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THE QUESTION
Saddleback Forum: Faith and Politics
At the Saddleback Church Forum, pastor Rick Warren began his interviews with John McCain and Barack Obama by saying: "We believe in separation of church and state, but not faith and politics." What's your response to that and to the forum?
Posted by
Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham on August 18, 2008 10:37 AM
FROM THE PANEL
Good Show, Poor Theology
Evangelicals have a right to be involved in politics. They also have a responsibility to educate themselves on the issues. Thank God they are a minority of our population. If they were not, then America would be subjected to what John Stuart Mill called "the tyranny of the majority."
Posted by John Shelby Spong, on August 22, 2008 10:34 AM
Using God Politically
Faith as faith cannot be enlarged upon in the public forum without coming close to exploiting religion and making God part of campaign slogans.
Posted by Martin Marty, on August 22, 2008 9:03 AM
Time to Move From Faith to Interfaith
My concern is whether both Senator Obama and Senator McCain will have the same type of events at a synagogue, a mosque, a gudwara and an ethical society. And whether CNN will carry those events live.
Posted by Jane Holmes Dixon, on August 21, 2008 9:29 AM
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
While I appreciate Pastor Rick Warren's civility, I believe questions like: 'What does it mean to trust in Christ?' have no place in a political forum."
Posted by Welton Gaddy, on August 21, 2008 8:52 AM
Warren Got Church-State Balance Right
The contrast in the two candidates on the question of life was stark.
Posted by Charles "Chuck" Colson, on August 21, 2008 7:22 AM
Finally, A Thoughtful Conversation with Candidates
Too many journalists habitually turn communication towards a fight narrative, which makes for what some people call "good television." Warren, on the other hand, wanted to create a context for understanding.
Posted by Brian D. McLaren, on August 21, 2008 12:19 AM
Faith Quizzes Get an F
For me, the God quiz that Barack Obama endured with barely concealed sweaty palms and that John McCain breezed through with seasoned casualness has no place in American politics.
Posted by Deepak Chopra, on August 20, 2008 9:58 AM
Religion and State, Never. Faith and Poliitcs, Always.
Right on, Rick Warren! Now let's hope he means it. But whether or not we trust his intentions, we can all learn from his words.
Posted by Brad Hirschfield, on August 20, 2008 8:01 AM
No Theocracy Here: Saddleback Does What American Christians Have Always Done
The good news is that all of us can relax. Both Obama and McCain are mainstream American politicians.
Posted by John Mark Reynolds, on August 20, 2008 6:54 AM
Separation of Church and State and Hiring
If a church wants to promote religion in its social service programs, it should use its own money. If it does not want to (and, therefore, qualify for federal funding), why does it need to impose a religious test in hiring?
Posted by J. Brent Walker, on August 20, 2008 2:02 AM
The Living Relationship Between Church and State
We need a third way of understanding the separation between church and state - a never firmly fixed place between the religious triumphalism of the right (that simply feeds the fears of the left) and the trivialization of religion of the left (that feeds the anger of the right).
Posted by Irwin Kula, on August 19, 2008 9:32 AM
Faith or Belief in What?
McCain lifted up General Petraeus as one person he would listen to intently were he president, while Obama lifted up his wife and grandmother. That's nice and all, but good Americans are not interested in what your wife and grandmother would say. This thing is about America, not your family
Posted by Susan K. Smith, on August 19, 2008 9:19 AM
Single-Issue Politics Betrays Multi-Issue Elections
In the Saddleback Civil Forum, August 16, AD 2008 CE, McCain asked people to feel and Obama asked people to think.
Posted by Willis E. Elliott, on August 19, 2008 7:53 AM
Saddleback Forum -- a Catholic View
As a Catholic priest I found the Civic Forum at Saddleback Church a bit weird. I kept wondering what would have been the response if the event had been hosted by Cardinal Francis George in his cathedral in Chicago. (Jewish and Muslim believers might ask the same question about a similar event in their houses of worship.)
Posted by Thomas J. Reese, S.J., on August 19, 2008 12:42 AM
Saddleback Church Forum: A Religious Test For The Presidency
Rick Warren is not to be blamed for taking advantage of the public's faithiness in order to promote his brand of evangelical Christianity. The candidates are to blame for their eagerness to appease not only evangelicals but all who do not understand our heritage as the first secular government in the world.
Posted by Susan Jacoby, on August 18, 2008 2:05 PM
A Refreshing Look at Character
For many of us who look at election issues from a faith-based perspective, the Saddleback event was a refreshing initiative.
Posted by Richard Mouw, on August 18, 2008 1:05 PM
Beware Faith Monologues
As I watched the Rick Warren event, and it was a "Rick Warren" event at Saddleback, my growing impression was of an effort to re-brand "faith" as Christian conservative, or at least "evangelical."
Posted by Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, on August 18, 2008 12:47 PM
What about Immigrant Evangelicals?
Pastor Warren who admirably has been on the forefront of issues like AIDS/HIV relief in Africa, speaking against human trafficking and the genocide in Darfur has said very little publicly on immigration reform
Posted by Gabriel Salguero, on August 18, 2008 10:39 AM
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