Brian Kaylor

Friday Photo

2012-01-27T19:08:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo I took recently of a statue of George Mason overlooking the old City Hall in Richmond, Virginia.

Silence and Communication

2012-01-26T10:49:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, Pope Benedict XVI released his annual communications message. This year's message was entitled "Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization." It considers the importance of silence in communication. He correctly notes that silence "despite its importance, is often overlooked" in considerations of communication. Here are an excerpt:

Silence is an integral element of communication; in its absence, words rich in content cannot exist. In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; ideas come to birth and acquire depth; we understand with greater clarity what it is we want to say and what we expect from others; and we choose how to express ourselves. By remaining silent we allow the other person to speak, to express him or herself; and we avoid being tied simply to our own words and ideas without them being adequately tested. In this way, space is created for mutual listening, and deeper human relationships become possible. It is often in silence, for example, that we observe the most authentic communication taking place between people who are in love: gestures, facial expressions and body language are signs by which they reveal themselves to each other. Joy, anxiety, and suffering can all be communicated in silence - indeed it provides them with a particularly powerful mode of expression. Silence, then, gives rise to even more active communication, requiring sensitivity and a capacity to listen that often makes manifest the true measure and nature of the relationships involved. When messages and information are plentiful, silence becomes essential if we are to distinguish what is important from what is insignificant or secondary.

Amen! As I argued in my first book (For God's Sake, Shut Up!), sometimes the most effective form of communication is to remain silent.

Colbert Bump

2012-01-24T12:26:00.000-08:00

In Saturday's Republican presidential primary, Herman Cain came in fifth place with 1.1 percent of the vote. Cain, who dropped out of the race in December, outperformed the combined vote of all other candidates who dropped out. While Cain only received 45 votes in Iowa and 160 votes in New Hampshire, he garnered 6,324 votes in South Carolina. How did this happen? The "Colbert bump." Comedian Stephen Colbert, who tried unsuccessfully to get on the Democratic presidential primary ballot in South Carolina in 2008, recently announced he was launching an exploratory run for the Republican primary in South Carolina this year (the photo is one I took at the "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" that Colbert led along with Jon Stewart). However, since the filing date for getting on the ballot had already passed and South Carolina does not allow write-in votes for the primary, Colbert decided to borrow a name on the ballot. Colbert told his fans in the Palmetto State to vote for Cain as a vote for Colbert. For much of the past year, Colbert has been hilariously pointing out the problems with SuperPACs and the nature of our campaigns since the Citizens United Supreme Court case in 2010. Just before the Iowa Straw Poll in August, the Colbert SuperPAC--known as "Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow"--ran two hilarious ads urging people to write-in the name of "Rick Parry" (with an "a") at the same time supporters of Texas Governor Rick Perry (with an "e") were trying to get write-in votes for their their candidate (see the two Colbert SuperPAC ads here and here). The trick is that since write-in laws require counters to consider voter intent, misspellings are counted for the actual candidate. Thus, anyone writing-in "Rick Parry" would have their vote count for Rick Perry--even though in this case one would not know if the voter's intent was to vote for the real Rick Perry or jokingly vote for the fake "Rick Parry." What the ads demonstrated was how a SuperPAC could flood the airwaves to disrupt elections. Perry, by the way, came in sixth place in the Iowa Straw Poll--ahead of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who was actually on the ballot--by capturing 4.3 percent of the vote (an unprecedentedly strong showing for a write-in candidate in the Iowa Straw Poll). However, the Iowa Republican Party refused to release numbers indicating how many people wrote Perry's name with an "a." Perhaps that is why a couple of days before the Iowa Straw Poll the head of the group leading the real Rick Perry's write-in effort told me he was excited by Colbert's theatrics.

Then, earlier this month as Colbert decided to launch the presidential run, he had to give control of the SuperPAC to someone else since candidates are not allowed to coordinate with SuperPACs. He put his friend and fellow Comedy Central comedian Jon Stewart in charge, which gave them comical opportunities to push the boundaries on what it means to be coordinating or not. The Colbert SuperPAC--now led by Stewart--released several hilarious campaign ads. As with the Iowa ones, the South Carolina ads actually aired during TV commercial breaks along with other political ads. The first one--probably the best--was an over-the-top attack ad on Romney (see the ad here). The SuperPAC then ran an ad urging people to vote for Colbert by voting for Cain (see ad here). The group also released a couple of ads attacking the fact that SuperPACs can run attack ads by attacking candidates and SuperPACs (see ads here and here). The South Carolina ads are narrated by actors like John Lithgow, Mandy Patinkin, Sam Elliot, and Samuel L. Jackson. To add to the ads, Colbert even held a rally last week in Charleston--with Cain! At the rally, Colbert mocked confessional politics by invoking God (and had publicly prayed on this TV show to claim God wanted him to run). Responding to the claim that the rally and overall presidential effort was merely a "joke," Colbert declared at the rally:

I say, if they are calling being allowed to form a super PAC and collect unlimited, untraceable amounts of money from individuals, unions, and corporations; and spend that money on political ads and for personal enrichment; and then surrender that super PAC to one of my closest friends while I explore a run for office; if that is a joke, then they are saying our entire campaign finance system is a joke!

It is a great point that summarizes his overall SuperPAC effort of the last several months (you can see most of the Colbert-Cain rally here). In an age of broken politics, it takes the court jester to speak the truth.

