"It would be so helpful if Clinton urged UMW's officials in a new, more helpful direction of democracy, security, liberty and especially religious freedom for all." -- Mark Tooley, IRD President

Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion and Democracy, 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell, jwalton@TheIRD.org

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set to offer a keynote address at the quadrennial United Methodist Women's Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday, April 26 at the Kentucky International Convention Center.

The about half million member United Methodist Women is the denomination's official women's mission organization. Approximately 7,000 women are expected to participate at the assembly.

IRD President Mark Tooley commented:

"Doubtless Clinton will celebrate her Methodist roots at the UMW Assembly.

"Sadly, that assembly includes an anti-Israel workshop, 'Why Justice in Palestine Is a Racial Justice Imperative,' which is led by a United Methodist official and anti-Israel activist, and devoted to advocating UMW's traditional official themes of Palestinian nationalism and victimhood while villainizing Israel and its 'colonialism.'

"The fast-declining and increasingly aging United Methodist Women's group, which has lost about half its membership, still espouses 1970s style Liberation Theology that views the world through a prism of anti-Western struggle. Their often radical political witness never represented most local United Methodist women.

"UMW's anti-Israel stance doesn't represent the views and policies of Hillary Clinton in her public life. It would be so helpful if she urged UMW's officials in a new, more helpful direction of democracy, security, liberty and especially religious freedom for all."

www.TheIRD.org