapies in Mental Health Practice,” in Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology, eds. Scott O. Lilienfield, Stephen Jay Lynn, standard medical care for certain patients Despite the ethical and methodologi- love—the interaction between humanity and Jeffrey M. Lohr [New York: Guilford Press, 2014], 191-209.)

16 • The Public Eye SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 Political Research Associates • 17 Beyerstein, continued from page 3 ics would seek to avoid conflicts of interest what direction the Foundation will take. Mercy Ministries scandal was the correct and subsumes many different histories into a single, too-sim- supremacist ideology, but it’s quite possible to treat some- like this, but in the Flame of Love universe Moreover, serious repercussions from means of delineating the differences -be plistic template. It also gives the false impression that the hate one with great brutality, or contempt, as if they don’t mat- it is common for academics studying the the Foundation’s earlier work remain. tween faith healing and healthcare; min- is “out there” and “extreme,” when the problems are embed- ter, because you’re simply indifferent to their fate. intersection of religion and science to Though the scientific community has istries like Mercy operated in a gray area ded in mainstream U.S. civic life and culture. It’s never easy to blur the lines between the academic study rallied in recent years to protest the dan- where either definition could be deemed distinguish between the messages of many “hate groups” and Is brutal policing in Ferguson rooted in societal ideologies of revivalistic culture and participation in gers of creation science and intelligent appropriate, depending on the context.76 the actions of respectable civic and religious leaders as they set about the non-personhood of Black people, the notion that that culture. design theory, this focus on conservative But even in situations where the line be- back or dismantle progress in civil rights and economic justice. Black lives don’t matter? As opposed to visceral hatred? In addition to all the methodological responses to hard science has led many tween faith healing and medicine is clear- While nativist, white supremacist, and virulently anti-LGBT KW: I think all of that is there. The callous disregard of dilemmas in the STEPP study and Flame to overlook the more pressing dangers er, the real and potential influence of the groups may be horribly blunt in their supremacist beliefs, the Black lives in U.S. policies and practices since the incep- of Love’s elaborate ties to the group they posed by right-wing influences on health- Brown study cannot be ignored. By 2007, ideologies themselves are as old as the entirely “respectable” tion of the country is so total that [non-Black] people don’t purport to study, there’s a further con- care and social science research. Pseudo- writer and Iris Ministries supporter Don- projects of settler colonialism, Native genocide, chattel slav- even recognize where their indifference or contempt comes flict of interest in how the results of this science supporting faith healing can lead ald Kantel (who studied under Heidi Bak- ery, the eugenics movement, and economic exploitation. Hate from. It’s not necessarily boiling over as obvious racism, but research are ultimately presented. The directly to the injury or death of those er) claimed that pastors associated with is important in our politics. But people don’t want to own it. it’s still woven in. That’s why it’s so tempting in policy to go Southern Medical Association, which treated, if placebos or harmful treatments the ministry had raised over 50 people Even the people we think of as hatemongers, like neonazis, are after the people who commit hate crimes, because we know publishes the Southern Medical Journal, in are used in place of tested and effective from the dead throughout Southern Afri- often loath to say they hate people in so many words. who they are. The bigger problem is a Ferguson, a Cleve- which Brown’s paper first appeared, has medical care.72 ca in a five-year period. The ministry also land, a Chicago, an Oakland. twice received contributions—$98,889 While the influence of fundamental- purported to engage in miraculous heal- MICHAEL BRONSKI: They do and they don’t. I was teaching Intro. to LGBT studies at Dartmouth. I wanted to do something in 2006 and $73,673 in 2007—from the ism is diminishing, the Charismatic and ings and supernatural multiplications of MB: One of the hallmarks of people who do hateful things 66 77 about the Matthew Shepard case. All the students knew about John Templeton Foundation. Pentecostal movements continue to gain food. The popularization of “dead rais- is how often they see themselves as being victims. Police in it. They’d all seen “The Laramie Project,” and they identified power among the Christian Right, with ing” teams—groups of people engaged in Ferguson probably see themselves as being put-upon. An very strongly with Shepard. I think most of my students came The Future growth rates unrivaled in the Christian attempted resurrections—throughout the extreme example would be the Klan, who see themselves as 73 pretty close to saying they hated Shepard’s killers. People are After Sir John Templeton’s death in world. When it comes to scientific -de NAR could certainly not have been hurt victims of black people getting too much. It’s a mistake to sort of eager to own a certain form of hatred and express it in 2008, the heir to his legacy was Jack Tem- bates, these movements are not focused by either the Brown study or the Christian- leave that out of the equation. They see themselves as being more careful terms. It feels good. pleton, an evangelical doctor with abun- primarily on evolution or cosmology, but ity Today treatment that publicized its re- victimized by the system, more so than their victims, often. dant conservative political connections on faith healing. It is likely that this issue sults. Nor can we ignore the influence of I tried to get my students to think outside of the hate frame. who had been active in fighting same-sex area—and not the waning conflict over Global Awakening, whose revival events It wasn’t just a case of simple homophobia where a relatable, KW: The white, male, heterosexual power structure will marriage and defending the Iraq War. evolutionary biology or cosmology—will in Brazil, Mozambique, and India attract young, cute, blonde