A new coalition of more than 100 largely evangelical Christian leaders and organizations asked Congress on Monday to pass bills to strengthen border controls but also give illegal immigrants ways to gain legal residency. The new group, Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, includes members like the Mennonite Church U.S.A.; the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, which represents Latino evangelicals; individuals like Dr. Joel C. Hunter, pastor of Northland, a megachurch in Longwood, Fla.; Sammy Mah, president of World Relief, an aid group affiliated with the National Association of Evangelicals; and Jim Wallis through Sojourners/Call to Renewal.

Wallis touched off a spark at a Sojourners press conference announcing the coalition, when he remarked, “If given the choice on this issue between Jesus and Lou Dobbs, I choose my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Jim Wallis’s statement on Lou Doubs

Lou Dobb’s reply

The first 2 blog posts on Beliefnet responding to Wallis strongly emphasize his previous claims that, “religion does not have a monopoly on morality,” and that our public discourse be steeped in reason rather than trying to convince Congress to bend to scripture. It would be foolish, a blogger cautions, not to include those of other faith traditions (as well as the non-religious) in conversation about moral issues facing our county, and indeed you have to cherry pick one religion to find the points that support your side (as, admittedly, I’m doing here by only include two blog posts).