There's a story about a group of liberal Southern Baptists, including Jimmy Carter, who are starting a new group that will not be part of the Religious Right, but the Religious Left instead. [New Baptist Group Counters Conservatives, KXAS, nbc5i.com, January 29, 2008]
A quick search of the "Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant" website showed that they're having a speech on ”The Challenges of Immigration” by Senator Lindsey Graham, and a sermon (not by any means a political speech, of course) on the topic ”The Bible Speaks about Welcoming the Stranger” by Professor Joel Gregory [send him mail] of Baylor.
They're also planning a workshop on "Welcoming A Stranger" featuring
What the two of the will be discussing is this: "Many immigrants need help negotiating life in their new homes. How can churches help?" Well, by helping them stay home? By encouraging them to live good Christian lives, with no stealing, sexual harassment, drinking, and, if they're Baptists, no dancing either?
Well, no, usually by encouraging them to come to the US, and helping them get access to government relief when the do, and providing them with "sanctuary" if they're deportable. See my article The Refugee Industry, Slavery, And Rape in which I quoted Sam Francis to the the effect that "The Protestant churches are the Open Borders Lobby at prayer–though a good many churches seem to spend more time preaching politics than praying."
That, no doubt, is what's in the future for this "New Baptist Covenant" thing.
Normally, by the way, prominent Baptist Mike Huckabee would be all over this like, er, felt on a flannel board. The reason he's not is because he can't afford to while he's running for President.