gay man was murdered senselessly. I almost always, in the face of protest, present itself as the He and his wife Josephine contributed represent one of the most important sci- crowds of 100,000 people at a time; ac- wanted them to see the larger issues, like gender behaviors, victim of the group that’s challenging it. $1 million to the fight to pass Califor- entific battlegrounds on which 21st Cen- cording to Brown, claims of divine heal- poverty, and even geography. Everybody sees themselves not nia’s anti-same-sex marriage Proposition tury conservative Protestants will make ing often reach the thousands during as haters, but as being hated. But once they’re hated, they Disability is a major theme of the book. You describe how, 8.67 Jack Templeton was also the second- their stand. such events.78 Here Brown’s influence is quickly access the desire to hate back. for centuries, disability has been cast as something that’s largest donor to the Red White and Blue Candy Gunther Brown herself has con- perhaps most marked, as her books are hateable and therefore something that justifies coercion— KW: Most neonazis will frame their essential message as love. Fund (RWB), a super-PAC that supported tended that “divine healing is the single sold by Global Awakening’s own book- like exiling disabled people from towns, or putting them in In fact, almost everybody will frame their political message as Rick Santorum’s 2012 presidential pri- most important category [of pentecostal store—a very unusual honor for any aca- institutions. If disabled people are seen as monstrous or love. But then you watch all the little side conversations and mary campaign.68 The younger Temple- religious practice]…for understanding demic, particularly a secular academic inherently criminal, it becomes easier to see their mistreat- the message boards... ton passed away in May 2015,69 but before the global expansion of pentecostal Chris- such as Brown.79 ment as something society does for its own protection. People—whether we’re from the right or the left, or any- his death, both critics and Templeton tianity.”74 And Brown is correct to point The danger here is not so much that where in the middle—will KW: Disabled people are often imagined as monstrous, de- grantees worried that Jack would steer out that it is precisely in “regions of the the Templeton study will be utilized to often identify our own virtue generate, or defective. Then these labels get used to charac- the Foundation further to the right, and world where poverty and sickness seem form new healthcare systems based on by who it is that we loathe terize any group that’s not in the central power hierarchy. perhaps further away from mainstream most overwhelming”—mostly regions Brown’s model. Rather, the problem is and despise and who it is that So debates about disability start to include questions about science.70 with a colonial legacy—that Pentecostal- that Brown’s research, like much of the we’re against. That happens American Indians, and Black people, and voting rights and The Foundation did shift its focus dur- ism has seen its most rapid growth.75 As Flame of Love project, will be utilized as as much in progressive circles citizenship; they start to include debates about women. ing Jack Templeton’s reign, but not as a result, this conflict may have far more a justification for preexisting Pentecos- as in right-wing circles. There’s often a contradictory dynamic. It all works to anticipated. Previous areas of special- immediate human costs than the creation tal and Charismatic healing initiatives in manage a great deal of anxiety. People with disabilities are ization, such as “spiritual information” science conflicts of the 20th Century. the developing world: a new wrinkle in So, on the left, we’re defining construed as criminals, as objects of fear and loathing, but and “humility theology,” were replaced Consider the large mental healthcare an old colonial tale. This may not be the ourselves by hating the prison also as objects to be felt sorry for and cared for in a patron- with the paradigm of “Big Questions,” in providers who, as I argue elsewhere, base future the Templeton Foundation has en- industrial complex or brutal izing kind of way. which philosophy and cosmology tended their treatment on practices such as ex- visioned for their work; yet it’s the future police officers? to receive more emphasis.71 There re- orcism rather than research-tested men- the Templeton Foundation has helped MB: I got an email from a friend who’s teaching a class on mained a guiding interest in faith and tal healthcare interventions. In 2008, make possible. KW: The language of hate is disability at Tufts. He said he’s teaching a clip from Fredric medicine, but the projects approved un- Australia was scandalized when Mercy an easy placeholder. Probably March’s 1931 Hollywood version of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. der the younger Templeton often concen- Ministries Australia—a group of large all of us use it. I use it too. But When the very handsome March drinks the potion, turning trated more on the intersection of faith treatment centers for young women, in- John Weaver is an English lecturer at Bing- what I keep trying to do is to him into Mr. Hyde, the transformation is really remarkable. and psychology than on prayer studies. cluding many suffering from eating - dis hamton University. His scholarship, includ- get very specific about the is- He actually becomes black and gets misshapen teeth. The While not always perfect, this work was orders—turned out to have based their ing his 2015 book The Failure of Evangeli- sues. insane, murderous Mr. Hyde becomes stooped over and certainly more scientifically rigorous treatment regimen on the exorcism man- cal Mental Health Care, focuses on how You can’t just say that the reason the Ferguson police have disfigured, and he becomes African-American-looking. It’s than the Flame of Love Project. Now, with ual Restoring the Foundations. A constant evangelical theology informs the mental such extraordinarily oppressive ways of policing is just because very much part of this mythos that some people who are not the death of Jack Templeton, it’s unclear element of controversy in the ensuing health beliefs of the evangelical subculture. they hate Blacks. It’s much more complicated. There is a root in in the mainstream—including African Americans—are dis-

