Faith, Morality, and Civil Society by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lexington Books
Published: 2003-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Bush

Americans elected as their forty-third president a devout Methodist in the evangelical tradition. Bush is not timid in expressing his evangelical convictions, nor of having his religious beliefs influence his public policies. In fact it was Bush’s ease in thinking and talking like an observant evangelical that brought him to the White House in this election.

The statistics bearing out this conclusion are unmistakable. Exit polls showed that 11.6 million Bush voters consider themselves part of the “religious right”—up significantly from the 10.6 million of this group who voted for Dole. The evangelical vote brought Bush victory in critical close states such as Arkansas, Tennessee, and of course Florida, without which Gore would have won the presidency. In fact if Bush had done only as well as Dole had among evangelicals in Florida, Gore would be in the White House today. But, more importantly, Bush did this well among evangelicals without alienating more moderate voters—and this was the key to his success.

How did Bush manage this feat? It was his “compassionate conservatism,” but even more so it was his expert use of evangelical language, which conveyed to evangelicals that he was genuinely one of them, but without alienating him from more moderate voters. For example, Bush used the words “Jesus Christ” quite freely, whereas other candidates in this and earlier campaigns had kept to the more inclusive language of “God,” “The Almighty,” “The Creator,” and so forth. Furthermore, Bush not only employed Christ’s name but testified about the importance of Christ and His work in his life. Bush said that Jesus Christ was his favorite philosopher, that He changed his heart and cleaned up his life, and that He delivered him from alcohol abuse. Bush readily admitted that he is a “lowly sinner” and declared his belief that Jesus Christ “died for my sins and your sins.” He testified that genuine faith is naturally evident in one’s public actions:

I was raised a Christian, recommitted myself to Christ. Got into the Bible. My life changed in many ways. . . . I was a more dedicated, more focused person. . . . It was a life-changing moment. I also recognize that a walk is a walk . . . a never-ending journey. . . . The more I got into the Bible, the more that admonition “Don’t try to take a speck out of your neighbor’s eye when you’ve got a log in your own” becomes more true, particularly for those of us in public life. . . . Many of the issues I talk about . . . are reinforced by my religion. [My recognition that we are all sinners] helps bring people together, and that’s what is needed on some very practical issues that the country faces.

I’m going through one of the greatest challenges of all. And yet I’m sustained by my faith. . . . I feel supported by the thousands of people who [say they are praying for me], because I understand prayer.38

That Bush could employ this type

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