NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–The president-elect of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee is applauding a new Republican document that opposes taxpayer funding of abortion and stands up for “traditional marriage,” and he says he longs for the day when both major parties take such stances.
Frank Page, who will become president of the Executive Committee Oct. 1, told Baptist Press he joins with Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President Richard Land in commending the House GOP’s “Pledge to America,” which was released Sept. 23. It promises to “establish a government-wide prohibition on taxpayer funding of abortion and subsidies for insurance coverage that includes abortion” and to enact “conscience protections for health care providers” if the GOP gains the House in November. The Pledge’s preamble pledges to “honor families, traditional marriage, life, and the private and faith-based organizations that form the core of our American values.”
“I deeply encourage all parties, especially the two major parties, to be resolute in support of the most important issues facing us as American citizens today, that being the protection of the most innocent of all, the unborn, as well as a support of the institution of marriage,” Page said. “Our entire society is in serious danger of crumbling into anarchy. If these two issues are not addressed in a powerful way, our society has no hope to maintain any moral hope and stability.”
Land had called the 43-page a “strong statement” and acknowledged that some had criticized the Pledge to America for not having stronger language on social issues.
“However, when you compare this pledge with the [Republican’s] 1994 Contract with America, which was deafeningly silent on moral issues, one can see that social conservatives are clearly a more important part of any potential conservative governing coalition than they were in 1994,” Land said.
Page said he hopes the day will come when it will be assumed that “all the major institutions and forces of influence coalesce” into an understanding “that these are nonnegotiable areas.”
“It is sad that we even have to discuss such things,” Page said. “To think that anyone would not want to strongly protect the life of the unborn is unconscionable. To imagine that we are in a day and time where we have to discuss what traditional marriage means is almost unbelievable. However, we are at a point of having to address issues such as these. I urge all American citizens, particularly believers, to be resolute, to be vigilant and to act to protect the life of the unborn and the sanctity of traditional marriage.”
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Michael Foust is an assistant editor of Baptist Press.
