Minister's son inherited his father's fighting style

The Rev. Steve Corts walked into the Forsyth County commissioners' meeting Monday night, smiling and waving to friends among the hundreds of supporters he'd organized to pressure the commissioners to appeal a federal-court ruling against sectarian prayer to start their meetings. He had good reason to believe that his side would be victorious.

He's learning politics well for someone who says he's not a politician. At a press conference a couple of weeks ago, he sent a direct threat to Dave Plyler, the chairman of the county commissioners and the swing vote on whether to appeal the ruling: Plyler better think long and hard about his decision, because "the political ramifications for him are going to be serious." The implication was clear: Vote against the appeal, and lose a lot of Christian votes you'll need in order to hold onto your seat in 2012.

Corts should have been subtle. He still would have gotten Plyler's attention. The comment was a rookie mistake for someone who's otherwise civil.

Corts said last week that "I wasn't really saying that to threaten or bully him, but to acknowledge the reality. I don't see Dave as an enemy, but as a friend. I do see the ACLU as an enemy, not a personal enemy but an enemy of religious liberty in this case. I'm passionate about this issue, on behalf of people of all faiths."

Critics say that Corts and the N.C. Partnership for Religious Liberty are trying to force Christianity on the public. But wherever you land on this issue, you have to admire Corts' savvy. He accurately read the politics and personalities on the board. And he rallied many more people to his cause than opponents of sectarian prayer, most of whom didn't show up for the Monday night meeting.

Corts should enter politics, Plyler joked the day after voting for the appeal, which passed 4-3. Plyler, like me, thinks that Corts is reminiscent of his dad, the late Rev. Mark Corts of Calvary Baptist Church, a legend in conservative Christian circles. "He even sounds like his dad," Plyler said. "And he is focused, he is committed and he demonstrates an honest character that is difficult not to see."

The Rev. Mark Corts, who died in 2006, spoke out against abortion, supported U.S. involvement in Vietnam, bemoaned the "invasion of secularism and humanism" at Wake Forest University, fought liquor by the drink and opposed the ordination of women as pastors. He was as honest as he was outspoken. He was cordial and civil to his opponents, even as many others weren't as the culture wars began to heat up in the 1990s.

I enjoyed lively discussions with Mark Corts, often ending with us "agreeing to disagree." I enjoy similar discussions with his son Steve.

Steve Corts, the 49-year-old pastor of Center Grove Baptist Church in Clemmons, inherited his father's style. He's a welcome throwback, albeit one who organizes his troops with a BlackBerry instead of a landline. Like his dad, Corts thinks fast on his feet. He's no pushover, as he's showing in the prayer fight -- his first major engagement.

"I'm not really a crusader by nature, but in this situation, no one was taking a broad leadership role," Corts said. "When there's not leadership, it's just frustration, it's not constructive and it can be very damaging."

Plyler had said he wanted a guarantee from Corts' partnership that it would pay the winner's legal fees if the county's Alliance Defense Fund lawyer loses the skirmish with the ACLU. Corts steadfastly said he couldn't give a blanket guarantee, but did raise almost $300,500 by Monday for the prayer fight. Plyler, who has said he trusts Corts, approved the appeal without the guarantee.

"Relationships are very important," Corts said. "I think that through this process, I've come to understand Dave better and I think he's come to better understand me."

Greater understanding will be needed as this case plays out. Commissioner Walter Marshall has likened the supporters of sectarian prayer at county meetings to segregationists of the Old South. That's a broad generalization. But Marshall, who is black, has also been stereotyped and worse by critics, including by a white minister who told him after the appeal that "You better be doggone glad things have changed."

Controversial causes often sprout ugly fringes. Corts said that if he knew who the minister was who called Marshall, "I would want to sit down and talk with him, and if he was making a threat, I'd rebuke him. Because it just does not sound like the Jesus we represent … We don't have to agree on everything, but don't fear each other."

Mark Corts would have been proud to fight alongside his son.

jrailey@wsjournal.com
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