It is widely noticed that the faithful attending religious services are greatly vexed by the divide between religious counselors (the majority of them) and the counsel of their political leaders. We learn that Southern Baptist Convention leaders and some Evangelical and Pentecostal leaders have rallied behind President Bush, but mainline Protestant leaders oppose him, and, of course, the pope has spoken repeatedly against his policy. Jewish leaders, The New York Times reports, are “deeply split.”

One begins by acknowledging that political agendas have a way of crowding out theological questions, as with the most Rev. Frank Griswold, who is the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. His recent protest included the statement that “I’d like to be able to go somewhere in the world and not have to apologize for being from the United States.” New York Episcopal Bishop (retired) Paul Moore has been criticizing America for years, inveighing against poverty, corporate greed, racism, nuclear arms, military spending and war, which is OK, but oughtn’t to be thought uniquely American inventions.