Lisa Miller observes in The Washington Post that the Republican primary race has spawned many news stories raising fears about “crazy Christians.” She writes, “Their echo-chamber effect reignites old anxieties among liberals about evangelical Christians. Some on the left seem suspicious that a firm belief in Jesus equals a desire to take over the world… This isn’t a defense of the religious beliefs of Bachmann or Perry, whatever they are. It’s a plea, given the acrimonious tone of our political discourse, for a certain amount of dispassionate care in the coverage of religion. Nearly 80 percent of Americans say they’re Christian. One-third of Americans call themselves ‘evangelical.’ When millions of…
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Theological Interrogations and the 2012 Race
It’s been fascinating to watch news coverage of the Presidential race over the last week. Two of the candidates in particular have turned the attention of the pundit class to religious topics. From Rick Perry’s prayer rally last weekend to Michele Bachmann’s interpretation of Ephesians 5:22 in Thursday’s GOP debate, reporters have become focused on the candidates’ theological views and how those views might inform their presidency.
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Was it fair to ask Bachmann about wifely submission?
Conservative columnist Byron York put a tough question to Michele Bachmann in last Thursday’s Presidential debate. Here’s how it went: In 2006, when you were running for Congress, you described a moment in your life when your husband said you should study for a degree in tax law. You said you hated the idea. And then you explained, “But the Lord said, ‘Be submissive. Wives, you are to be submissive to your husbands.'” As president, would you be submissive to your husband?
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Can I get an “Amen”?
After Rick Perry announced his candidacy for President earlier today, he gave himself an “Amen, brother”! Watch above.
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Newsflash: Christians Continue To Hold Christian Beliefs
Stop the presses! Newsflash from NBC’s Jamie Novogrod! Here’s the scoop: Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann yesterday attended a church here in Iowa, where the pastor called homosexuality “immoral” and “unnatural,” and later showed a testimonial video from a man who claimed to have been gay before having a conversation with God. Hold on a minute. A Christian presidential candidate visits a Christian church that espouses Christian doctrine. I don’t know about you, but I’m not exactly sure what is so newsworthy about this report. Let’s think through the possibilities. Which of the following do you think makes this item newsworthy?
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Michele Bachman’s Leap of Faith
Ryan Lizza has written a thoroughly unflattering article about Michele Bachmann for The New Yorker titled “Leap of Faith: The Making of a Republican Front-runner.” The article takes a close look at her Christianity as a key to understanding her candidacy. He writes: Bachmann belongs to a generation of Christian conservatives whose views have been shaped by institutions, tracts, and leaders not commonly known to secular Americans, or even to most Christians. Her campaign is going to be a conversation about a set of beliefs more extreme than those of any American politician of her stature, including Sarah Palin, to whom she is inevitably compared. Christian readers will be interested…
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Governor Rick Perry’s Speech at “The Response”
Perhaps you heard the news about a giant prayer gathering in Houston, Texas yesterday called “The Response.” About 25,000 people gathered to pray and to hear messages from a variety of different speakers. One of the speakers was Texas Governor Rick Perry, who is expected to announce his candidacy for U.S. President by the end of the month.
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JFK Weighs-in on the United States’ Budget Deficit
I have been reading Robert Dallek’s magisterial biography of John F. Kennedy and came across an item of great contemporary relevance. Among the interesting facts about President Kennedy was his “fiscal conservatism.” He did not fit the caricature of the big spending liberal. In fact, he had a certain antipathy toward FDR not only for his “New Deal” programs, but also because he thought FDR had appeased Stalin during World War II. In any case, as a Congressman JFK openly opposed “unbalanced budgets,” which he perceived to be a threat not only to the economy but also to national security. From Dallek’s biography:
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Alan Wisdom on Immigration Reform
I think Alan Wisdom’s analysis of the contentious immigration debate is well worth the read. Writing for The Institute on Religion & Democracy, he advocates for no specific policy. He merely lists items that citizens (in particular Christian citizens) ought to take into account when considering competing proposals for immigration reform. He writes:
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Gabrielle Giffords Returns to House of Representatives
Gabrielle Giffords returned to the House of Representatives this evening for the first time since she was shot last January. When she stepped onto the floor, the House erupted in applause. It was a fantastic moment. The video is above.