The Theology of President Bush
by J. Daniel Janzen
with J. Gerald Janzen
It's a delicate matter to talk about another person's faith. But when that faith serves as a central tenet of that person's job, and that job is to lead the American people and the free world, inquiry becomes not only appropriate, but essential.
The faith of President George W. Bush has drawn much attention from supporters, critics and columnists, particularly as the election draws near. For those concerned about the separation of church and state, having a born-again Christian in the White House can be a source of anxiety; but in truth, almost every American president has been a practicing Christian, including those who have fought hardest to maintain this separation. Strong religious belief can provide a moral and ethical foundation for a leader's work. The belief in a higher power can keep earthly rulers humble; in seeking divine guidance, they acknowledge that they themselves are fallible and don't have all the answers. That's the theory, anyway.
The outlines of president's conversion story are well-known: Never one to turn down a drink, by the early 70s he was getting increasingly sloppy. Following a particularly embarrassing incident, his family staged an intervention at Kennebunkport starring none other than Billy Graham. On a long walk with the legendary preacher, Bush kicked the bottle and accepted Jesus. Soon afterwards, he rose from failed wildcatter to baseball owner to governor to president of the United States. It's safe to say Christianity has worked out well for W. But what kind of Christianity?
The president has spoken of his wish to act as a messenger of God's will, and of his conviction that God wants him to be president. In times of crisis, he turns to prayer in lieu of policy analysis. Still, for all his biblical language and professions of faith, Bush doesn't speak much about his specific beliefs. His church attendance is said to be spotty (though in fairness, his regular presence could present logistical nightmares for a parish). Some have speculated that Bush's Christianity is a ploy to appeal to the religious right, while others accuse him of speaking in code to the faithful, making calculated biblical allusions undetectable to the unsaved. But faith is like the death penalty: an unjust condemnation would be too deplorable an error to risk.
Instead, we should take Bush at his word, and see what we can learn about the faith he professes and how it informs his worldview.
Many critiques of Bush's Christianity have played on the apparent disparity between his profession of the importance of good works and comforting the afflicted, and his reluctance to back his faith with policy when it comes to such people as uninsured workers, disenfranchised blacks or those affected by industrial pollution. While the quality and quantity of Bush's good works might be questioned, as could be said of any president, his faith-based initiatives are squarely in the spirit of Matthew 5:16: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Whether Bush is a hypocrite or merely a selective and inept do-gooder is a matter of perspective, but in no sense is he a blasphemer — not on this point, anyway.
A more significant and troubling line of inquiry lies in the way Bush recruits scriptural support for America's role in the world. In his inaugural address on January 20, 2001, Bush quoted a letter that a Virginia statesman named John Page had written to Thomas Jefferson following the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Page wrote, "We know the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong. Do you not think an angel rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm?" For Bush, this pairing of Ecclesiastes 9:11 with Nahum 1:3 spoke of our nation's courage; ever the underdogs, we nonetheless prevail over evil by the grace of God, who rides with us in the vanguard of righteousness (no terrestrial grand alliances needed). If he felt this way even before Sept. 11 of that year, imagine how he sees things now.
Complete Article:
http://flakmag.com/opinion/shredder18.html
by J. Daniel Janzen
with J. Gerald Janzen
It's a delicate matter to talk about another person's faith. But when that faith serves as a central tenet of that person's job, and that job is to lead the American people and the free world, inquiry becomes not only appropriate, but essential.
The faith of President George W. Bush has drawn much attention from supporters, critics and columnists, particularly as the election draws near. For those concerned about the separation of church and state, having a born-again Christian in the White House can be a source of anxiety; but in truth, almost every American president has been a practicing Christian, including those who have fought hardest to maintain this separation. Strong religious belief can provide a moral and ethical foundation for a leader's work. The belief in a higher power can keep earthly rulers humble; in seeking divine guidance, they acknowledge that they themselves are fallible and don't have all the answers. That's the theory, anyway.
The outlines of president's conversion story are well-known: Never one to turn down a drink, by the early 70s he was getting increasingly sloppy. Following a particularly embarrassing incident, his family staged an intervention at Kennebunkport starring none other than Billy Graham. On a long walk with the legendary preacher, Bush kicked the bottle and accepted Jesus. Soon afterwards, he rose from failed wildcatter to baseball owner to governor to president of the United States. It's safe to say Christianity has worked out well for W. But what kind of Christianity?
The president has spoken of his wish to act as a messenger of God's will, and of his conviction that God wants him to be president. In times of crisis, he turns to prayer in lieu of policy analysis. Still, for all his biblical language and professions of faith, Bush doesn't speak much about his specific beliefs. His church attendance is said to be spotty (though in fairness, his regular presence could present logistical nightmares for a parish). Some have speculated that Bush's Christianity is a ploy to appeal to the religious right, while others accuse him of speaking in code to the faithful, making calculated biblical allusions undetectable to the unsaved. But faith is like the death penalty: an unjust condemnation would be too deplorable an error to risk.
Instead, we should take Bush at his word, and see what we can learn about the faith he professes and how it informs his worldview.
Many critiques of Bush's Christianity have played on the apparent disparity between his profession of the importance of good works and comforting the afflicted, and his reluctance to back his faith with policy when it comes to such people as uninsured workers, disenfranchised blacks or those affected by industrial pollution. While the quality and quantity of Bush's good works might be questioned, as could be said of any president, his faith-based initiatives are squarely in the spirit of Matthew 5:16: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Whether Bush is a hypocrite or merely a selective and inept do-gooder is a matter of perspective, but in no sense is he a blasphemer — not on this point, anyway.
A more significant and troubling line of inquiry lies in the way Bush recruits scriptural support for America's role in the world. In his inaugural address on January 20, 2001, Bush quoted a letter that a Virginia statesman named John Page had written to Thomas Jefferson following the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Page wrote, "We know the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong. Do you not think an angel rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm?" For Bush, this pairing of Ecclesiastes 9:11 with Nahum 1:3 spoke of our nation's courage; ever the underdogs, we nonetheless prevail over evil by the grace of God, who rides with us in the vanguard of righteousness (no terrestrial grand alliances needed). If he felt this way even before Sept. 11 of that year, imagine how he sees things now.
Complete Article:
http://flakmag.com/opinion/shredder18.html
