They want to participate and the want recognition in mainstream Protestantism and mainstream Christianity. Their doctrinal positions on the fundamentals of the Christian faith are radically different from the position of historic Christianity. Broad Christian participation was a goal when festival planning began under the leadership of the Rev. Paul Eppinger, executive director of the Arizona Ecumenical Council, said the Rev. Tom Butcher, a steering committee representative for the United Methodist Church. Butcher pointed to early committee minutes, dated June 16, 1997. The closer the festival came, the more obvious it became that would not happen, he said.
Evangelical groups draw more lines in the sand.
As a first-time event, it was a hard sell to get all elements of the state's Christian community to take part, Eppinger said. Some of those leaders said if we bring in the LDS churches at this time, they would not be able to take part. A resigned Andersen gave his own take. The snub by conservative Christians disturbs one Mesa Mormon, Craig Ray, who has monitored anti-Mormon groups since 1977 and has been a gospel doctrine teacher in five Mormon wards. Eppinger agreed somewhat.