18 • The Public Eye SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 Political Research Associates • 19 endnotes

abled and therefore evil. There’s that easy leap. A Hollywood life’s work, working at this intersection of places where people Beyond the Hate Frame, p.3 religious-exemption-1.html. 22. Institutional Religious Freedom FAQ,” Columbia Law School, http:// Alliance, “Hosanna-Tabor: A Big web.law.columbia.edu/sites/default/ classic shows it to us quite viscerally in about 90 seconds. don’t even recognize it as violence. 1. Beacon Press, “Considering Hate,” 12. Frederick Clarkson, “Christian Right Seeks Renewal in Deepening Victory for Religious Freedom,” files/microsites/gender-sexuality/ http://www.beacon.org/considering- January 20, 2012. http://www. rfra_faq_for_website.pdf. hate-p1046.aspx. Catholic-Protestant Alliance,” The In the book you talk about how disfavored groups get inter- What violent things do people fail to recognize as violent? Public Eye, 2013, http://www. irfalliance.org/hosanna-tabor-a-big- 33. Zack Ford, “Conservatives Admit 2. http://www.chicagolightbrigade.org politicalresearch.org/2013/07/23/ victory-for-religious-freedom/ The the Truth on Indiana ‘Religious defined, for example: disabled people are defined as inferior, IRFA became a project of the Center When the Exception Is the Rule, p.4 christian-right-seeks-renewal-in- Liberty’ Bill,” ThinkProgress, January and then femaleness and Blackness get construed as physical KW: There’s the school-to-prison pipeline. A lot of white deepening-catholic-protestant- for Public Justice in September 2014. 6, 2015, http://thinkprogress.org/ The CPJ is a self-described “Christian- defects relative to the white male ideal. people have no idea how pervasive that is, or what the heavy 1. General Synod of the United Church alliance/. lgbt/2015/01/06/3608286/indiana- of Christ v. Cooper, 760 F.3d 352 (4th democratic” and “principled pluralist” license-to-discriminate/. presence of school resource officers can be like. Basically, what 13. Zack Ford, “Senator proposes organization. Cir. 2014), http://uccfiles.com/pdf/ Budget Amendment That Would 34. Family Research Council, KW: We decided to use the lens of disability, but we could have goes on in prisons and jails is not recognized as violence. Soli- complaint.pdf. Force The Government To Hire Anti- 23. Rachel Tabachnick, “Spiritual “Religious Freedom Should Not Be picked race or gender, or queerness, and gone in as deeply. tary confinement is not seen as violence or torture, though it 2. Central Conference of American Gay Employers, ThinkProgress, March Warriors with an Antigay Mission: Held Hostage to Big Business, Family Rabbis, “Central Conference of 25, 2015. http://thinkprogress.org/ The New Apostolic Reformation,” Research Council Urges Veto,” April 2, Gender, gender conformity, class, race: they all collide in these is. American Rabbis (CCAR) Joins Federal lgbt/2015/03/25/3638630/inhofe- The Public Eye, March 22, 2013, 2015, http://www.frc.org/newsroom/ stories. One of the reasons we try to tell the story emphasizing Lawsuit Challenging North Carolina’s discrimination-amendment/. http://www.politicalresearch. religious-freedom-should-not-be- org/2013/03/22/spiritual-warriors- MB: When it comes to violence people don’t recognize as vio- Same-Sex Marriage Ban,” June 4, 14. Book excerpt: Linda Wertheimer, held-hostage-to-big-business-family- the overlap of different oppressions is to demonstrate the pit- 2014, http://ccarnet.org/nc-press- with-an-antigay-mission/. research-council-urges-veto. lence, at Dartmouth there’s a very strong Greek system. The “Evangelical: Religious Right Has fall that happens for progressive people when we fight in dis- release/. Distorted the Faith,” NPR, June 23, 24. C. Peter Wagner, “Can the 35. Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. ___ connected, parallel, single-issue ways. embedded violence of hazing is completely and totally ac- 3. Michael Paulson, “North Carolina’s 2006, http://www.npr.org/templates/ Government Tell the Church What (2015). Gay-Marriage Ban Is Challenged story/story.php?storyId=5502785; to Do?,” Communion With God cepted. It’s everything from physical assaults to sexual humili- Ministries, February 14, 2012, http:// 36. Tony Perkins, “Georgia Peaches a by Church,” New York Times, April Randall Balmer, Thy Kingdom Come: Fit Over Senate Bill,” The Patriot Post, Is your argument that the “hate” component of hate crime is ation. Eating certain foods to make them throw up. Forcing di- 28, 2014, http://www.nytimes. How the Religious Right Distorts Faith www.cwgministries.org/blogs/can- government-tell-church-what-do-c- February 23, 2015, http://patriotpost. rooted in the same impulse that makes communities hire op- uretics on them to make them sit in the bathroom for hours on com/2014/04/29/us/churchs-lawsuit- and Threatens America, (New York: us/opinion/33349. challenges-north-carolina-ban-on- Basic Books, 2007). peter-wagner. 37. Frederick Clarkson, Eternal pressive police forces? end. Hazing is constructing masculinity by humiliating people same-sex-marriage.html?_r=2. 15. Bob Jones University v. United 25. Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Hope for the Years Ahead,” The Church of Hostility: The Struggle Between to the point of being physically ill. On many college campuses 4. Frederick Clarkson, “The New States, 461 U.S. 574 (1982). Theocracy and Democracy, (Monroe, That may be true in some simplistic ways, but we would Secular Fundamentalist Conspiracy!,” Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, MB: this is regarded as completely acceptable or even good behav- 16. LGBTQ Nation, “Catholic April 16, 2014, http://www. ME: Common Courage Press, 1997), The Public Eye, 2008, http://www. archdiocese of Cincinnati to tweak 84-85. all do better by really looking at every interest and trying to ior, until somebody dies. politicalresearch.org/2008/03/05/ mormonnewsroom.org/article/ teacher contract morality clauses,” transcript-elder-dallin-oaks- understand each instance in itself to see how it fits in a larger the-new-secular-fundamentalist- March 10, 2015, http://www. Latin America in the Crosshairs, p.10 conspiracy/. constitutional-symposium-religious- structural pattern. It’s important not to lump people together Like when Abu Ghraib became public and all those pundits lgbtqnation.com/2015/03/catholic- freedom. 