McCain, Episcopalians, and Baptists

John McCain raised more than a few eyebrows recently on the campaign trail when he described himself, not once but several times, as a Baptist. He first made the statement while campaigning in Charleston, South Carolina, and then again while campaigning out west.

Apparently the flap revolves around McCain's past description of himself as a lifelong Episcopalian.

During the 2000 Republican Presidential nomination process during which McCain irked many on the conservative 'religious right,' a move that many claim cost McCain the nomination, the candidate often referred to himself as a 'lifelong Episcopalian.'

McCain never amended that self-description until the campaign appearance in Charleston a few weeks ago, in spite of the fact that he and his family have been attending the mega-church in Phoenix called 'The North Phoenix Baptist Church' for almost a decade.

A reporter asked McCain about it when there was time for a brief news conference.

McCain responded that at first he did not join the church; he merely attended with his wife and family who had joined. Sometime between the 2000 Republican Presidential race and September of 2007 McCain apparently joined the North Phoenix Church.

When asked about his silence about the matter, McCain responded merely that he never made it practice to wear his religion on his shirtsleeve.

The fact that McCain would join the mega-church is really no surprise to those who have followed him through the years. He is avidly pro-life. So is the church. He defends America against multiculturalism by saying that America has its roots in Christianity though some of the Founders were not Christian. They believed nonetheless that the principles that established liberty as the basis for the nation came from Christian concepts as taught in the Bible. One will often find these ideas taught at the North Phoenix church as well.

It is no insignificant fact that in order to join a Baptist church one must verbally express faith in Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord.

Though he rarely leads with his religious beliefs, which to McCain are sacred and deeply personal, one can readily see in the candidate an intensely held religious conviction and sincerity. Perhaps his horrific experiences in a prisoner of war camp as a young American soldier helped to solidify in McCain's mind the importance of faith as a sustaining power through the ups and downs of life.

Thus, it is difficult to understand James Dobson's dislike of McCain, given that Dobson's views are generally on the same page when it comes to spiritual matters. The same could be said for Fred Thompson, who stated in a Fox News interview this week that perhaps it was time for Dobson to offer yet another apology for casting aspersions on Thompson's faith.

A fine line exists between exercising prudent judgment and disintegrating into judgmentalism. All too often Christian evangelicals have difficulty walking that line, stepping off course into the practice of judging another person's innermost spiritual life.

While McCain's views on a variety issues have often provoked ire on the part of this writer, we do admit we have noted movement on the part of the candidate on some of these critical matters, such as securing the borders and stopping illegal immigration, and recognizing that McCain-Feingold had many 'unintended consequences.'

But when it comes to religion, McCain is certainly no stranger to the experience of the evangelical brethren...and 'sistren.'