The first portion of the speech was a personal affirmation of the Senator’s own journey to a deep recognition of the import of his religious faith. Against this backdrop, Senator Obama spelled out three pieces of wisdom he was offering on how best to bring religious faith to bear in the public square without falling prey to the tensions, suspicions, anger, and vitriol which so often accompany the attempt to interpret the will of God in a political context.

Obama’s three points were presented as “some truths” or “ground rules” fostering civility and effective political compromise in the public arena of a democracy.

1. Leaders must understand and appreciate the critically important role that the separation of church and state “has played in preserving not only our democracy, but the robustness of our religious practice.”

2. When the religiously motivated attempt to influence public policy they must be prepared to argue from universal, rational values and insights that are open to debate. Obama’s point is quite clear and very specific – “I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice, I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God’s will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.”

3. Harmonious interactions between religiously motivated public political activity and the multiple realities of democratic pluralism require what Obama calls a “sense of proportion.” He argues that not every public citing of God is a breach in the divide between church and state. His advice is a cautionary word to those who react with indignant outrage at the use of school property by voluntary student prayer groups or the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance phrase “under God.” The coercive impact of such events and phrases Obama suggests need to be seen in context and proportion.

I regard Senator Obama’s speech as good evidence of why he is such a worthy candidate for President. If religious and political leaders are willing and able to heed the ground rules Obama proposes, the climate of public debate may become considerably more healthy and fruitful. The question I ask myself is whether or not there is any real possibility of this change happening. Those critical of Senator Obama have become fond of saying he is too optimistic, too hopeful, lacking in a realistic appraisal of the difficulty of change. Is his speech an example? I think not. People are tired of the divisive, intractable nature of the battles of our culture wars. There is a readiness to find a better way. In 2006, Senator Obama spoke to the group in a manner that made a personal connection, while at the same time he offered sound advice to religious leaders who very much need to pay attention to his wisdom. I believe the speech is an authentic expression, not only of Senator Obama’s religious faith but of his political wisdom.