Message to the e-mail distribution list of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Caucus of the American Political Science Association: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I circulate here a message posted in a recent conversation on the listserv ConLawProf.
Dan Pinello
"Pentecostal" is not a good description of Valley View Christian Church (http://www.vvcc.org/) in Dallas, of which, as I understand it, Ms. Miers is a member. Instead, her church seems to be a part of the Restoration (or Stone-Campbell) movement, the goal of which, as I understand it, is to restore authentic first century Christian faith and practice as revealed in the Christian scriptures. There are three groups of churches (they would not call themselves "denominations") within that movement: (1) the Churches of Christ (with which my university is affiliated, although I am a member of a Presbyterian Church), (2) the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and (3) the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. It seems that Valley View Christian Church is affiliated with one of those groups, inasmuch as its preaching minister gives broadcast talks on a "Christian Churches and Churches of Christ" program and is the past president of the Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary (now part of the Cincinnati Christian University, I think), which is affiliated with the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. See http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/the_christians_hour/; The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004).
These churches generally do not emphasize the supernaturally manifested gifts of the Holy Spirit -- like "speaking in tongues" -- that are emphasized by Pentecostal churches. They come from a quite different tradition.
On the general question of the relevance of the nominee's religious faith, here is a comment that I made at Ann Althouse's excellent blog (http://althouse.blogspot.com) in response to one of her posts:
"For 25 years Ms. Miers has been a member of a non-hierarchical, theologically conservative Christian church in Dallas. See http://www.worldmagblog.com/blog/. She will understand deeply the concerns that people in such churches have about judges who seek to remake the culture and who remove social issues from the democratic process. Supreme Court nominees should neither be supported nor opposed on the basis of their religion, but her religious background will help her to understand why a majority of Americans (according to a recent poll) are not happy with the judiciary. I think she is likely to bring a refreshingly different perspective to the Court."
Caveat: I have no personal knowledge of Ms. Miers's church affiliation, but am relying on the information from worldmagblog.
Mark S. Scarberry Pepperdine University School of Law