Gingrich Uses Racial Politics in South Carolina Win

2012-01-23T19:09:00.000-08:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Gingrich Uses Racial Politics in South Carolina Win." It examines some of the claims made by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich prior to Saturday's vote in the first southern Republican presidential primary (the photo is one I took of him in Iowa in August). The piece also notes various voting trends regarding evangelical and religiously-minded voters. Gingrich's victory means this is the first time in modern presidential campaigns that the Republican primary has seen three different winners in the first three states. Florida, which votes a week from tomorrow, will now have its most important Republican presidential primary ever. But even then the race could easily extend into other states as this race seems unlikely to quickly end.

South Carolina Predictions

2012-01-21T09:19:00.000-08:00

With voters heading to the polls in South Carolina today for the first southern Republican presidential primary, here are my predictions for what will happen. In Iowa I got 89 percent of the vote correct (see post here) and in New Hampshire I got 83 percent correct (see post here). Hopefully I can do a little better in the Palmetto State, but it has been a crazy week with two candidates dropping out, the Iowa results officially changing, new sexual allegations against former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich that led to dramatic debate moments, and more verbal missteps by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney regarding his wealth. Feel free to add your own predictions in the comments section.

1. Gingrich will win (the photo is one I took of him in Iowa in August). Although he could slip down to second--where he was until the last couple of days of polling--he has momentum and is quickly rising. Thus, he will likely win by several percentage points. Now that former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum has been belatedly declared the winner in Iowa, if Gingrich wins South Carolina it would make this election the first time in modern campaigns that the first three states have gone for three different candidates in a Republican presidential race. That is just one more sign of how bizarre and unstable this campaign has been! Gingrich's rise comes even as he faces allegations from his second ex-wife that he wanted an "open marriage." Yet, he seems to have turned the issue to his favor by doing what he does best--attack the media. It may seem surprising that a candidate with as much negative baggage as Gingrich could win the South Carolina primary--which has gone for the eventual Republican nominee in every election since 1980. But as Gingrich explained during the debate Thursday night:

I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office.

Interestingly, Gingrich is saying no decent people run for office today, which is quite comical since he is saying that while running and doing well. Guess even Gingrich is admitting the electorate is stuck with candidates like him because decent ones will not run in today's media environment!

2. Romney, who just a few days ago looked like he would win South Carolina by double-digits and coast to the nomination is likely to be a distant second. Romney had a bad week as he found out he lost Iowa, took a lot of hits on his wealth and his refusal to release his tax returns, and saw the anti-Romney vote unite some with the departure of Texas Governor Rick Perry (see post here). A win in South Carolina would have put Romney as the clear frontrunner and made him seem to many to be the inevitable nominee. Now, he will once again be faced with the fact that he is unable to unite most of the Party behind him. Romney will, however, do much better than his fourth-place finish in 2008 when he only captured 15 percent of the vote.

3. Fighting for third and fourth places (out of four) are U.S. Representative Ron Paul and Santorum. Paul will likely do better for a few reasons. First, as he has demonstrated in other states, his supporters are quite devoted and have made him a real presence in this campaign. As in Iowa and New Hampshire, he will do much better than in 2008--when his four percent earned him fifth place in South Carolina. Second, the departure of former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman will help Paul some, although it helps Romney more. Third, the rise of Gingrich hurts Santorum as the two are fighting for many of the same conservative anti-Romney voters. A last place finish for Santorum would be a blow to the credibility of conservative evangelical leaders who gathered in Texas last weekend and endorsed him over Gingrich (see post here).

4. Former presidential candidate Herman Cain will come in fifth place. Although he left the race in December before any votes were even cast (see post here), comedian Stephen Colbert has been urging people to vote for Cain. Last week, Colbert announced he was considering running for president in South Carolina--like he tried to during the Democratic primary in 2008--but it is too late to get on the ballot and write-in votes are not allowed. Therefore, he decided to borrow the name of a candidate already on the ballot. Cain even joined Colbert for a rally yesterday in Charleston. Although the joke vote will mostly bring in people who were not going to vote, it could draw some votes away from Paul (since Paul does best with younger voters). Cain will not get too many votes, but he could do well enough to help bring more attention to Colbert's political efforts.

So I put the order at: Gingrich (40%), Romney (30%), Paul (15%), Santorum (13%), Cain (1%).

UPDATE [1-25-12]: Well, I underestimated Santorum's strength--likely because the evangelical vote increased from 60 percent of the vote in 2008 to 65 percent this time. Thus, Santorum did four points better than I predicted. I got Gingrich and Cain correct and had Romney and Paul each off by just two points. That made this my best state. While I got the vote 89 percent correct in Iowa and 83 percent correct in New Hampshire, I got it 92 percent correct in South Carolina. Here are the final results: Gingrich (40%), Romney (28%), Santorum (17%), Paul (13%), Cain (1%).

Friday Photo

2012-01-20T19:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo I took of Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling presiding over a session of the Virginia State Senate when I was in Richmond for the Virginia Interfaith Center's lobby day (see post here).

