Louisville-area Baptists rally against the exploitation of religion

April 20, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Conference set for 10 a.m. Friday at Highland Baptist in Louisville, Ky.

Highland Baptist Church Pastor Joseph Phelps and other Baptist leaders will gather at 10 a.m. Friday at Highland in Louisville to make a nonpartisan statement about the upcoming "Justice Sunday" at neighboring Highview Baptist Church. Phelps asks Highview to reconsider its decision to allow the rally on its premises and respectfully asks politicians to resist the temptation to co-opt people of faith into partisan political battles.

On Sunday, April 24, the Family Research Council has planned the event at Highview to challenge the use of filibuster rules by members of the U.S. Senate to prevent a vote on some of the president's judicial nominations. The organization has lamented a "filibuster against people of faith." This claim is wrong. The dispute over judges cannot be accurately characterized as one of the faithful against the faithless.

The Baptist leaders at the Friday press conference will show that those gathered at Highview Baptist Church do not speak for all Baptists.

Highland Baptist Church is located at 1101 Cherokee Road in Louisville.