1. AFP, “Protestan contra aborto y 5. Brian Tashman, “Tony Perkins, archdiocese-of-cincinnati-to-tweak- matrimonio gay previo asamblea just because the behaviors look somewhat similar. were saying it was no big deal because they do this stuff in fra- Arbiter Of Christianity, Says Pro-Gay teacher-contract-morality-clauses/; 26. Timothy Dolan, “Let Freedom Ring...!,” United States Conference OEA,” La Hora, June 4, 2013, http:// ternity hazing? Christians Don’t Have Same Religious Victoria Colliver, Hundreds march www.lahora.com.ec/index.php/ Rights As Conservatives,” Right Wing against S.F. archbishop’s ‘morality of Catholic Bishops, September 10, KW: It’s very easy to arouse justified outrage for specific, dra- 2012, http://www.usccb.org/issues- noticias/show/1101516644. My Watch, May 8, 2014, http://www. clauses,’ San Francisco Chronicle, translation. matic, sensational acts of violence that are intended to dehu- MB: Precisely. rightwingwatch.org/content/tony- March 31, 2015. and-action/religious-liberty/upload/ Let_Freedom_Ring_9_8_12_JCS1.pdf. 2. ACI/EWTN News, “Convención pro manize someone from a marginalized group. [Like when at- perkins-arbiter-christianity-says- 17. Lisa Leff, “San Francisco pro-gay-christians-dont-have-same- 27. Liberty Institute, “Religious Liberty gay de OEA atenta contra libertad de KW: We talk in the book about how cultural strategies are real- archbishop wants teachers to not expresión, advierten,” ACI Prensa, June tackers set out] to get a transgender woman, or “teach a Latino religious-rights-co. contradict church,” CBS News, Audits, https://www.libertyinstitute. ly needed in order for us to take a look at some of these realities org/religious-liberty-audits?. 12, 2013, https://www.aciprensa. immigrant a lesson.” Those things are horrific, and we need 6. Nick Gass, “Mike Huckabee: U.S. February 6, 2015, http://www. com/noticias/convencion-pro-gay- to respond. We fixate on spree killings and assassinations be- in disruptively intelligent ways. [Ed: Whitlock is talking about moving toward ‘criminalization cbsnews.com/news/san-francisco- 28. Jeff Mateer, “A Ready Defense: de-oea-atenta-contra-libertad-de- innovative protest tactics, like ACT-UP air-dropping condoms into of Christianity’,” Politico, April archbishop-wants-teachers-to-not- How to Protect Your Ministry or Faith- expresion-advierten-43391/. My cause they’re so visibly terrifying. As we say in the book, fear 24, 2015, http://www.politico. contradict-church/. Based Business from Legal Attack translation. a prison because the prison wouldn’t distribute condoms to prevent com/story/2015/04/mike- and Ruin,” Liberty Institute, May 14, has a kind of payoff: it makes us feel alive. 18. Julia Carrie Wong, “‘I want 3. World Congress of Families, “Alliance huckabee -us-criminalization-of- education, not indoctrination’: 2015, http://blog.libertyinstitute. But regardless of who’s in power, we also have these struc- the spread of HIV, and the eye-catching actions of the Chicago christianity-117310.html. org/2015/05/a-ready-defense-how-to- Defending Freedom Engaged in Major Catholic Teachers and Students International Expansion,” World tural forms of violence that continue year after year in the most Light Brigade, which mobilizes flash mobs bearing glowing LED 7. J. Brent Walker, “Reflections: Protest Archdiocese,” SF Weekly, protect-your.html; Liberty Institute, “Religious Protections Guide,” https:// Congress of Families News, November panels that spell out progressive slogans.2] Do states need religious freedom April 27, 2015, http://www.sfweekly. 2014, http://worldcongress.org/ respectable civic and private arenas. The violence is steadfast, legislation?,” Baptist Joint Committee com/thesnitch/2015/04/27/i- www.libertyinstitute.org/audit; for Until we work towards deeper shifts in consciousness, we’re discussion, see Frederick Clarkson, files/9414/1582/4595/WCF_News_ consistent, and it’s absolutely massive. I’m talking about the vi- for Religious Liberty, February want-education-not-indoctrination- November_2014.pdf. always going to be tinkering with the machinery, and finding 19, 2015, http://bjconline.org/ catholic-teachers-and-students- “When in Doubt, Religify! Fear olence of prisons, detention centers, psychiatric hospitals, and reflections-do-states-need-religious- protest-archdiocese. Mongering About Religious Liberty,” 4. Alliance Defending Freedom, new ways to let old systemic problems persist. If we think cul- Political Research Associates, May 29, “Frequently Asked Questions,” http:// public schools with school officers who are armed to the teeth freedom-legislation/. 19. Frederick Clarkson, “Christian turally about telling the story in fresh and unexpected ways, 2015, http://www.politicalresearch. www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org/ and who have absolute discretionary power to send kids into 8. Rousas John Rushdoony, The Right Seeks Renewal in Deepening org/2015/05/29/when-in-doubt- about/faq; Of the original founders, Institutes of Biblical Law, (Phillipsburg, Catholic-Protestant Alliance.” the criminal/legal system for minor infractions. We have lots then we may have some fresh and welcome insights. religify-fear-mongering-about- Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed 20. Scott Jaschik, “Big Union Win,” religious-liberty. Christ, Larry Burkett of Crown of violence against people with disabilities who are penned up Publishing Company, 1973), 294. Inside Higher Ed, January 2, 2015, You write about the importance of refocusing on goodness. 29. Religious Freedom Restoration Financial Ministries, Marlin Maddoux in institutions where someone has absolute power over them. 9. Religious Action Center of Reform https://www.insidehighered.com/ Act of 1993, Pub. L. No. 103-141, 107 of the Point of View radio program, What are some of the ways that we can refocus on goodness in- Judaism, “Reform Movement news/2015/01/02/nlrb-ruling-shifts- Stat. 1488 (1993). and D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge I did my first work challenging the hate frame in 2001 for the Welcomes Ruling in Marriage Equality legal-ground-faculty-unions-private- stead of defining ourselves in terms of who we hate? Ministries are now deceased; only American Friends Service Committee. Everywhere I went to Cases,” June 26, 2013, http://www. colleges; Adelle M. Banks, “Religious 30. Department of Human Resources James Dobson, of Focus on the Family, rac.org/reform-movement-welcomes- college presidents agree on ‘calling’ of Oregon v. Smith, 494 U.S. 872 is still alive. speak [about the limits of hate crime legislation], good people (1990). MB: Everybody wants to see themselves as a good person. It’s ruling-marriage-equality-cases. and common threats to their schools,” 5. Sara Diamond, “The religious right who cared passionately about social justice would get furious 10. Dr. Jay Michaelson, “Redefining Religion News Service, February 3, 31. Richard Fausset and Alan goes to court,” The Humanist, May 1, a really invigorating question. Rather than redefining it, what 2015, http://www.religionnews. Blinder, “States Weigh Legislation to if you talked about the structural violence of prison. It seemed Religious Liberty: The Covert 1994, http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ I’ve learned in talking about the book and to students, is actu- Campaign Against Civil Rights,” com/2015/02/03/religious-college- Let Businesses Refuse to Serve Gay The+religious+right+goes+to+court.