Perry Drops Out of GOP Race, Backs Gingrich

2012-01-20T18:02:00.000-08:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Perry Drops Out of GOP Race, Backs Gingrich." The piece notes Perry's decision to suspend his campaign (see post here on why he called it "suspending") and how Perry's departure from the presidential race represents a dramatic fall from political grace. While Perry started as the favorite candidate of many conservative evangelical leaders, they had since abandoned him. Even this week before dropping out Perry was still trying to run on prayer. He spoke at a South Carolina prayer rally modeled after his one in Texas last August.

As Perry exited the race, he endorsed former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who also has been using confessional politics. Last weekend, he went to a South Carolina church to talk about his "baggage" and "faith in God." His level of "baggage" increased when his second ex-wife gave an interview with ABC News yesterday, claiming Gingrich wanted an "open marriage." Amazingly, some conservative evangelicals like Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention and David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network do not think the allegations will hurt Gingrich since conservatives do not trust the media. I wonder when the apologies to Bill Clinton will begin! Santorum also has been speaking at prayer breakfasts and in church services--as he did in Iowa (see post here)--and all the candidates spoke at a religious-political rally hosted by Ralph Reed's Faith & Freedom Coalition. Santorum is also touting the endorsement of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, who has been a key confessional politics figure. Not to be outdone, conservative evangelical supporters of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (yes, they exist!) penned a book justifying their support of him. However, Romney is unlikely to gain many votes from Perry's departure and is hurt by the fact that the anti-Romney vote will not be split up as much.

Day for All People

2012-01-19T09:36:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, I participated in the "Day for All People," which is the annual lobby day of the Virginia Interfaith Center. A few hundred people from across Virginia came to Richmond to meet with state legislators (the photo is one I took of state Senator Ralph Northam, who spoke to our lobby group). I visited the offices of Senator Mark Obenshain and Delegate Tony Wilt to urge them to support legislation that would create greater regulations on predatory lending (payday and car title loans). Hopefully our state legislators will act to help stop these institutions from stealing from our neighbors. Although Virginia has made some progress in recent years, more work is needed to close loopholes and further improve the laws.

Faith leaders in other states are also working to transform laws concerning predatory lending. Churchnet has been working with other groups in Missouri to change legislation and to get an initiative on the November ballot. The efforts in both Virginia and Missouri include trying to cap annual interest rates at 36 percent. Groups like Missouri Faith Voices are working to raise awareness and organize support. It is good that religious leaders are leading the efforts to reform state laws since the predatory lending industry is spending lots of money to stop any limits on their usury. Despite all their money, predatory lenders must be worried that religious leaders could defeat them--like David beat Goaliath--because several churches in Kansas City received threatening letters that inaccurately claimed the churches could get in legal trouble for helping collect signatures for the ballot initiative. Such bullying seems only to confirm the what critics say about predatory lending institutions. Unfortunately for predatory lenders, churches will not be so easily moved from their moral stance.

A New Law

2012-01-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

My latest academic study is in the Southern Communication Journal. Here is the citation:

Kaylor, B. T. (2012). A new law: The covenant speech of Barbara Jordan. Southern Communication Journal, 77, 10-23.

Here is the abstract for the piece:

When Barbara Jordan stepped to the podium at the 1976 Democratic National Convention, she made history as the first African American keynote speaker at a major political party's nominating convention. Rather than giving a traditional keynote address, Jordan played the part of an Old Testament prophet with a new commandment to give to the people. This study analyzes Jordan's address as a modern covenant speech to better understand her speech and this new rhetorical form. As utilized by Jordan, this unique type of prophetic discourse includes the praising of a blessed people, the giving of a new command, and the calling on the people to obey. Implications concerning Jordan's address and the covenant speech rhetorical form are discussed.

Although Jordan passed away several years ago, her powerful speech continues to deserve attention.

Out of the Hunt

2012-01-17T16:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman suspended his Republican presidential bid (see post here about the importance of suspending instead of ending). Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, the former U.S. Ambassador to China and former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore clearly had the strongest foreign policy credentials in the race (the photo is one I took of him last June just as he started his campaign). Additionally, Huntsman quickly emerged as a reasonable Republican in an age of unreasonableness. Although more conservative in policy than often framed during the campaign, his tone was one of moderation and civility. He started his campaign by urging more political civility (see post here) and ended it by calling for fewer negative attacks in the campaign. Ultimately, it seems Republican voters over the past year were not interested in calm, sensible rhetoric; instead Republicans voters spent most of the campaign excitedly jumped behind candidates willing to spew over-the-top aggressive attacks on President Barack Obama and other Democrats. Interestingly, Huntsman was also the Republican candidate this cycle who least used confessional politics (see post here). Perhaps we will see Huntsman again on the national scene when the political tides change.

Baptists Join Evangelical Summit Backing Santorum

2012-01-16T05:02:00.000-08:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Baptists Join Evangelical Summit Backing Santorum." It covers a weekend gathering in Texas of over 150 conservative evangelical pastors and leaders hoping to unite behind one Republican presidential candidate (the photo is one I took in Iowa of Tony Perkins, who emerged as the spokesperson for the Texas gathering). The group gave most of its support to former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, although former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich also had strong support. The event demonstrates the discomfort many evangelicals have about former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and their outright disdain for President Barack Obama. It also highlights Texas Governor Rick Perry's dramatic fall from grace since many of those now supporting Santorum or Gingrich were previously backing him. Although the meeting was not an official endorsement, it will likely result in several conservative evangelical leaders--like James Dobson--publicly endorsing Santorum before Saturday's South Carolina primary. This unprecedented meeting and endorsement is a clear sign of the continuing role of confessional politics in today's presidential campaigns.

