In November, 2006, Rev. Joel Hunter was named president-elect of the Christian Coalition, long a model of activism for the religious right. His stated intention—to broaden the focus of the socially conservative organization beyond the hot-button themes of abortion and same-sex marriage to include global warming, poverty, and the AIDS epidemic—met with so little support that Hunter chose to step down before his term of office began. WIE's Igal Moria spoke with Rev. Hunter about his experience with the Coalition, his insider's view of the religious right, and his ongoing efforts to promote a broadly inclusive, philosophically sophisticated, and socially progressive alternative to America's Christian constituency. Who knows: it's possible that the open-minded and deeply humanitarian inclinations of Rev. Hunter and other like-minded religious leaders could one day change the face of American society. By offering clear alternatives to the arch-conservative platform of the religious right, the axis of American morality, justice, spirituality, and politics might just shift significantly toward a more tolerant and inclusive middle.

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