Voting God’s Politics

Tuesday November 7, 2006

WORDS FROM JIM WALLIS

I think Jim makes a good case for authentic citizenship.

For years, we have watched the proliferation of
voter’s guides from the Religious Right that did all
but actually endorse only right-wing Republican
candidates. Before the 2004 election, their narrow
list of “non-negotiables” included abortion, stem-cell
harvesting, homosexual marriage, human cloning, and
euthanasia. All the wider issues that the scriptures
speak to were simply ignored. Never have we seen such
a partisan use, abuse, and manipulation of religion.
Well, those days are over, as many Christians,
including a new generation of evangelicals, are
demanding a broader and more biblical agenda – one
that could challenge candidates on both sides of the
aisle.

We have insisted that God is not a Republican or a
Democrat, but we do believe there are principles and
guidelines that should inform how we vote. This year,
we have distributed more than 300,000 “Issues Guides,”
which cover a broad range of Christian ethics and
values that should inform our political decisions. You
can still get a copy of the “Voting God’s Politics
Issues Guide.”

We have highlighted the following principles and
policies as a critical framework to shape our
perspective on public policy and political leadership,
and the questions by which all candidates should be
evaluated.

Compassion and Economic Justice

They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall
plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not
build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and
another eat and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of
their hands (Isaiah 65:21-23).

God shows a special concern for those in poverty and
acts in history to lift them up. The Bible teaches
that societies should organize so that all members
have genuine access to the resources needed to live a
decent life and provide for those who are unable to
care for themselves.

Does the candidate support measures that provide for
family economic success and security by “making work
work,” that promote fair and decent wages, that show a
serious commitment to lifting children out of poverty,
and support policies on aid, debt, and trade that
would bring extreme global poverty to an end?

Peace and Restraint of Violence

They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift
up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war
any more (Isaiah 2:4). Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9).

We face a major challenge of how to resolve conflicts,
reduce violence, and defeat terrorism without endless
war. War has become a first resort instead of the last
resort. In a world full of terrorists, terrorist
states, unilateralist superpowers, and weapons of mass
destruction, we need practical alternatives to an
endless cycle of violence.

Is the candidate committed to a serious plan for
ending the war in Iraq, to joining a real national
debate on how to remove American forces while seeking
both security and peace for Iraq, to the elimination
of nuclear weapons, to supporting security and freedom
in the Middle East, and to strengthening international
law to fight terrorism?

Consistent Ethic of Life

Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life; and the man became a living being (Genesis 2:7).

We believe that all life is a sacred gift from God,
and that public policies should reflect a consistent
ethic of life – and address all the places where human
life is threatened. We believe abortion is always a
moral tragedy, but how do we find real solutions for
preventing unwanted pregnancies and supporting women
caught in very difficult and desperate circumstances?

Does the candidate support policies that will
dramatically reduce the number of abortions, end
capital punishment, and stop genocide, especially in
Darfur?

Racial Justice

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer
slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for
all of you are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

Full humanity and dignity are denied when people are
discriminated against for ethnic or racial reasons,
whether intentionally or due to systemic structures.
Racism is a sin and undermines the integrity of a
society.

Is the candidate committed to reversing and ending
racial discrimination in all aspects of our society,
especially in the criminal justice and education
systems?

Human Rights, Dignity, and Gender Justice

So God created humankind in his image, in the image of
God he created them; male and female he created them
(Genesis 1:27).

We recognize each human being as created in God’s
image. We urge policies that both protect life and
promote human dignity. On the issue of torture, for
example, it really isn’t the terrorists and what they
stand for; it is about us, and what we stand for. On
immigration, how do we welcome the stranger, respect
the law, and insure national security? And how do we
combat the growing epidemic of sexual trafficking and
virtual slavery?

Does the candidate support humane and holistic
immigration policies and comprehensive immigration
reform? Do they insist on policies that end torture,
stop human trafficking, promote religious freedom, and
protect women?

Strengthen Families and Renew Culture

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern
what is the will of God (Romans 12:2).

Strong families are the essential foundation of a good
society. A culture that promotes healthy families is
necessary to raise our children with strong values.
And parenting has become a countercultural activity in
America. How do we find real solutions, and not just
scapegoats?

Does the candidate support policies that strengthen
marriage and families, restore integrity to our civic
and business practices, and act to prevent violence in
our society – especially the alarming incidence of
domestic violence against women and children.

Good Stewardship of God’s Creation

God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it
was very good (Genesis 1:31). The earth is the Lord’s
and all that is in it, the world, and those who live
in it (Psalm 24:1).

The earth and the fragile atmosphere that surrounds it
are God’s good creation for the sustenance and
enjoyment of all things. We support policies that
protect creation from interests and activities that
damage it. We believe global warming is a religious
issue.

Does a candidate support protections to clean air and
water, to reduce the dangerous emissions that cause
global warming, to shift from our addiction to oil and
fossil fuels to cleaner, safer, and more renewable
energy sources? Do they support the transformation to
conservation and new energy sources that could provide
jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, help solve
the Middle East crisis, and even reduce the threats of
terrorism?

Next Tuesday, we will not establish the kingdom of
God. The kingdom of God is not on the ballot. But you
can vote to strengthen the common good. There are
important things at stake in this election, including
many lives in the ongoing war in Iraq. This is an
important election for our country, and I urge all
Christians to take time this weekend to think and pray
about their choices, evaluate candidates on all these
issues, then go to the polls on Tuesday and vote.

And after we vote, no matter who wins, we must be at
the doorstep of politicians the next day to hold them
accountable to the issues that arise from a broad
biblical agenda.

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