Not all of those who attended the gathering in Texas are pleased by the outcome. For instance, former U.S. Representative J.C. Watts went on Fox News to complain about the news coverage of the gathering. Watts, who attended the event, is backing Gingrich and is therefore worried the coverage of the vote will hurt his candidate in South Carolina. Some Gingrich backers are even claiming the vote was rigged. Just before the gathering, Gingrich's campaign rolled out several endorsements from key evangelical leaders. Tim and Beverly LaHaye both are now backing Gingrich, which means Perry is definitely being left behind in this campaign. Additionally, Gingrich's campaign announced that its "Faith Leaders Coalition" would be led by author/pollster George Barna, along with with California pastor Jim Garlow, Liberty Council Chairman and Liberty University law professor Matt Staver, American Family Association founder Don Wildmon, and others. Romney is also trying to demonstrate his support with conservative evangelicals--even though he is struggling to win over many evangelical voters--as he announced the support of Jay and Jordan Sekulow of Pat Robertson's American Center for Law & Justice (the Sekulows also supported Romney in 2008). Romney's campaign has also been highlighting his "faith" in South Carolina--but without mentioning his faith is Mormonism. Perry, who is basing his South Carolina campaign on reaching evangelicals, has also been campaigning by talking about his faith. Yet, it seems Perry's campaign has no prayer of winning and can only play a spoiler role and help Romney win over a divided evangelical field. In our age of confessional politics, it seems each candidate is trying to out-God the others.

State of Belief

2012-01-14T15:42:00.000-08:00

I was one of the guests on this week's broadcast of "State of Belief," the radio program of the Interfaith Alliance. You can listen to the program online here. The show's host, Welton Gaddy, is cited in my book on confessional politics as one who understands the dangers of too closely uniting religion and politics. During the interview he called my book on confessional politics "a fascinating book." I was excited to talk with him and be part of a program I listen to on a regular basis.

UPDATE [1-18-2012]: An extended version of the interview--and a transcript--can be found here.

Friday Photo

2012-01-13T19:31:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo I took a few months ago of the memorial to John Watts in the cemetery at Trinity Church in New York City. He served in both the New York State Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1790s. His statue stands out as the most prominent at Trinity. For someone at the intersection of religion and politics, perhaps it is appropriate that he is green!

SBC Official Involved in Political Efforts to Defeat Romney, Obama

2012-01-11T10:01:00.000-08:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "SBC Official Involved in Political Efforts to Defeat Romney, Obama." It covers the efforts by top Richard Land, who is involved in behind-the-scenes political strategizing but refuse to openly admit his level of involvement. Although Land--who leads the Southern Baptist Convention's work on ethics--claims he is nonpartisan, that is not the case.

New Hampshire Predictions

2012-01-10T09:02:00.000-08:00

With voters heading to the polls in New Hampshire today for the first Republican presidential primary, here are my predictions for what will happen. Hopefully I can do as well as I did in predicting the results of the Iowa caucuses (see post here). Feel free to add your own predictions in the comments section.

1. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will win. That has been obvious for months, but the question is by how much will he win. A week ago it looked like he would capture as much as 45 percent of the vote. However, he has had a rough week--due to attacks on his record and his own poorly-worded comments ("I like being able to fire people"). As a result, he will likely be under 40 percent. If he falls several points below that line, his win will be interpreted as fairly hollow and a sign of continued weakness for him. Romney's slim win--really a statistical tie--in Iowa was the lowest percentage of any winning candidate since the modern presidential primary system started over three decades ago. Although his New Hampshire win will not be the lowest (Pat Buchanan only got 27% in 1996), it will probably be lower than most.

2. There is a strong battle for second place between former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman and U.S. Representative Ron Paul. Although Paul has been in second place in the polls for weeks, Huntsman will likely surpass him tonight. While Paul seems to have hit his peak support already, Huntsman has been surging in the polls and is the Rick Santorum of New Hampshire as he has been basically living in the state. If Huntsman does not make it into a strong second place, it will be hard for his campaign to continue.

3. The other strong battle is for fourth place as former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich are each trying to be the top social conservative in a state that does not usually support such candidates. If Santorum could top Gingrich again, it would help him solidify his standing as the top social conservative candidate as the race shifts to South Carolina. However, Gingrich might edge out Santorum tonight. While Santorum jumped passed Gingrich in the polls due to the Iowa results, Santorum has been slowing dropping since while Gingrich has been slowly rising. Additionally, Gingrich is a better fit for voters in the Granite State.

4. Texas Governor Rick Perry will come in a distant last place--in large part because he has not even tried in the state. But he will not just be last, but might even come in behind a minor candidate who is not even considered a serious contender. Buddy Roemer--who has notheld elected office in two decades--is a marginal candidate who has not even been invited to a single presidential debate. Since most polls do not include Roemer or other marginal candidates, it is hard to say how they might do. However, a couple of polls suggest Roemer might beat Perry. Another similar candidate who has been spending a lot of time in New Hampshire is Fred Karger (the photo is one I took of him in Iowa in August). If he or Roemer beat Perry, it would be one of the most embarrassing political primary moments ever--even worst than Perry's "oops" debate or Howard Dean's scream!

