The Bible And The Ballot Box

The Bible And The Ballot Box
Author: James L Guth
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 206
Release: 2019-07-11
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1000314871

The 1988 elections abruptly brought the importance of religion in American politics into sharp focus. Two ministers, Pat Robertson and Jesse Jackson, sought their party's presidential nominations by mobilizing key religious constituencies. In addition, a host of other religious groups, from the Catholic bishops to the Jewish community, sought to influence the election outcome. More than ever, religion was a critical factor in the ballots cast by millions of Americans. As the twentieth century draws to a close, it is clear that religion will continue to be a powerful factor in electoral politics. This volume investigates the many ways religion influenced electoral politics in 1988, tracing the links between elites, activists, and voters in the major religious traditions. Special attention is paid to the leaders of Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish organizations; to important sets of activists, such as ministers, party leaders, and campaign contributors; and to the behavior of key voting blocs, including white evangelical and mainline Protestants, black Protestants, Catholics, and Jews.

The Bible and the Ballot

The Bible and the Ballot
Author: Tremper Longman
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Total Pages: 349
Release: 2020-01-14
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1467458589

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.

The American Ballot Box in the Mid-Nineteenth Century

The American Ballot Box in the Mid-Nineteenth Century
Author: Richard Franklin Bensel
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 326
Release: 2004-04-12
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780521537865

During the middle of the nineteenth century, Americans voted in saloons in the most derelict sections of great cities, in hamlets swarming with Union soldiers, or in wooden cabins so isolated that even neighbors had difficulty finding them. Their votes have come down to us as election returns reporting tens of millions of officially sanctioned democratic acts. Neatly arrayed in columns by office, candidate, and party, these returns are routinely interpreted as reflections of the preferences of individual voters and thus seem to unambiguously document the existence of a robust democratic ethos. By carefully examining political activity in and around the polling place, this book suggests some important caveats which must attend this conclusion. These caveats, in turn, help to bridge the interpretive chasm now separating ethno-cultural descriptions of popular politics from political economic analyses of state and national policy-making.

How Should Christians Vote?

How Should Christians Vote?
Author: Tony Evans
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Total Pages: 80
Release: 2012-05-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0802483631

Christians are a large and influential voting block today. But as each governmental election approaches, an increasing polarity occurs within those claiming the Christian faith. This comes as a result of party-voting rather than voting according to Biblical mandates and authority. To refocus correctly, Dr. Tony Evans goes back to the basics and teaches on how God established government as a divine institution whose tasks include promoting the well-being of those within its realm and protection from evil. Scripture trumps all political alliances making the voting decision a critical opportunity for Christians to promote God's Word and His values through whom they elect. In the face of increasing emotions the Christians representing God's kingdom values should communicate His truths in a manner reflective of the King - in a gracious and strategic way. Dr. Evans also looks at the necessary qualities in a good candidate which include intellect, education, competency, skill and spiritual beliefs - whether certain issues are non-negotiables, and how a responsible citizen is to research a candidates' position in order to evaluate it against God's Word.

Jesus for President

Jesus for President
Author: Shane Claiborne
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 370
Release: 2009-08-30
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310862701

Jesus for President is a radical manifesto to awaken the Christian political imagination, reminding us that our ultimate hope lies not in partisan political options but in Jesus and the incarnation of the peculiar politic of the church as a people 'set apart' from this world. In what can be termed lyrical theology, Jesus for President poetically weaves together words and images to sing (rather than dictate) its message. It is a collaboration of Shane Claiborne's writing and stories, Chris Haw's reflections and research, and Chico Fajardo-Heflin's art and design. Drawing upon the work of biblical theologians, the lessons of church history, and the examples of modern-day saints and ordinary radicals, Jesus for President stirs the imagination of what the Church could look like if it placed its faith in Jesus instead of Caesar. A fresh look at Christianity and empire, Jesus for President transcends questions of 'Should I vote or not?' and 'Which candidate?' by thinking creatively about the fundamental issues of faith and allegiance. It's written for those who seek to follow Jesus, rediscover the spirit of the early church, and incarnate the kingdom of God.

Faith in the Voting Booth

Faith in the Voting Booth
Author: Leith Anderson
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2016-03-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 031034610X

Faith in the Voting Booth by National Association of Evangelicals leaders Leith Anderson and Galen Carey will help you clarify your own positions in light of your faith before you enter the voting booth. Anderson and Carey show that biblical wisdom is surprisingly relevant to today’s complex political issues. Each voting decision should be thoughtfully and prayerfully approached. This book does not tell you how to vote. Instead it will help you resist clever campaign slogans and television ads designed to make you angry or afraid. Faith in the Voting Booth provides general principles to guide you in 2016 and for years to come. As informed faith leaders, Anderson and Carey not only identify the issues but also help you reflect biblically on how to vote. It is a book that will keep people of faith up to date and ready to vote with confidence and wisdom.

Granddaddy's Turn

Granddaddy's Turn
Author: Michael S. Bandy
Publisher: Candlewick
Total Pages: 33
Release: 2015-07-14
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0763665932

Based on the true story of one family’s struggle for voting rights in the civil rights–era South, this moving tale shines an emotional spotlight on a dark facet of U.S. history. Life on the farm with Granddaddy is full of hard work, but despite all the chores, Granddaddy always makes time for play, especially fishing trips. Even when there isn’t a bite to catch, he reminds young Michael that it takes patience to get what’s coming to you. One morning, when Granddaddy heads into town in his fancy suit, Michael knows that something very special must be happening—and sure enough, everyone is lined up at the town hall! For the very first time, Granddaddy is allowed to vote, and he couldn’t be more proud. But can Michael be patient when it seems that justice just can’t come soon enough? This powerful and touching true-life story shares one boy’s perspective of growing up in the segregated South, while beautiful illustrations depict the rural setting in tender detail.

The Bible in American Law and Politics

The Bible in American Law and Politics
Author: John R. Vile
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 679
Release: 2020-09-19
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1538141671

While scholars increasingly recognize the importance of religion throughout American history, The Bible in American Law and Politics is the first reference book to focus on the key role that the Bible has played in American public life. In considering revolting from Great Britain, Americans contemplated whether this was consistent with scripture. Americans subsequently sought to apply Biblical passages to such issues as slavery, women’s rights, national alcoholic prohibition, issues of war and peace, and the like. American presidents continue to take their oath on the Bible. Some of America’s greatest speeches, for example, Lincoln’s Second Inaugural and William Jennings Bryan’s Cross of Gold speech, have been grounded on Biblical texts or analogies. Today, Americans continue to cite the Bible for positions as diverse as LGBTQ rights, abortion, immigration, welfare, health care, and other contemporary issues. By providing essays on key speeches, books, documents, legal decisions, and other writings throughout American history that have sought to buttress arguments through citations to Scriptures or to Biblical figures, John Vile provides an indispensable guide for scholars and students in religion, American history, law, and political science to understand how Americans throughout its history have interpreted and applied the Bible to legal and political issues.

Evangelicals at the Ballot Box

Evangelicals at the Ballot Box
Author: Albert J. Menendez
Publisher:
Total Pages: 360
Release: 1996
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

A closely researched study analyzing the voting patterns of various evangelical denominations and revealing the social and political concerns that motivate them. Political analyst Menendez avoids the common mistake of lumping all groups together into a "religious right" bloc, instead examining a variety of evangelical subcultures including Southern Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, Mennonites, the Dutch Reformed, and Catholics. The analyses prompts speculations on why the Republican party is more receptive to the evangelical position than the Democrats, and the future possibility of religion playing a central role in defining US political issues. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR