FRC Defends Tony Dungy's Selection To Obama's Faith-Based Council

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement in response to President Obama's invitation to Tony Dungy, former coach of the Indianapolis Colts, to join the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

"I was pleased to hear that Tony Dungy, coach of the Indianapolis Colts, has been asked to serve on the President's Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. I may not be a sports buff, but I've always been a fan of men of character. Tony Dungy has been that for me and for countless Americans who admire him - not just for his victories on the field but in life. He has used his celebrity platform to promote adoption, prison ministry, family values, outreach to the poor, and simple Christian decency.

"If Coach Dungy chooses to accept this role, let's hope President Obama will be open to the counsel he offers on behalf of millions of other Bible-believing Christians. We hope the Faith Council will work to channel pro-family policies - rather than simply being used by the President as a tool to make political inroads with the Christian community.

"I encourage him to consider serving in this role. Opponents of traditional marriage are seeking to disqualify Coach Dungy simply for believing that marriage is the union of one man and one woman which is a view shared by more than 80 percent of American Evangelicals. Their desire to exclude Tony Dungy from the Faith Council, based upon his religious convictions, provides further evidence of an effort to silence the Church. However, the Faith Council can only be truly reflective of the faith community by including such Christian leaders as Tony Dungy."