-a impossible for people to accept that the legal system wasn’t the Political Research Associates, presidents-agree-calling-common- Couples,” New York Times, March 015388147; In 1994, Sarah Diamond ally getting people to think of what it would mean to be good. threats-schools/. 5, 2015, http://www.nytimes. appropriate place to lodge our concerns. Just the thought of March 21, 2013, http://www. wrote that ADF’s president, Alan What it would mean to step out of descriptions of ourselves as politicalresearch.org/2013/03/21/ 21. Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical com/2015/03/06/us/anticipating- Sears, “is a slick talker who refused them having to engage with the massive violence of a system business of usual? What it would mean to do something that is redefining-religious-liberty-the- Lutheran Church and School v. Equal nationwide-right-to-same-sex- to answer any of my questions about that dealt with hardened criminals…. covert-campaign-against-civil-rights/; Employment Opportunity Commission marriage-states-weigh-religious- how the ADF plans to raise $1 million counter to the usual? see Brief Amici Curiae of Julian Bond, et al., 565 U.S. ___ (2012).; See exemption-bills.html. in 1994, $6 million in 1995, and $25 The American Civil Liberties Union et also, Frederick Clarkson, “Papering 32. Kristine Guerra and Tim Evans, million by 1997.” So, they wanted to address the violence against “innocent” al. at 32, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, No. Over the Differences, The Political “How Indiana’s RFRA differs from 6. United States Dept. of the Treasury people but didn’t feel comfortable condemning violence against Considering Hate: Violence, Goodness, and Justice in Ameri- 13-354 (Jan. 28, 2014). Alliance Between Evangelicals and federal version,” IndyStar.com, April Internal Revenue Service, “Form 990, 11. Leadership Conference on Civil the Catholic Right,” Conscience, Vol. 2, 2015, http://www.indystar.com/ Return of Organization Exempt from “bad” people? can Culture and Politics was published by Beacon Press in 2015. Rights, “The Religious Exemption to XXXIII – No. 2, 2012, http://www. story/news/politics/2015/03/31/ Income Tax: Alliance Defending This discussion has been edited for clarity, length, and flow. the Employment Non-Discrimination catholicsforchoice.org/conscience/ indianas-rfra-similar-federal- Freedom,” Washington, D.C., 2012, KW: Right. This is not to put people down. This is part of my Act,” civilrights.org, August 1, 2001, current/PaperingovertheDifferences. rfra/70729888/; Public Rights / http://207.153.189.83/EINS/54166 http://www.civilrights.org/lgbt/enda/ asp. Private Conscience Project, “RFRA 0459/541660459_2012_0a0d95a7.

20 • The Public Eye SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 Political Research Associates • 21 PDF; Josh Israel, “The 800-Pound Gorilla and the family.” fam.org/friday_fax/legal-brief-details- 7. Candy Gunther Brown, PhD, Prize is Bad News for Religion, Not 46. Brown et al., “STEPP,” 864. org/2013/03/22/spiritual-warriors- 70. Schneider, “God, Science and of the Christian Right,” Think Progress, 17. Alliance Defending Freedom, flaws-in-pro-lesbian-custody-ruling/. Stephen C. Mory, MD, Rebecca Science,” New Scientist, March 25, 47. Institute for Research on with-an-antigay-mission/. Philanthropy.” May 1, 2014, http://thinkprogress.org/ “A History of Success,” http://www. 28. Piero Tozzi, “Alliance Defense Fund Williams MB BChir, DTM&H, 2010, http://www.newscientist.com/ Unlimited Love, “Institute for 59. Bethel Sozo, “About Bethel Sozo: 71. Schneider, “The Templeton lgbt/2014/05/01/3429448/alliance- alliancedefendingfreedom.org/about/ to Costa Rican congress members,” Michael J. McClymond, PhD, “Study blogs/shortsharpscience/2010/03/ Research on Unlimited Love - Books Autism,” http://bethelsozo.com/ Effect.” defending-freedom/. history Alliance Defending Freedom, June of the Therapeutic Effects of Proximal templeton-prize-is-bad-news-fo. Produced,” September 2014, about#/4. Intercessory Prayer (STEPP) on html. 72. What’s The Harm?, “What’s 7. Alliance Defending Freedom, 18. Alliance Defending Freedom, 1, 2011, http://www.adfmedia.org/ http://unlimitedloveinstitute.org/ 60. John Weaver, The Failure of the harm in believing in faith “Defending Freedom Since 1994,” http:// files/CostaRicaLetter.pdf. Auditory and Visual Impairments in 22. Schneider, “God, Science and wp-content/uploads/2014/10/88- “Defending Religious Freedom, the Rural Mozambique,” Southern Medical Evangelical Mental Health Care, 75-84. healing?,” http://whatstheharm. www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org/ Sanctity of Life, and Marriage and 29. Brief of Amici Curiae, Artavia Philanthropy.” Institute-Books-Published1.pdf. net/faithhealing.html; This website page/new-name. Journal, 2010, 864. 61. Schneider, “God, Science and Family...Around the Globe,” http:// Murillo et al. v Costa Rica, Inter- 23. Schneider, “God, Science and 48. Templeton Prize, “Previous Philanthropy.” records faith healing deaths that 8. Tom McFeely, “ADF’s Global Initiative www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org/ American Court of Human Rights case 8. Nathan Schneider, “God, Science Philanthropy.” Prize Winners: Charles Taylor have been reported in the news. The and Philanthropy: Politics of 62. Schneider, “God, Science and Champions Life, Family and Religious issues/global. no. 12,361 (Filed May 7, 2012). 