The Bible and the Ballot
Using Scripture in Political Decisions
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- $32.99
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- $32.99
Publisher Description
How to read the Bible on matters of public policy
Christians affirm the Bible as our standard of faith and practice. We turn to it to hear God’s voice. But what relevance does the Bible have for the contentious public policy issues we face today? Although the Bible does not always speak explicitly to modern issues, it does give us guiding principles as we think about how we might vote or act as political figures ourselves.
The Bible and the Ballot demonstrates the proper use of Scripture in contemporary political discussions. Christians regularly invoke the Bible to support their positions on many controversial political topics—gay marriage, poverty, war, religious liberty, immigration, the environment, taxes, etc.—and this book will help facilitate those conversations. Tremper Longman provides a hermeneutical approach to using the Bible in this manner, then proceeds topic by topic, citing important Scriptures to be taken into consideration in each case and offering an evangelical interpretation.
Longman is careful to suggest levels of confidence in interpretation and acknowledges that often there are a range of possible applications. Each chapter includes questions to provoke further thought in individuals’ minds or for group discussion.
The Bible and the Ballot is a ready guide to understanding the Bible on issues that American Christians face today as we live within a pluralistic society.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Longman (How to Read Daniel), professor emeritus of biblical studies at Westmont College, considers Christian interpretations of key political issues in this solid resource for evangelicals. After a careful explanation of the historical landscape during the composition of the Bible, Longman shares fundamental principles that have guided Christian thinking about political issues and ground his arguments: humans are beings in the image of God who are trapped in sin but are capable of redemption and wisdom. He then devotes one chapter each to ten issues in contemporary American life: abortion, the environment, immigration, nationalism, poverty, racism, religious liberty, same-sex marriage, social justice, and war. Some of his positions may surprise conservatives, including that religious liberty should not shield Christians from consequences (for instance, for refusing to offer services to same-sex couples), or his frank concerns that capital punishment has become overutilized. Others will make liberals uncomfortable, including his argument against same-sex marriage, or his belief that economic fears should trump actions on counteracting climate change. His most forceful points, especially the need to reconsider immigration and fight poverty and racism, highlight a powerful ability to deploy the Bible to cut through talking points. Evangelicals will find much food for thought in this cogent, well-argued guide.
