In my capacity as president of The Interfaith Alliance, I have written Gov. Huckabee two letters recently asking that he reexamine his understanding of the Constitution and the responsibilities of the presidency.
From my lifetime in the church, I am certainly familiar with the idea of using a biblical reference to frame a modern-day story. But calling for the Constitution to be amended to fit his narrow interpretation of “God’s standards” is unacceptable in a democracy. I have advised Gov. Huckabee that claiming the power of God for his political candidacy and assertions that foreign policy should be guided by his theology fall outside the acceptable boundaries of campaign rhetoric.
Gov. Huckabee’s personal history is clear proof of his deep and abiding Christian faith, and there is no reason for him to deny that. But if he is elected president, he will hold executive power over millions of people who place no particular spiritual importance on the New Testament. If his candidacy is framed as one with Christian roots, marked for success and guaranteed as such by a Christian spiritual power, how will those Americans who claim a different faith – or who practice no religion at all – be sure that they will receive from his administration the same rights and freedoms as Christians?
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