I should like to start with a slight apology. I am unable to link directly to the story I am discussing, as The New Yorker does not have all stories from every issue available online. However, the abstract is available, and the complete story can be found in the June 30, 2008 issue, starting on page 28.

Evangelical Christianity has long been a confusing subject for me, and likely for many others. I was raised as a Catholic, went to Sunday School every week until I was 14, then went to Wednesday Night bible meetings for another two years. I've read the Bible, I was an altar boy (no jokes, our priest was a living saint), and even spent a week at a Catholic Bible camp. I tell this so that there is no misunderstanding: I have studied the Bible, from front to back and around again. I am no expert, but I think I have the general idea.

And this is what confuses me. The Bible, at least the New Testament, talks about love, forgiveness, caring for the poor, helping those who need help, loving your neighbor, and generally living a life of peace. There was nothing in there about setting off bombs, killing for Christ, or generally anything about smiting. Quite truthfully, 2008 years ago, smiting was supposed to be right out.

Somewhere, that message got mixed up. And those who did the mixing are quite easy to identify. Go down any bookstore's "Religion" aisle and look at the names: Dr. James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell. These were the men who shaped modern Evangelical Christianity into a political powerhouse for right-wing fundamentalism, known as The Christian Right.

Their followers are fairly easy to find. They are the ones picketing Planned Parenthood buildings, at school board meetings pushing Intelligent Design as a science (I pause, for laughter), and claiming that the United States was founded as a Christian Nation . . . in general, ignoring reality.

But things are changing, but slowly. Frances Fitzgerald, in her article "The New Evangelicals" writes about how the "big names" have bullied their personal agendas into evangelicalism. But there is a change. Lesser known, but up-and-coming preachers are pushing for a return to traditional Christian ministry of working with the poor, the outcast, of being peacemakers. This doesn't mean they are dropping their anti-abortion, anti-homosexual stances, but that they are shifting focus to areas that can be changed instead of areas that cannot. They are talking about curbing global warming, immigration reform (of the good, productive kind, instead of the punishment sort), and denouncing the racism, sexism, and anti-intellectualism long characterized in Christianity.

One of the new leaders in particular, Joel Hunter really impressed me. After he got married, he was well on his way to becoming one of those slick-haired/spray-tanned/smug gits who weep while asking for money, then buy a new fleet of shiny cars for their "personal ministers." But he realized where he was heading and took a position in a parish of 200, who had just lost their own pastor. He took that dying church, poured himself into it, taught his simple, traditional message of helping others, and ended up with a huge multi-national congregation, pretty much without wanting one.

Sadly, this is a slow process. But this is time of change, and it looks like Evangelical Christians are joining in on the change. They are supporting Barack Obama, pitching in at disasters, and are pulling away from the loudest mouths that have been showing the worst side of Religion for the last few decades.

Now, of course, I am not advocating everyone rush out and get saved. Far from it. But, it may be time to re-evaluate some of the stereotypes that keep people who could be allies separated.

Coyotemike has not gone to church in 10 years, and rather enjoys sleeping in on Sunday mornings.