Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Presidential Religion
Of the four major party candidates, only one has a "denomination." Joe Biden is Roman Catholic. Barack Obama doesn't have a congregational membership, so he isn't in the United Church of Christ, which doesn't have doctrinal tests anyway. John McCain no longer wants us to think of him as an Episcopalian, but until he's baptized by immersion, he won't be accepted as a full member of his Baptist church. Sarah Palin identifies herself simply as "Christian." She prefers Assembly of God churches but doesn't consider herself pentecostal - which isn't by itself a denomination.
Biden & Obama are both by confession of faith well within the traditional consensus of Christian orthodoxy. McCain & Palin espouse broad conservative religious beliefs & values only a few of which are requirements of trinitarian orthodoxy, the remainder are interpretive, especially any expressed or implied belief equating the United States with Zion, The Promised Land, The Chosen People, or the Kingdom of God now or in the future. Those are all beliefs unknown to the Second Council of Nicaea long ago, & held - too commonly - only in this country.
The Southern Baptist Convention is far from the only measure of being a Baptist. Pentecostal expressions are varied & pentecostalists, like Baptists, can be stubbornly independent, just as they were when they set up a tent at the edge of town. The Roman Catholic Church is very much in flux, contrary to the impression the bishops try to give. If there are ever 80 million Catholics in America & only 1000 priests to serve them, all the priests will be bishops & Catholics will serve themselves.
& that's our religious lesson for today.
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson
Biden & Obama are both by confession of faith well within the traditional consensus of Christian orthodoxy. McCain & Palin espouse broad conservative religious beliefs & values only a few of which are requirements of trinitarian orthodoxy, the remainder are interpretive, especially any expressed or implied belief equating the United States with Zion, The Promised Land, The Chosen People, or the Kingdom of God now or in the future. Those are all beliefs unknown to the Second Council of Nicaea long ago, & held - too commonly - only in this country.
The Southern Baptist Convention is far from the only measure of being a Baptist. Pentecostal expressions are varied & pentecostalists, like Baptists, can be stubbornly independent, just as they were when they set up a tent at the edge of town. The Roman Catholic Church is very much in flux, contrary to the impression the bishops try to give. If there are ever 80 million Catholics in America & only 1000 priests to serve them, all the priests will be bishops & Catholics will serve themselves.
& that's our religious lesson for today.
Labels: blogging against theocracy, religion, THE election