So I put the order at: Romney (36%), Huntsman (20%), Paul (17%), Gingrich (12%), Santorum (11%), Roemer (1%), Perry (1%), Karger (1%).

UPDATE [1-11-12]: Well, I got the Paul-Huntsman order off by quite a bit. Although Huntsman surged at the end, I overestimated his movement and wrongly thought independents would break toward him more than Paul. Paul did six percent better than I thought he would. I got Perry right, Santorum (and the minor candidates) within one point, and everyone else within three points. I got 83 percent of the vote correct, with Paul alone accounting for one-third of my error. That compares to my 89 percent in Iowa, where Gingrich was half of my error. Here are the final results: Romney (39%), Paul (23%), Huntsman 17%), Gingrich (10%), Santorum (10%), Perry (1%), Roemer (<1%), Karger (<1%).

Granite Religion

2012-01-09T16:02:00.000-08:00

With the critical New Hampshire primary tomorrow, one might expect religious rhetoric in the presidential campaign to cool off. After all, conservative evangelicals play a much smaller role in the New Hampshire primary than in the Iowa caucuses. This is because New Hampshire is one of the most secular states in the nation and because they have a primary rather than a caucus (the former of which has larger turnout and thus is less likely to see one well-organized group exert an exaggerated influence as evangelicals have in Iowa). As in Iowa, evangelicals in New Hampshire are divided over which candidate they support. Despite the differences between Iowa and New Hampshire, several of the Republican candidates are still using confessional politics in hopes of finding political salvation in the ballot box. For instance, at a New Hampshire town hall meeting, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum--who now has much more national attention due to his strong Iowa showing (see post here)--declared:

We always need a Jesus candidate. We need someone who believes in something more than themselves and not just the economy. ... When we say, 'God bless America,' do we mean it or do we just say it?

Santorum, who should do better in South Carolina than in New Hampshire, took a break from campaigning in New Hampshire yesterday to head to South Carolina and receive the endorsement of religious-political activist Gary Bauer (the photo is one I took of Bauer last June). Bauer used to head the Family Research Council, a key organization in our age of confessional politics. During his presidential run in 2000, Bauer came in fourth place in Iowa with nine percent of the vote, but then got last place in New Hampshire with only one percent (Bauer than dropped out and endorsed U.S. Senator John McCain). Continuing to justify confessional politics, Bauer penned a column in today's USA Today entitled "Why voters should apply a religious test."

In other New Hampshire religious-political news, a supposedly pro-Ron Paul group is being criticized for an ad that questions former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman's patriotism and faith. The ad shows clips of Huntsman speaking fluent Chinese, calls him a "Manchurian candidate," and asks if he has "American values or Chinese?" (as if having a smart president is a bad thing). The ad also shows a photo of Huntsman and his adopted daughter from India each with a red tikka on their forehead and asks if Hunstmans "shares our values?" and if he is "a man of faith?" That part of the ad drew an angry response from the Hindu American Foundation:

This deplorable ad is blatantly racist and religiously intolerant, and crosses all lines of acceptable political discourse.

Both Huntsman and Paul both have denounced the despicable ad. It is not only inaccurate, but the worst kind of confessional politics. Interestingly, Huntsman--who uses less confessional politics than any of the other candidates (see post here) and even passes on some chances to talk about his faith--views himself as a David fighting against Goliath. However, unless he can take a strong second tomorrow, Huntsman will likely be the one who falls.

Professor keeps tabs on ‘God talk’

2012-01-07T15:38:00.001-08:00

The James Madison University Office of Public Affairs put together a nice profile about me and my confessional politics book. Entitled "Professor keeps tabs on 'God talk," the article summarizes some of my key arguments with examples from the current presidential campaign. The new semester that starts on Monday will be particularly fun because I will be teaching a special topics course on communication, religion, and politics (in addition to teaching public speaking and a course on media and politics).

Friday Photo

2012-01-06T19:30:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas, has found time to recover from too many treats, and been able to clean up the decorations. Here is a photo I took of our dog with the tube from a roll of wrapping paper. He thought it was an excellent present, but it did not last very long.

Iowa Demonstrates Struggles of Conservative Evangelical Voters

2012-01-05T08:36:00.000-08:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Iowa Demonstrates Struggles of Conservative Evangelical Voters." It examines the results of the Iowa caucuses and the impact of conservative evangelicals. The article demonstrates the continuing impact of confessional politics and how former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum quickly rose to a virtual tie with Romney (the photo is one I took of Santorum in Iowa in August). It will be particularly important to see what happens when a group of key conservative evangelical leaders meet in Texas next weekend to consider how to unite behind one candidate and defeat Romney. The piece also considers upcoming challenges for conservative evangelicals as they remain divided, which is helping the candidate many of them do not like--former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney--squeak out a victory.