24. Richard P. Sloan, Blind Faith: (2007),” Templetonprize.org, incidents it documents represent a Liberty,” September 14, 2011, https:// the Templeton Foundation’s ‘Big http://www.templetonprize.org/ Philanthropy.” mere fraction of the deaths that have 19. Alliance Defending Freedom, 30. Artavia Murillo et al. v. Costa Questions,’” The Nation, June 21, The Unholy Alliance of Religion and c-fam.org/friday_fax/adf-s-global- “10 Important ADF European et al. v Costa Rica, Preliminary Medicine (New York: St. Martin’s previouswinners/taylor.html. 63. Kapya John Kaoma, “Colonizing resulted from faith healing practices. initiative-champions-life-family-and- 2010, http://www.thenation.com/ African Values, How the U.S. Cases,” November 13, 2014, http:// objections, Merits, Reparations article/god-science-and-philanthropy. Griffin, 2006), 61. 49. Lee, Poloma, and Post, 73. Barna Group, “Is American religious-liberty/. blog.alliancedefendingfreedom. and Costs, Judgment, Inter-Am. Ct. “Introduction,” 6; currently this is Christian Right is Transforming Sexual Christianity Turning Charismatic?,” 9. Sarah Pulliam Bailey, “John 25. Schneider, “God, Science and Politics in Africa,” Political Research 9. Alliance Defending Freedom, org/2014/11/13/adfs-top-10- H. R., November 28, 2012, http:// Philanthropy.” centered in Christianity, but the study January 7, 2008, https://www.barna. “About Us,” http://www. important-european-cases/. www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/casos/ Templeton Jr., president of multi- is supposed to later extend to other Associates, 2012, http://www. org/barna-update/congregations/52- alliancedefendingfreedom.org/about/ articulos/resumen_257_esp.pdf. My billion dollar foundation invested in 26. Sloan, “Blind Faith,” 62. religions. politicalresearch.org/wp-content/ is-american-christianity-turning- 20. Robert J. Delahunty and John Yoo, science and religion, has died,” The uploads/downloads/2012/10/ 10. Organization of American States “Against Foreign Law,” Harvard Law translation. 27. Schneider, “God, Science and 50. Matthew T. Lee, Margaret M. charismatic. Washington Post, May 19, 2015, http:// Philanthropy.” Colonizing-African-Values.pdf. Department of International Affairs/ Review, Vol. 29. 2005, http://www. 31. Susana Joma, “Neydy Casillas: www.washingtonpost.com/news/ Poloma, and Stephen G. Post, The 74. Candy Gunther Brown, Secretariat for External Relations, law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/ Existe una confusión generalizada 28. Flame of Love Project, “Project Heart of Religion (New York: Oxford 64. Poloma, “Main Street Mystics,” “Introduction: Pentecostalism and the acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/19/john- Co-Directors,” https://web.archive. 243.; “Exemplar Biosketches.” “Application for Registration Presented jlpp/Vol29_No1_Delahunty_Yoo. sobre el aborto como ‘derecho’,” templeton-jr-president-of-foundation- University Press, 2013), 52. Globalization of Illness and Healing,” Pursuant to Item 6 of the Guidelines pdf; While conservative jurists may El Salvador, February 15, 2015, org/web/20091214130623/http:// 51. Matthew T. Lee and Margaret M. 65. Poloma, “Main Street Mystics,” in Global Pentecostal and Charismatic invested-in-science-and-religion-has- www3.uakron.edu/sociology/ 243. for Participation by Civil Society argue that foreign law should not be http://www.elsalvador.com/ died/. Poloma, A Sociological Study of the Healing, (Oxford: Oxford University Organizations in OAS Activities.” referenced, many are in fact doing mwedh/nota/nota_completa. flameweb/codirect.html. 66. Conservative Transparency, Press, 2011), 14. 10. Templeton Foundation, “Positive Great Commandment in Pentecostalism: Washington, D.C., 2014. just that. (Jeffrey Toobin,, “Swing asp?idCat=47862&idArt=9464162. 29. The University of Akron, The Practice of Godly Love as Benevolent “Recipient: Southern 75. Brown, “Introduction,” 7. Shift,” The New Yorker, September 12, My translation. Psychology Research,” https://www. “Sociology Researchers Receive $2.3 Medical Association,” http:// 11. Organization of American templeton.org/what-we-fund/grants/ Service (Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen 76. John Weaver, The Failure of States Department, “Application for 2005, http://www.newyorker.com/ 32. ACI Prensa Central Office, Million Grant,” uakron.edu, February Press, 2009), 59. conservativetransparency.org/ magazine/2005/09/12/swing-shift.) positive-psychology-research. Evangelical Mental Health Care, 86-88. Registration,” 2014. “Convención pro gay de OEA atenta 4, 2008, http://www.uakron.edu/ 52. Flame of Love Project, “Exemplar recipient/southern-medical- 21. Inside Gov, “Piero A. Tozzi,” 2015, contra libertad de expresión, 11. Sean Carroll, “Science and about_ua/news_media/news_details. association/. 77. Donald Kantel, “The ‘Toronto 12. Alliance Defending Freedom, Biosketches,” https://web.archive. Blessing’: Revival and its Continuing http://congressional-staff.insidegov. advierten,” ACI Prensa, June 12, Religion Can’t Be Reconciled, dot?newsId=11880&pageTitle=UA%20 67. David O’Reilly, “$1 million for “Address to Member States on Why I Won’t Take Money from the org/web/20100820171014/http:// Impact on Mission in Mozambique” International Conference on com/l/32539/Piero-A-Tozzi; Piero 2013, https://www.aciprensa.com/ News&crumbTitle=Sociology+Researc www3.uakron.edu/sociology/ their own two cents Bryn Mawr couple Tozzi, former ADF senior counsel is noticias/convencion-pro-gay-de-oea- Templeton Foundation,” Slate, hers+Receive+%242.3+Million+Grant. (Ph.D. diss., Regent University, Populations and Development flameweb/research/exempbios.htm; are largest individual donors in efforts 2007), 32. explicitly partisan in his work, and atenta-contra-libertad-de-expresion- May 9, 2013, http://www.slate. 