"United Methodist opponents of the library seem to have wanted only one litmus test for the church's schools: no Republicans!"-Mark Tooley, UMAction Director
Contact: Loralei Coyle, 202-682-4131, 202-905-6852 cell, lcoyle@ird-renew.org; Radio Interviews: Jeff Walton, jwalton@ird-renew.org; both with The Institute on Religion and Democracy
WASHINGTON, July 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- Yesterday the United Methodist Church's South Central Jurisdiction endorsed building George W. Bush's presidential library center at Southern Methodist University. The decision seems to brings to a close a two-year debate about SMU hosting the library, museum, and public policy institute.
Over 120 colleges and universities are affiliated with the 7.9 million-member (in the U.S.) United Methodist Church. United Methodist opponents of the Bush library at SMU have cited the Bush Administration's views on national security, war, global warming and same-sex "marriage" as reasons to block the library. Supporters of the library at SMU, including the pastor of President Bush's church, cite the academic opportunities that such a library will provide.
President Bush and the First Lady are both members of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas; Laura Bush attended SMU and sits on the school's board of trustees. Another United Methodist school, Emory University in Atlanta, is affiliated with Jimmy Carter's library.
IRD UMAction Director Mark Tooley commented:
"This week's vote was simply an affirmation that both SMU and the church mission council had followed procedure in an agreement that was largely finalized in early 2007. Throughout this process, liberal opponents have attempted to throw up procedural roadblocks at every turn.
"This controversy boils down to liberal academic elites versus the people sitting in United Methodist pews. UM Action participated in a petition that quickly garnered hundreds of layperson signatures supportive of SMU's right to host the library.
"Opposition during this entire process has been little more than ideologues wanting to impose a left-wing political litmus test on the church's schools. These same critics wouldy heartily resist any requirement for Christian belief or practice at the church's schools. SMU itself has welcomed the academic research opportunities that hosting the Library will bring.
"Typically, church liberals have defended "academic freedom" on the school's campuses. But academic freedom, at least for these library opponents, apparently does not include SMU's desire to host a Bush presidential library."
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