|
|
|
|
Obama, Keyes to speak at local faith forums
staff writer
Islamic, Jewish, Christian and Unitarian leaders will bring U.S. Senate candidates Barack Obama and Alan Keyes to Naperville next month to talk about public policy and what faith has got to do with it. Obama will speak at 5 p.m. Oct. 5, and Keyes will speak at 5 p.m. Oct. 14. Both events are at First Congregational Church, at 25 E. Benton Ave. in downtown Naperville. The events are the first effort of Naperville Faith Collaboration, a group of leaders from 15 local faith communities. Cyndi Gavin, a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ and a student at Chicago Theological Seminary, said she helped to form the group as a chance for candidates to speak about issues important to people of faith. "Could we bring together different leadership voices in the community, despite our theological and political differences, and create this opportunity?" she said. "I approached both political parties and got very enthusiastic responses from them." The Rev. Tim Rhodes, pastor of Hope Church and a co-leader of Naperville Faith Collaboration, said the candidate forums are important because church and state aren't as separate as they seem. "Faith provides an ethical foundation that informs a decision maker's views on public policy," he said. "So what a person believes shapes how they conduct themselves. I think it's very important to know that about candidates — what (you) believe, so we understand how you conduct yourself." At the public forum, the candidates will give opening statements before answering questions from a panel of faith community leaders.
09/23/04
|
• Copyright © 2007 First Congregational Church |
