A sold-out national convention this weekend in Newport Beach for conservative Christians wanting to find ways to inject more of Jesus into the public square has sparked a feisty counter-conference led by a liberal Irvine pastor who wants religion and government to remain separate.
Organizers from both events said they expect to draw close to 500 people.
Fred Plumer, pastor of Irvine United Church of Christ, pulled together his alternative conference three weeks ago when he heard the Reclaiming America for Christ convention was coming to Orange County for its eighth annual conference. It's the first time the event, which begins today, has been held west of the Mississippi.
"They're not using stealth anymore," said Plumer, whose one-day Proclaiming America for All conference is Saturday. "When you look at their agenda, their goal is not to have influence, but to have dominion over school boards and other government bodies."
The national conference, which has more than 525 participants, is sponsored by the controversial Center for Reclaiming America, a nonprofit group headed by Dr. D. James Kennedy, founder of Coral Ridge Ministries. The organization gives grass-roots members in all states the tools for "positively affecting the culture and renewing the vision of our Founding Fathers."
"We want to give people the information, resources and training that they need," said Janet Folger, the group's national director. "We're tired of hearing that Christians don't have a place in the public square.
"And when we finally do speak out, we're treated like we're trespassers. There's a hostility to those of us who happen to believe in a God."
Topics for the two-day conference at Sutton Place Hotel include "Strategies for Stopping Partial-Birth Abortion," "Ways to Turn Back the Assault Against Christianity," "A Plan That Could Reverse Roe vs. Wade" and "An Inside Look at the U.N.'s Global Governance Plan."
Among the 16 speakers is Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, who gained national fame for refusing to take down a plaque of the 10 Commandments in his courtroom.
Wendy Leece, a trustee of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, said she decided to run for office after attending a similar seminar a decade ago.
"It's really encouraging and gives confidence and strength to those Christians who would even dare enter into the public square," Leece said. "[Since I took office in 1992], people have been hostile to me personally, and hostile to morality and conservatism in general, even if it isn't attached to Christianity."
