"Political Theology"

Election seasons are either the bane of my existence or a drug that I cannot get enough of - I can't decide. What I enjoy is the dialogue about what is happening (or not happening) in our nation and what can we do (or not do) about it. What I find frustrating, as I am sure many people do, are the personal attacks, the divisive language, and the overall tone and tenor of politics in America. Having said that, as a pastor, I tend to be most attentive to how candidates frame different issues in terms of faith, especially the Christian faith. Consider Rick Santorum's comments about President Obama's theology in this article from Yahoo. Whether you agree with Santorum's comments, or not (and I don't), I get frightened when I hear political leaders debating their theology. Rick Santorum's "Christianity" is a conservative understanding of Christian theology. Anyone that does not share his view of Christianity, he deems to not be genuinely Christian. The problem, of course, is that there are many Christians - good, solid people of faith - whose theology looks nothing like Rick Santorum's. However, by framing different issues in terms of faith, politicians appeal to voters on an emotional level. Political leaders, when seeking to win "the Christian vote" assume that we are one bloc united against homosexuality and abortion. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It will be a glorious day in the life of our nation when Christians are known as much for what many of them stand for (justice, peace, equality) rather than what some stand against.