Donald Trump Announces Evangelical Advisory Board

And here they are (from Politico):
· Michele Bachmann – Former Congresswoman
· A.R. Bernard – Senior Pastor and CEO, Christian Cultural Center
· Mark Burns – Pastor, Harvest Praise and Worship Center
· Tim Clinton – President, American Association of Christian Counselors
· Kenneth and Gloria Copeland – Founders, Kenneth Copeland Ministries
· James Dobson – Author, Psychologist and Host, My Family Talk
· Jerry Falwell, Jr. – President, Liberty University
· Ronnie Floyd – Senior Pastor, Cross Church
· Jentezen Franklin – Senior Pastor, Free Chapel
· Jack Graham – Senior Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church
· Harry Jackson – Senior Pastor, Hope Christian Church
· Robert Jeffress – Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Dallas
· David Jeremiah – Senior Pastor, Shadow Mountain Community Church
· Richard Land – President, Southern Evangelical Seminary
· James MacDonald – Founder and Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel
· Johnnie Moore – Author, President of The KAIROS Company
· Robert Morris – Senior Pastor, Gateway Church
· Tom Mullins – Senior Pastor, Christ Fellowship­
· Ralph Reed – Founder, Faith and Freedom Coalition
· James Robison – Founder, Life OUTREACH International
· Tony Suarez – Executive Vice President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
· Jay Strack – President, Student Leadership University
· Paula White – Senior Pastor, New Destiny Christian Center
· Tom Winters – Attorney, Winters and King, Inc.
· Sealy Yates – Attorney, Yates and Yates
Given that hundreds of GOP delegates are moving the other way, it appears to me that we have the stage set for an internecine war among evangelicals for the soul of the GOP. Just as these big names are coming out for Trump, others are moving the other direction.

Sutton Turner Files Motion to Dismiss RICO Lawsuit Against Him and Mark Driscoll

Yesterday, Sutton Turner filed a motion to dismiss the RICO lawsuit naming Mark Driscoll and him as defendants. He said he was never served and asked the court to dismiss the suit.

I. RELIEF REQUESTED
Defendant John Sutton Turner requests an order dismissing all of Plaintiffs’ claims against him for failure to effectuate service of process on him within the 90-day period prescribed under FRCP 4(m).  Plaintiffs filed their complaint on February 29, 2016, and to date, have failed to serve Mr. Turner, nor have they made any diligent efforts to do so.  Their claims against Mr. Turner should be dismissed.

Today, Turner published a blog post explaining his side of the matter. He concludes by saying:

There has been significant media coverage on this lawsuit, causing irreparable harm to my reputation and business career. I am only sharing this in order to get my side of the story out there, and hope that it is helpful for anyone still seeking answers about Mars Hill Church and the false accusation levied against me.

I have reached out to the attorney for the Jacobsens and Kildeas and hope to have a comment to add shortly.

What is Conservatism?

In his column about conservatives moving toward Trump as devilish deal making, Michael Gerson concludes with thoughts about what conservatism isn’t:

Conservatism is not misogyny. Conservatism is not nativism and protectionism. Conservatism is not religious bigotry and conspiracy theories. Conservatism is not anti-intellectual and anti-science. For the sake of partisanship — for a mess of pottage — some conservatives are surrendering their identity.

He says what conservatism is not but not what it is. Can we assume conservatism respects women, minorities, immigrants, religious freedom, and rationality? Can we assume conservatism embraces scientific research and scholarship?
Some will snort at those questions.
However, what attracted me to conservatism many years ago was that I believed conservatism was more than a list of positions to be defended. I believed conservatives seemed slow to change because they embraced the wisdom of the ages but also recognized the value of science and research and altered their views accordingly.
Mostly, I am thinking of my father who wasn’t especially religious but was a conservative. He had some issues he cared about but disliked the dogmatism of religious conservatives. Even though I am still religious, I have come to see the problem of political goals wrapped up in religious rhetoric.
On the issue of Trump, one distinction which marks conservatism is fidelity to one’s principles. I agree with Gerson, since Donald Trump’s candidacy stands against conservatism, conservatives should look elsewhere.

Bill Kristol Announces The Renegade Party to Oppose Trump and Clinton

Renegade LogoWhile the beginnings are modest, I think a third party could take off this year as both Republicans and Democrats experience buyer’s remorse.
Bill Kristol, Weekly Standard founder and conservative pundit, is not voting for Trump or Clinton and hopes to attract conservatives to a movement which could win three states and push the election into the House of Representatives.
The Twitter account is here and a website is coming. What they lack is a candidate.