30. Patheos, “Anthea Butler to ban gay marriage in California,” (ICPD),” United Nations Department com/articles/health_and_science/ Josh Kron, “In Uganda, Push to Curb of Economics and Social Affairs, has profited greatly. In 2014 Tozzi advierten-43391/. My translation. Biography,” Patheos, http://www. Gays Draws U.S. Guest,” New York Philly.com, October 28, 2008, 78. Candy Gunther Brown, “Global earned almost $120,000 as Counsel science/2013/05/i_won_t_take_ patheos.com/About-Patheos/Anthea- http://articles.philly.com/2008- Awakenings: Divine Healing 2014, http://www.un.org/en/ 33. Sofia Martinez and Neydy Casillas, money_from_templeton_science_ Times, May 2, 2010, http://www. development/desa/population/pdf/ for New Jersey congressman Chris “Life and Family No Longer Silenced Butler.html. nytimes.com/2010/05/03/world/ 10-28/news/25263219_1_ban-gay- Networks and Global Community in Smith. According to InsideGov.com, and_religion_can_t_be_reconciled. marriage-heterosexual-marriages- North America, Brazil, Mozambique, commission/2014/ngo/Agenda%20 at the Organization of American html. 31. Patheos, “Anthea Butler.” africa/03uganda.html?ref=africa&_ item%204/ADF_Item4.pdf. this was almost three times more than States,” Zenit, June 18, 2014, http:// r=0; the Ugandan “Death To Gays” bill proposition. and Beyond,” in Global Pentecostal and 32. Matthew T. Lee, Margaret Charismatic Healing, (Oxford: Oxford the median income for other staffers in www.zenit.org/en/articles/life-and- 12. Joseph Charles Kiger, Philanthropic has received considerable attention in 68. Phil Hirschkorn and Laura 13. Alliance Defending Freedom, Smith’s office. Foundations in the Twentieth Century, M. Poloma, and Stephen G. Post, University Press, 2011), 353. “Areté Academy, United States,” http:// family-no-longer-silenced-at-the- Introduction to The Science and the United States thanks to the release Strickler, “Santorum’s big 22. Tom McFeely, “ADF’s Global organization-of-american-states (Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing of God Loves Uganda, a documentary benefactor,” CBS News, February 9, 79. Global Awakening, “Global www.alliancedefendingfreedom. Group, 2000), 133. Theology of Godly Love, ed. Matthew org/arete/unitedstates; Alliance Initiative Champions Life, Family and 34. Sofia Martinez and Neydy Casillas, chronicling the actions of American 2012, http://www.cbsnews.com/ Awakening Online Bookstore,” http:// T. Lee and Amos Yong (Dekalb, IL: globalawakeningstore.com/search. Defending Freedom “Areté Academy, Religious Liberty,” Center for Family “Life and Family No Longer Silenced.” 13. Sunny Bains, “Questioning the Northern Illinois University Press, evangelicals in promoting anti- news/santorums-big-benefactor/. Latin America,” http://www. and Human Rights, September 14, Integrity of the John Templeton gay efforts in Uganda. PRA Senior php?mode=search&sort=&sort_ 35. Luis E. Molina and Tamoa A. 2012), 5-8. 69. Pulliam Bailey, “John Templeton, direction=0&xsearch_e1=Candy%20 alliancedefendingfreedom.org/arete/ 2011, https://c-fam.org/friday_fax/ Foundation,” (Evolutionary Psychology Religion and Sexuality Researcher Jr. Has Died.” adf-s-global-initiative-champions-life- Vivas, “Asistencia a la Asamblea 9, no. 1, 2011), 92-115, 94. 33. Templeton Foundation, “The Kapya Kaoma featured prominently Gunther%20Brown. latinamerica; The Areté Academy General de la OEA,” Alerta Puerto Flame of Love: Scientific Research - Latin America focuses on “the family-and-religious-liberty/ 14. Bains, “Questioning the Integrity,” in the film, and the organization Rico, May 20, 2015, https://groups. on the Experience and Expression has released several detailed major foundations of law and justice, natural 23. Mirta Moragas Mereles, interview google.com/forum/?hl=es#!topic/ 93-94; the reader should note that of Godly Love in the Pentecostal law principles, and biblical worldview by the author, April 2015. the Templeton Prize for Progress in reports detailing evangelical political redhispanoamericana/lDJoMKac7XA. Tradition,” https://www.templeton. activities within Africa. Kaoma’s work American Culture Warriors in Africa, written by PRA researcher training,” and how these can be 24. World Congress of Families, Religion subsequently morphed into org/what-we-fund/grants/the-flame- applied to “some of the most pressing 36. El Siglo Office, “ONGs catalogan the Templeton Prize for Progress explores Engle’s actions in Uganda in Rev. Dr. Kapya Kaoma, profiles the top U.S. culture warriors “Alliance Defending Freedom Engaged diálogo en la Cumbre como una ‘farsa’,” of-love-scientific-research-on-the- detail. issues facing society today, including in Major International Expansion.” Toward Research or Discoveries About experience-and-expression-of-godly-. advancing the persecution of sexual minorities and women religious freedom, intellectual El Siglo, April 10, 2015, http://elsiglo. Spiritual Realities, before turning 53. Margaret Poloma, Main Street 25. La Nación Dominicana, com/panama/ongs-catalogan-dialogo- 34. Institute for Research on Unlimited in Africa. Learn what you can do to interrupt the Right’s tolerance and academic diversity, into the Templeton Prize. Please see Mystics: The Toronto Blessing & neocolonial agenda! marriage and family, as well as the “Candidato para Secretario General cumbre-como-farsa/23857406. My John M. Cummingham, “Templeton Love, “Abridged List of Deliverables Reviving Pentecostalism (Walnut right of conscience and the sanctity of y Canciller de Uruguay dialoga con translation. Prize,” Brittanica, N.D. Web. 8 Jun for the Flame of Love Project,” June 15, Creek: Altamire Press, 2003), 174- life.” This year’s Areté Academy - Latin sociedad civil en la OEA,” February 37. Alliance Defending Freedom, “A 2015. http://www.britannica.com/ 2011, http://unlimitedloveinstitute. 181. www.politicalresearch.org/africa America is taking place in October in 19, 2015, http://lanaciondominicana. Vast Future,” 2014, https://www. EBchecked/topic/673733/Templeton- org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ com/ver_noticia.php?id_ Deliverables-for-the-Flame-of-Love- 54. Revival Alliance, “Homepage,” the beachside resort town of Cancún, alliancedefendingfreedom.org/ Prize revivalalliance.com; “Exemplar Mexico. noticia=50391&sesion_periodico=14. content/campaign/2014/Events/A- Project.pdf. My translation. 15. Schneider, “God, Science and Biosketches.” 14. World Congress of Families, Vast-Future/20975-Magazine- Philanthropy.” 35. Brown et al., “STEPP,” 865. 26. Inter-American Commission on Anniversary.pdf 55. Global Awakening, “WLI Course “Alliance Defending Freedom Engaged 16. Schneider, “God, Science and 36. Sloan, “Blind Faith,” 157, 168 Catalog,” http://globalawakening. in Major International Expansion.” Human Rights, “IACHR Composition,” http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/ Big Questions About Templeton, p.14 Philanthropy.” 37. Sarah Glazer, “Prayer and com/component/docman/doc_ 15. United Nations Economic mandate/composition.asp. At the 17. Richard Dawkins, The God Healing,” CQ Researcher 15, no. 2 download/271-wli-course-catalog, and Social Council, “List of non- 1. Tim Stafford, “Miracles in (2005): 27. 