The recent Sojourners forum was, I think, groundbreaking. True, it was only a beginning, and there is much more to do, but I believe one positive outcome is that it shows there are more than three alternatives: religious right, religious left, and secular left.

I think we all sensed that the three candidates were striving to find higher ground and common ground and creative space beyond the current left-right polarizations where the air is hot and pretty stale.

Sadly, the questions were sometimes relics from the polarized territory - questions about evolution, abortion, and so on. I think what is becoming possible is a new kind of question deeply rooted in faith and values.

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The Question: John McCain's spiritual guide, televangelist Rod Parsley, calls Islam a "false religion" that should be "destroyed." Should McCain renounce Parsley? Will Islam be an issue in this year's U.S. presidential election?

Will the recent media obsession with statements made by Barack Obama’s former pastor soon be replaced by a new national obsession – statements made by John McCain’s spiritual guide Rod Parsley and endorser John Hagee, both of whom are popular televangelists – and both of whom have said things that easily rival statements by Jeremiah Wright?

We certainly could have a new media feeding frenzy like the one we’ve had in recent weeks, this one favoring Democrats who seek to embarrass the Republican nominee by demanding that he renounce and denounce his spiritual associates. I suppose that would be “fair,” if we want to indulge in eye-for-an-eye politics.

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