As candidates shift their attention to New Hampshire and South Carolina, here are some thoughts on the top five winners and losers in Iowa:
-Winners: Santorum (who is now a front-tier candidate after months at the bottom of the polls), U.S. Representative Ron Paul (whose close third-place finish shows his growing influence within the Republican Party), Iowa caucuses (due to Santorum's win, it is once again demonstrated why it is important to have a state where candidates can rise to the top based on grassroots outreach rather than merely spending a lot of money), Romney (who rose to the top due to splintering of opponent vote and now primarily faces Santorum--who has less money and national prospects than Texas Governor Rick Perry would have had if Perry had been the top anti-Romney candidate), and attack ads (proving they work as they greatly damaged former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's standing).
-Losers: U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (whose long-shot campaign ended after an embarrassing sixth-place finish), Iowa Straw Poll (which looks even less relevant after its winner, Bachmann, performed so poorly), Perry (who came in a distant fifth and now is limping into South Carolina), Gingrich (who came in fourth place just weeks after leading in the polls and now seems focused on merely attacking Romney rather than winning), and Romney (who was unable to improve over his 2008 showing and demonstrated that he is still unable to break past his 25 percent ceiling).

Bachmann Leaves Race

2012-01-04T11:33:00.000-08:00

After a distant sixth place finish in the Iowa caucuses, U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann is dropping out of the presidential race (the photo is one I took of her in Iowa in August). She announced this morning that she was suspending her campaign (see post here see on importance of calling it "suspending"). After her win in the Iowa Straw Poll (see post here), Bachmann's campaign fell apart months ago. Despite having a resume that left her ill-suited to garner the Republican presidential nomination--let alone win the White House--Bachmann enjoyed a brief stint at the top of Iowa and national polls due in large part to her aggressive attacks on President Barack Obama and her use of confessional politics (see posts here, here, here, and here). Although her campaign failed, she demonstrated the power of confessional politics and how conservative evangelicals can thrust a long-shot candidate to the front of the pack.

Despite Affairs, Gingrich Given Political Grace by SBC Leaders

2012-01-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Despite Affairs, Gingrich Given Political Grace by SBC Leaders." It notes that while Southern Baptist leaders attacked then-President Bill Clinton--even after he gave a highly confessional speech at a prayer breakfast--many now argue that Newt Gingrich should be forgiven and even supported (the photo is one I took of Gingrich in Iowa in August). As Speaker of the House, Gingrich led the impeachment effort against Clinton--while having an affair. Noted particularly in the piece for hypocrisy is Richard Land, who leads the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Land demanded Clinton resign and argued that he could not support the socially liberal Rudy Giuliani during the 2008 presidential campaign because of Giuliani's affairs and two divorces. Yet, Land now praises Gingrich and suggests that with a simple confessional speech the candidate could garner the support of Land and other evangelicals. With Gingrich coming in a distant fourth place in Iowa last night, the scenario of him as the nominee is highly unlikely. However, the attempts by conservative evangelicals to justify supporting him in case he became the nominee sadly demonstrate that partisanship often trumps principles.

The Gingrich case also demonstrates the continuing dominance of our system of confessional politics. As I noted in my book on confessional politics, when Gingrich confessed on James Dobson's radio program in 2007, it led many to believe he was about to run for president. Although he decided not to during that cycle, he now uses highly confessional religious rhetoric as he attempts to gain political redemption with voters. The continued expectations of such confessions in our political system can be seen in Land's call for Gingrich to give a longer confessional speech and Gingrich's pledge to a conservative evangelical group in Iowa to remain faithful to his wife. Interestingly, Gingrich has converted to Catholicism since his Dobson confession--leaving his Southern Baptist church--which places him firmly in the growing camp of evangelical Catholics (along former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum). Although Gingrich will likely not be the Republican nominee, his brief stint at the top of the polls and his support from many conservative evangelicals demonstrate that confessional politics can be used to garner key support.

Iowa Predictions

2012-01-03T07:57:00.000-08:00

The Iowa caucuses start tonight, with votes trickling in about 12 hours from now (the photo is one I took of a Democratic Iowa caucus vote that I observed in 2008). With the race quite fluid and Republicans dramatically changing their minds in polls during this campaign cycle, no one can honestly say they know how the vote will turn out tonight--especially since the caucuses are famous for surprises. However, here are my predictions on what will happen tonight.

1. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum will win, followed closely by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and U.S. Representative Ron Paul. It seems highly likely these will be the top three candidates, but the order might move around. Romney seems unable to build on his support from four years ago (25 percent) and will likely come in a little under that showing, which garnered him a distant second place to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Romney should be closer to first this year since the opposition is spread out more. Santorum has been third in most recent polls but could pull out the win because he is the candidate with the most momentum right now, he has the type of organization that is generally needed to win the Iowa caucuses, he has loyal supporters, and his main supporters are conservative evangelicals who are usually underrepresented in polls. Paul also has a good organization in the state and very loyal supporters, but seems to have hit his peak support. However, even third place for him would be a victory as he will probably double his support four years ago when his 10 percent garnered him fifth place.

2. The bottom three candidates (not counting former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who ignored Iowa to focus on New Hampshire) will be: Texas Governor Rick Perry, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann. Although Gingrich sits in fourth place in most polls right now, Perry might move into that position because he has much better organization in the state and because Gingrich is falling quickly. Both should easily beat Bachmann.

3. As a result of the vote, this week will see a candidate or two drop out. If Bachmann does indeed come in sixth place (or even fifth), she will drop out. If Perry is in fourth place he will probably stay in until South Carolina, but will likely drop out if he places fifth. If Gingrich is in fourth place he will stay in and might even try to stay in if he is in fifth because his campaign seems less about being president than it is about getting attention so he can sell books and DVDs. As more candidates drop out, it hurts Romney as there are fewer candidates splitting the vote against him--but if he wins tonight it might be too late regardless how many candidates drop out.

