More than one-thousand religious liberals are gathering in Washington today through Saturday for what’s billed as a “Spiritual Activism Conference.” Conference organizer Rabbi Michael Lerner says it’s meant to launch the religious left as a political force to rival the influence of religious conservatives. Lerner says on Thursday the conferees will take part in an anti-war “pray-in” outside the White House and promote a “spiritual covenant with America” that Democrats can use to regain power. Lerner says the new “Network of Spiritual Progressives” will promote policies “that maximize love and caring, kindness and generosity, ethical and ecological sensitivity.”

- AP