In response to Newsweek's cover story "The Decline and Fall of Christian America," Rev. Lou Engle, founder of TheCall, has written this letter to the magazine's chairman Richard Smith asking for editor Jon Meacham's "immediate dismissal." Engle slams the magazine for catering to "a small Manhattan crowd that thinks stories attacking religion are trendy."

According to its website, TheCall is "a movement emphasizing prayer, worship and fasting for Spiritual breakthrough."

And according to Public Affairs, which represents TheCall, this letter has been overnighted today and should be received by Newsweek tomorrow.

Here is an excerpt:

As a pastor and representative of the millions of Christians who have participated in TheCall events, we respectfully raise our objections to this piece and call for the immediate dismissal of editor Jon Meacham, who apparently has disdain for the Christian faith and has reported as fact popular misconceptions about what Christians believe, how they practice their faith, and the meaning and authenticity of our foundational texts.

You can find the full letter after the jump...

April 6, 2009

Mr. Richard M. Smith
Chairman
Newsweek
251 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019-1894

Dear Mr. Smith,

Once again Newsweek has pointedly sought to offend a large majority of the American population with its cover story "The Decline and Fall of Christian America." This headline and story on the heels of the December cover story "The Biblical Case for Gay Marriage," can lead devout Christians in this country to believe that Newsweek no longer wants the business of the 85% of Americans who claim to be Christians.

As a pastor and representative of the millions of Christians who have participated in TheCall events, we respectfully raise our objections to this piece and call for the immediate dismissal of editor Jon Meacham, who apparently has disdain for the Christian faith and has reported as fact popular misconceptions about what Christians believe, how they practice their faith, and the meaning and authenticity of our foundational texts.

We fully support critical inquiry and questions, but Newsweek is publishing stories that offend Christians and cater to a small Manhattan crowd that thinks stories attacking religion are trendy. With the decline of newspaper and news magazines in this country, we'd think the coverage of faith would be a more objective approach.

Poll after poll has found that an overwhelming majority of Americans believe that God exists and the Bible is His sacred Word. So either all of us were duped in some elaborate conspiracy, or there is some real truth to these faith claims that are worth exploring and debating in a respectful, not demeaning way as Mr. Meacham has sought to do.

While Mr. Meacham's article points to an alarming trend - that the number of Americans who don't identify themselves as Christians has doubled since 1990 - the numbers shouldn't be characterized as an "imminent fall." This language is sensational and offensive.

We respectfully suggest you dismiss Mr. Meacham or at least change the title of the magazine to "Opinionweek."

Sincerely,

Rev. Lou Engle
Founder and President