Come Let Us Reason Together
Two years ago, we launched an initiative that few thought could be successful: finding common ground between centrist evangelicals and progressives on the most divisive cultural issues of our times.
The Come Let Us Reason Together Governing Agenda
The Come Let Us Reason Together Governing Agenda represents the fruit of these labors and maps a joint path forward to heal a nation torn apart by the culture wars. The Governing Agenda moves from principles to the practical and finds concrete shared policies on:
- Reducing abortions (reducing abortion through reducing unintended pregnancies, supporting pregnant women, and increasing support for adoption)
- Supporting employment protections for gay and lesbian people (protecting the rights of gay and lesbian people to earn a living, while protecting the freedom of religious organizations to follow their own beliefs)
- Renouncing torture, and
- Creating secure and comprehensive immigration reform
The Governing Agenda was coauthored by Rachel Laser, Director of the Culture Program for Third Way; Dr. Robert P. Jones, Visiting Fellow in Religion for Third Way and President of Public Religion Research; Dr. David Gushee, professor at Mercer University and President of Evangelicals for Human Rights; Rev. Dr. Joel Hunter, senior pastor at Northland, A Church Distributed; Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; Dr. Ronald J. Sider, President of Evangelicals for Social Action; and Katie Paris, Director of Communications Strategy for Faith in Public Life.
- Letter to the President and Congressional Leaders on the Governing Agenda
- Policies of the Governing Agenda
- Statements of Support for the Governing Agenda
- Additional Statements About the Governing Agenda
- Quick Facts about the Emerging Evangelical Center
Listen to the Come Let Us Reason Together Governing Agenda press teleconference, featuring the coauthors of the agenda (44:05):
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Transcript of opening remarks from the press teleconference.
The Press Teleconference
Congressional Faith Working Group Meeting
A Brief History
In early 2007, Third Way’s Rachel Laser and Robert Jones partnered with a group of mainstream evangelicals to write a paper entitled Come Let Us Reason Together: A Fresh Look at Shared Cultural Values between Evangelicals and Progressives. The paper highlighted shared principles and charted a path forward to unite progressives and evangelicals on such highly polarizing issues as the role of religion in the public square, abortion and gay and lesbian issues.
On October 10, 2007, we jointly released the paper with resounding support from both sides of the ideological spectrum. The paper was featured in numerous media outlets, including a Washington Post article by columnist E.J. Dionne entitled A Culture War Treaty, on National Public Radio and on Christian radio.
- Come Let Us Reason Together: A Fresh Look at Shared Cultural Values between Evangelicals and Progressives
- Statements of Support
Watch the initial Come Let Us Reason Together paper press conference (October 10, 2007):
Listen to an interview with Rachel Laser on the Paul Edwards Program:
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