So, I put the order at: Santorum (26%) Romney (24%), Paul (22%), Perry (12%), Gingrich (8%), Bachmann (5%), Huntsman (1%). We will see tonight how close these guesses are, but feel free to add your own predictions in the comments section.

UPDATE [1-4-12]: Well, I was off in a couple of spots. Romney edged Santorum out by 8 votes, but they should be marked as tied--rather than Romney in first--because there is no recount provision and 8 votes is well within the normal margin of counting error. Either way, it is a win for Santorum as he outperformed expectations. Also, Gingrich held up better than I thought and will likely drive Perry out of the race. Perry and especially Gingrich were the only ones I was more than a point off with the percentages. Final results: Romney/Santorum (25%/25%), Paul (21%), Gingrich (13%), Perry (10%), Bachmann (5%), Huntsman (1%).

UPDATE [1-20-12]: The Iowa Republican Party finally released the official, certified vote and Santorum is now the winner of the caucuses--thus, I got it right after all! I argued Romney's showing should not be counted as a win since there are counting errors, and that is what happened. If only the media had understood that and not inaccurately trumpeted Romney as the victor for two weeks.

Caucusing in the Pulpits

2012-01-02T12:23:00.000-08:00

With the Iowa caucuses tomorrow, it seems that in many Iowa churches yesterday the focus was on politics. The co-opting of church services for partisan politics is one of the most troubling aspects of confessional politics. At many churches across the state, much of the discussion was about the caucuses and which candidates should be supported. This under-the-radar type of political discourse is hard to track but is so important some wonder if church discussions yesterday helped former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum sure up the vote for tomorrow (the photo is one I took of Santorum in Iowa in August). As the rising candidate in the polls, Santorum is clearly in the top three in the state and could win tomorrow. Thus, as many conservative evangelicals coalesce around Santorum, he might be able to peel away those who support Texas Governor Rick Perry, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, or U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann. As supporters of those three candidates--who are likely to be in places four, five, and six tomorrow--look to stop former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, many might jump over to Santorum since he appears to be best positioned to win. Romney, the frontrunner in Iowa and nationally, is not trusted by many conservative evangelicals because of his numerous flip-flops and his Mormon faith, the latter of which is a symptom of confessional politics (see posts here, here, and here). Although conservative evangelicals are a key voting bloc in the Iowa Republican caucuses, they risk diluting their influence this year and helping Romney win--unless Santorum can continue the momentum he has experienced the last few days. Santorum, who attended mass at an Iowa Catholic church yesterday, clearly utilizes confessional politics (see posts here, here, and here) and might be able to use that and traditional Iowa organizing to pull out the win.

Also demonstrating the role church politicking plays in our age of confessional politics, Bachmann yesterday preached at a church in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Although her address focused on spiritual thoughts and was not explicitly political, merely giving her the pulpit on the Sunday before the caucuses sends a clear political message to the congregation. Bachmann has preached in other Iowa churches during this long campaign season (see post here). Politicians of both parties can often be found preaching in churches just before elections, which is a disgraceful part of confessional politics. Bachmann, who is likely to finish at the bottom of the pack tomorrow and see her long-shot campaign come to an end, has faced pressure from pastors and other conservative evangelical leaders to drop out so that she will not split the vote and help Romney win. She has refused to drop out and even mixed together biblical allusions to explain why not:

I am going to the White House because I want to overturn the money-changing tables that are set up in Washington D.C. I can't be bought because I'm not for sale and I wouldn't sell out for 30 pieces of silver.

Bachmann also claimed God is going to help her win tomorrow despite her low standing in the polls. As her campaign was being helped by students from the fundamentalist Oral Roberts University, Bachmann proclaimed:

We're believing in a miracle because we know, I know, the one who gives miracles.

This comment certainly fits her religious-political worldview since she--like Perry and the already defeated Herman Cain--claimed God called her to run (see post here). Perry also spent Sunday morning in an Iowa church--his only campaign event of the day. Although he did not speak during the service, his presence was noted by the pastor and Perry later called the people at the service "very supportive." At least now churches in Iowa will get a break from being campaign stops. Hopefully pastors in other states will be more careful about turning sacred space into campaign platforms.

Friday Photo

2011-12-30T20:19:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo I took over the summer of the New Year's ball in New York City's Times Square. They now leave the ball in the dropped position throughout the year. Hope you have had a nice year and hope 2012 is even better!

LifeWay's "Pink Bible" Recall Shows Politics of Association

2011-12-28T17:26:00.000-08:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "LifeWay's 'Pink Bible' Recall Shows Politics of Association." It covers the decision by the Southern Baptist Convention's publishing house to stop selling a special Bible--just two months after first publishing it. The Bible was partly a fundraiser for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the largest breast cancer organization in the U.S. However, the Bibles were pulled because of complaints that Komen works with Planned Parenthood to provide breast cancer awareness services--a partnership that has helped screen thousands of women and detect nearly 200 cases of breast cancer. Even though none of the money was paying for abortions (and this is not a new relationship), LifeWay decided to end its partnership with Komen.

