Are evangelicals racist?

In Thursday's Irish Times the columnist John Gibbons wrote the following:

'. . . What must be understood about evangelical Christians is how profoundly undemocratic they are. They espouse bigotry, racism, xenophobia and contempt for the US constitution, believing (just like their Islamic counterparts) that they answer only to God. In essence, they are the Fifth Column within the world's most powerful democracy.

Their stated aim is to create a narrow theocracy. The recent racially tinted demonisation of Barak Obama, egged on by Palin's demagoguery, is putting down a marker that, should he prevail next Tuesday, the Christian right will never accept Obama's authority. In most countries, such views would pass for treason, but instead in the US - once the citadel of democracy - these evangelical groups get huge tax breaks and dominate the airwaves with impunity.'

I realise that he is focusing on the American evangelical scene of which I only have a limited knowledge. Yet from the little that I know these comments cannot be sustained. Also Gibbons does not talk about 'some' evangelicals but simply evangelicals, as if these characteristics that he describes are basic to our DNA.

While not wanting to deny that many evangelicals have said and done stupid things, and that at times we have been guilty of bigotry and racism, I find these charges grossly unfair.

Evangelicalism has a dream of a multi-ethnic heaven. Evangelicalism seeks to reach people from all people groups and accepts them as brothers and sisters. Indeed many evangelical churches are among the most ethnically mixed communities in their society.

I assume that Gibbons formed his view based on caricature and misunderstanding.

Note For Sean Mullan's (director of Evangelical Alliance Ireland) letter to the editor of the Irish Times see:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2008/1104/1225523343115.html