Disagreement with 'Voters' Guide' Distribution in Church

October 27, 2000

Source: Star Tribune

On October 27, 2000, the Star-Tribune reported that, "the Interfaith Alliance warned Thursday that conservative Christians should not use houses of worship for partisan political purposes. The Minnesota Chapter, which represents about 800 people from several faith groups, reminded people that it expects the Christian Coalition to repeat its practice of distributing a 'voters' guide' to churches on the Sunday before Election Day. It sent a warning letter to about 2,300 congregations in the state. 'Our message is simple and to the point,' said the Rev. Eldon DeWeerth, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in White Bear Lake. 'Our houses of worship are not to be manipulated by groups who cloak their partisan political agenda in the language of faith. Our houses of worship are not to be used for dissemination of political material guised as voter education materials.' The Minnesota campaign is part of a national Interfaith Alliance effort, which has sent a total of 50,000 letters to congregations nationally."