"Strang is admirably aware that as an evangelical leader he is called foremost of all to uphold his faith and to be discerning in his political engagements." - UM Action Executive Director Mark Tooley

Contact: Loralei Coyle 202-682-4131, 202-905-6852 cell, lcoyle@ird-renew.org; Radio Interviews: Jeff Walton, jwalton@ird-renew.org

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 /Christian Newswire/ -- Cameron Strang, the 32-year-old editor of edgy Relevant Magazine, has reconsidered his acceptance of an invitation to deliver a benediction at the Democratic National Convention.

Strang, a prominent evangelical, initially accepted the invitation as a bridge-building gesture. Later, he reversed his decision upon realizing that he would be on the main stage at the convention's opening night, saying it might be wrongly construed as an endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. According to the Chicago Tribune, Strang said he instead hopes to take a lower-profile role, participating in a convention caucus meeting on religion later in the week.

UM Action Executive Director Mark Tooley commented:

"Cameron Strang is an Evangelical who is not conservative politically but who is pro-life and pro-marriage. He ultimately declined to give the benediction at the Democratic Convention because he didn't want to appear that he was blessing what had occurred throughout the evening.

"Evangelicals can acknowledge the attention that the major political parties are affording them, while also exercising judgment about how that attention can be misinterpreted.

"Strang is admirably aware that as an evangelical leader he is called foremost of all to uphold his faith and to be discerning in his political engagements."

The Institute on Religion and Democracy, founded in 1981, is an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches' social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings, thereby contributing to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad.

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