When religion is a litmus test

When religion is a litmus test: "When religion is a litmus test | Sunday, October 30, 2005 | By Dennis Roddy

On her way to becoming the battered spouse of America's conservative movement, Harriet Miers underwent a litmus test so bizarre it seems possible only in an era when church leaders vet judges and the president lists Jesus Christ among the references on his resume.

The particulars are this. On Oct. 3, President Bush nominated Ms. Miers, the White House counsel, to fill a seat on the Supreme Court being vacated by Sandra Day O'Connor.

Through Karl Rove, the president sent word to Dr. James Dobson, a leader in the Christian right, that Ms. Miers was a foursquare gal who attended the deeply conservative Church of Christ back in Texas. The message Dr. Dobson was invited to take home was that with Justice Miers there would be no O'Connoresque backsliding on abortion, gay rights and school prayer.

The Rev. Rob Schenck, head of the National Clergy Council, a small Christian right group with surprising access to power players in Washington, swung a brief meeting with Ms. Miers. He described it as 'pastoral' in nature. Rev. Schenck asked her about her faith, her prayer habits, her beliefs in whether God directly intervenes in this world.

'We just talked generally about prayer,' he said. 'She said that it was extremely important to her. She asked for our prayers, which I assured her she would have -- and she's had all along. We talked about the importance of her knowing the will of God for her life, for the court, for the nation. She said that was of utmost importance to her.'

Were a senator to ask such questions, it would trigger a meltdown at the hearings. Rev. Schenck agrees with this if only because vetting court appointees for religious orthodoxy is his job." ...