18. June 2015 OAS General Assembly, Mozambique: How Mama Heidi Delusion, (Boston: Houghton Mifflin governmental organizations in which will be held in Washington, Harcourt, 2006), 19. 38. Brown et al., “STEPP,” 865. 56. Randy Clark, “A Study of the consultative status with the Economic Reaches the Abandoned,” Christianity D.C., member states elect eight Today, May 18, 2012, http://www. 18. Jerry Coyne, “Martin Rees 39. Brown et al., “STEPP,” 864-867. Effects of Christian Prayer on Pain or and Social Council as of 1 September new members from 11 candidates. Mobility Restrictions from Surgeries 2014,” NGO Branch Department christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/may/ and the Templeton Travesty,” The 40. Brown et al., “STEPP,” 867. Candidates are proposed by the Guardian, April 6, 2011, http://www. Involving Implanted Materials” of Economic and Social Affairs, miracles-in-mozambique.html. 41. Brown et al., “STEPP,” 868. governments of member states. An theguardian.com/science/blog/2011/ (D.Min. diss., United Theological December 3, 2014, http://csonet. independent panel has been set up 2. Stafford, “Miracles in Mozambique.” 42. Peter Norvig, “Evaluating Seminary, 2013), 167-168. org/content/documents/E-2014- apr/06/prize-mug-martin-rees- to oversee the election, which will 3. Stafford, “Miracles in Mozambique.” templeton. Extraordinary Claims: Mind Over 57. Brown et al., “STEPP,” 865. INF-5%20Issued.pdf. include electing four commissioners Matter? Or Mind Over Mind?,” Norvig. 4. Stafford, “Miracles in Mozambique.” 19. Nathan Schneider, “The 58. For a brief introductory look 16. Alliance Defending Freedom, for the IACHR and four judges for the 5. Stafford, “Miracles in Mozambique.” com, http://norvig.com/prayer.html. “ADF Increases Global Impact with Inter-American Court. Commission Templeton Effect,” The Chronicle of at the links between some of these 6. Benedict Carey, “Long-Awaited Higher Education, September 3, 2012, 43. Norvig, “Evaluating Extraordinary leaders, notably Baker, and the NAR, New Status at United Nations,” members are elected to a four-year Claims.” July 28, 2010, http://www. term. Medical Study Questions the Power http://chronicle.com/article/The- see Rachel Tabachnick, “Spiritual alliancedefendingfreedom.org/News/ of Prayer,” The New York Times, March Templeton-Effect/134018/. 44. Norvig, “Evaluating Extraordinary Warriors with an Antigay Mission: The 27. Thomas McFeely, “Legal Brief 31, 2006, http://www.nytimes. Claims.” New Apostolic Reformation,” Political PRDetail/4201; As they say, to “help Details Flaws in Pro-Lesbian Custody 20. Carroll, “Science and Religion craft language that affirms religious com/2006/03/31/health/31pray. Can’t Be Reconciled.” 45. Jean Mercer, email message to Research Associates, March 22, Ruling,” Center for Family & Human html?pagewanted=all&_r=0. 2013, http://www.politicalresearch. freedom, the sanctity of life, marriage, Rights, September 8, 2011, https://c- 21. Michael Brooks, “Templeton author, April 17, 2015.

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The Art of Activism Spotlighting the efforts of artists and organizations who are engaged in the struggle for social justice and are helping build the movement through their work. Asad Badat, the artist behind the active, but it requires me to educate cover of this issue, says he’s always myself and take in new ideas in or- seen himself as “a passionate observer der to create something new.” And, who has romantic eyes for beauty.” Re- because the subjects of his research cently, though, he’s departed from this were so vast, he notes that Flags of observatory position, opting instead to Our Faiths still feels unfinished—in- use his art as a site of and mechanism deed, never-ending. for dialogue. Badat humbly identifies Nonetheless, the project has himself as a novice in the world of art borne fruit. Badat articulates one and activism. He’s new to this conflu- of his goals as an artist-activist as ence, and still learning. Nonetheless, entering into direct dialogue with his increasingly keen awareness of the Untitled Flag #2, Digital Collage, 2014. From the Flags of people who occupy the realms in complex connections among communi- Our Faiths series, by Asad Badat. www.asadbadat.com which he locates his subject matter, ties across the globe compels him to act as a citizen of the world— in addition to creating conversation with his viewers. The Flags “to join the conversation and actively become part of the solution.” of Our Faiths project afforded an opportunity for Badat to engage Untitled Flag #2, which belongs to his 2014 Flags of Our Faiths Christian peers in discussion about their beliefs, and he says that series, is exemplary of his transition to making “conceptual art learning experience was the best part of the work. In the future, with a message.” In addition to a prominent portrait of Mary, Ba- he hopes to continue such conversations with faith leaders. He dat’s reimagined U.S. flag features patterns inspired by the Islamic also hopes that the art itself will stand in conversation with his headscarf known as the keffiyeh. The digital collage is comprised audience. For instance, Badat acknowledges that the American of scanned fabrics and imagery Badat found at a church, but just flag imagery will resonate differently with each viewer, which is as integral to the fabric of the piece is the thorough research he good—he wants each person to bring their unique associations undertook before creating it. In crafting this series, Badat sought and interpretations to the piece. As he writes on his website, “This to combat Islamophobia by “eradicating [the] irrational fear” that is the spark in interaction between the work and viewer.” it represents, as well as underscoring the fundamental similari- Badat speaks of such sparks with reverence: “If art can get you ties between Islam and Christianity, both of which are Abrahamic to change your mind about something or inspire you to have some faith traditions. This approach necessitated deep inquiry into both sort of change in yourself or effect some sort of change in your religions—an alchemic process he describes as “taking knowledge community, that’s powerful.” These sparks can become the con- and information and turning it into art.” He adds, “It’s not just re- flagrations of movements. —Aviva Galpert

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