Last weekend a group of leading conservative Christian leaders met in Salt Lake City to assess their political leanings and construct a coherent way forward. The result was a startling commitment by the overwhelming majority of participants to abandon any pro-choice nominee (i.e. Rudy Giuliani) the Republican Party might put forward, and attempt to support a third-party candidate. If those who follow these leaders in their ministries follow suit, we could be looking at the collapse of the conservative majority built by Ronald Reagan and capitalized on by George W. Bush. It would also be a huge political mistake and probably hand the White House to the Clintons.

   Conservative Christians are both frustrated and weary. They have a right to be. They have worked for a generation to overturn Roe v. Wade to no avail. They have sought to protect traditional marriage only to see states impose and embrace gay marriage. They supported George W. Bush, only to see the Republicans increase government spending and impose social programs like No Child Left Behind. Several key evangelical leaders, like Jerry Falwell and D. James Kennedy have died this year. Others like James Dobson are aging and desperately want to see the fruit of their labors before leaving this world. They realize many of their number may be gone before the next president leaves office. Time is running out.

   However, having just listened to Sean Hannity’s interview with James Dobson, I find myself deeply concerned about the possible destruction of the Reagan coalition. Ronald Reagan built the Republican Party out of evangelicals, Catholic inner-city Democrats, anti-communists and supply-side business people. Political parties are by definition big tents. By definition they will never be either “pure” or undiluted entities. Whether people like Dobson will admit it or not, every election is the decision to vote for the lesser of two evils. “Politics is the art of the possible.” Disappointment is built in. Progress is incremental.

   I also understand that many evangelicals are frustrated with the possibility of a Giuliani nomination, as far as social issues are concerned. They are frustrated with the Mayor’s three marriages and behavior that may or may not have taken place. But this should not blind them to the fact that supporting a third party candidate or staying home will probably hand the White House to the Democrats, weaken our country, make Washington more powerful, and probably appoint a pro-choice justice or two to the Supreme Court. None of these things is likely to happen should Giuliani win.

   This is something conservative evangelicals should think long and hard about. A lot is at stake.

John Pendleton