It’s no surprise that major news networks, casting about for an expert on Christianity, would ring up Joel Osteen, senior pastor of the nation’s largest megachurch. The title “senior pastor” rests a little awkwardly on someone whose shiny, eager demeanor recalls a perpetual 20-something, but when duty calls Osteen can turn down the smile and look thoughtful. Last week’s duty was to appear on Wolf Blitzer’s Situation Room on CNN and answer Blitzer’s questions relating to Mitt Romney as the Republican candidate for president, including one asking Pastor Osteen how he would respond to a congregant who wants to vote for Romney but isn’t sure he’s a Christian.
Those are actually two different questions: Should a Christian vote for Romney? And are Mormons Christian? Answering the latter, Osteen acknowledged that the Mormon church may not be “traditional” Christianity, but he takes the broad view: If someone claims to believe “that Jesus is the son of God, that He’s the Christ, that He was raised from the dead and is his savior, that’s good enough for me.” He also refused to say any manner of evil against students and staff at Liberty University who protested Romney speaking at commencement this year, because “Everybody has the right to their own views. Some feel stronger than I do, but … I’m trying to reach the biggest, broadest group. …”
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