The End of the Culture Wars?

Is there hope that progressive and conservative religious leaders can come together and find common ground on issues like abortion, LGBT rights, immigration, and torture?

That's what a new initiative, known as the Come Let Us Reason Together Governing Agenda, is hoping.  They're out today with a policy document touching these invariable third and fourth rails of American politics, in hopes that a new Presidential administration will work to make these polarizing issues...well, less polarizing.

Here's their stated goals:

LGBT rights: Protecting the rights of gay and lesbian people to earn a living by making it illegal to fire, refuse to hire, or refuse to promote employees based on sexual orientation so long as there is an exemption for faith-based employers.

Abortion: Reducing abortions by preventing unintended pregnancies, supporting pregnant women and new families, and increasing support for adoption.

Immigration: Supporting immigration reform that paves the way to an earned path to citizenship for most undocumented residents.

Torture: Renouncing torture through an unequivocal statement that calls on government to forbid cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment against prisoners.

The organizers, which include a handful of (mostly evangelical) religious leaders, are hoping that despite differences in faith traditions on each of these issues, common ground can be made.  "We found that woven within our differing views was a thread of common values like human dignity, optimism, and pragmatism. We found that there is a way forward even on the most divisive issues in ways that can unite us as a nation," said Rachel Laser, Director of Third Way's Culture Program, the lead organization behind the effort.

Therein lies the question: Are these types of initiatives a smart way of deflating wedge issues, or are they too pragmatic, willing to throw larger efforts at social progress to the side in favor of compromised advances?  Time will tell.