Week to Beat?

2011-12-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

Iowa voters will converge across the state next Tuesday to decide who they believe should be the Republican presidential nominee. With only one week left, many still seem unsure about who to support. Leading the pack in most polls are the two candidates who most benefit from the indecision--U.S. Representative Ron Paul and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Both have solid support from a little more than one-fifth of the Hawkeye Republicans, but neither is likely to jump very high and therefore need a divided field to stay on top. Paul's supporters are perhaps the most loyal, but he is highly disliked by most other voters. If a huge snowstorm hits Iowa next week, he could win big because his supporters will show up! However, he will struggle to win in a race with only a couple of other major contenders. Paul has been slowly and steadily rising in the polls because he is operating a good, traditional Iowa strategy (the photo is one I took of him in Iowa in August). In addition to building up the grassroots organization better than he did during the 2008 campaign--when he placed fifth in Iowa--he has also reached out to the key voting bloc of conservative evangelicals better this cycle (see post here). Since placing a close second in the Iowa Straw Poll in August, Paul has continued to use confessional politics to reach out to evangelicals. A recent campaign ad for Paul calls him a pro-life "man of faith" "who truly believes." In another recent ad, Paul's son, U.S. Senator Rand Paul, praises Paul's "commitment to faith, family and the Constitution." Thanks to the efforts of Doug Wead, who led religious-political efforts for George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, Paul now works in biblical citations to justify various public policy positions--which is a common strategy with those using confessional politics. Paul also spoke to a group of 400 pastors last month at an event put together by religious-political organizer David Lane, who helped lead Perry's prayer rally in August (see post here). Paul's main rhetorical strategy in reaching evangelicals seems to be stressing his pro-life record. Although many of Paul's libertarian views have led some conservative evangelical leaders to criticize him, he might win enough evangelical voters to make the difference next week. He is helped by the fact that evangelicals are divided between former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Texas Governor Rick Perry, U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann, and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (see post here).

Also benefiting from the divided evangelical vote, Romney has remained steady in the polls for months. He seems unable to build on his support, but will still do well next week as long as the anti-Romney Republicans split up their votes. Although Romney's problems with the electorate include the fact that he consistently flip-flops on issues, his Mormonism is also part of the problem. The concern about Mormons is a symptom of our age of confessional politics. Proving this, several conservative evangelical leaders recently criticized Romney's faith to justify not voting for him. Bob Vander Plaats, who leads the conservative evangelical group The Family Leader, referred to Romney's faith when explaining why he does not trust Romney. Vander Plaats, who recently endorsed Santorum (see post here), stated:

What Iowans want to know is, 'Be honest with us, who are you?' ... When you go to bed at night and bend your knees, who are you bending your knees to? ... To us, it's to our lord and savior Jesus Christ, and that's how we gain access to the throne of God. It's only through Him. Because we don't know enough about the Mormon theology. That is where some of that pause comes from.

Vander Plaats also attacked Romney for not speaking at events hosted by his group and other conservative evangelical organizations. Going even further, Brad Atkins, President of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, claimed:

In South Carolina, Romney's Mormonism will be more of a cause of concern than Gingrich's infidelity.

He added that this is because Christian voters are willing to "pray their way through the issue of forgiveness toward a Christian" but "will struggle to understand how anyone could be a Mormon and call themselves 'Christian.'" Really?! Do Southern Baptists in South Carolina really trust a twice-divorced adulterer over someone who is Mormon? How are such religiously-motivated tests helping pick the most qualified candidate to be president? Gingrich, who is falling in the polls, and other Romney opponents this cycle have mostly avoided directly raising questions about Romney's faith--but they benefit from those who use confessional politics to attack Romney. Gingrich's campaign fired a staffer earlier this month because the staffer attacked Romney's faith. Craig Bergman, who had just been hired as the Iowa political director for Gingrich's campaign, had previously stated:

A lot of the evangelicals believe God would give us four more years of Obama just for the opportunity to expose the cult of Mormon. ... There's a thousand pastors ready to do that.

It was good for Gingrich to condemn such an attack, but Bergman's conclusion does not even seem accurate. Although a lot of pastors are ready to defeat Romney in the primary, it seems likely many of them would instead flip-flop and justify voting for Romney over President Barack Obama in the general election. This is what Southern Baptist pastor Robert Jeffress did back in October when he sparked a controversy by endorsing Perry and attacking Romney's faith as a cult--but insisted he would support Romney over Obama if it came to that (see post here). As the examples of Paul and Romney demonstrate, this presidential cycle is seeing yet another strong dose of confessional politics in Iowa and beyond.

Alternative Advent 5

2011-12-24T18:27:00.000-08:00

Today is Christmas Eve, the day when the fifth and final Advent candle is usually lit in churches. Advent is a season devoted to waiting, yearning, and hoping for the coming of our Savior as we celebrate and reflect on his first coming. Yet, it seems Advent is too often reduced to merely lighting a few candles in church services. So, this year I am reflecting on a few efforts that take Advent to the streets in hopes the spirit of Christmas will trump the focus on shopping. One effort designed to do this is an initiative of the "Simple Way" community in Philadelphia. Shane Claiborne, an author and founding member of the community, recently wrote about the group's "Christmas Carol Conspiracy" effort. The group found a suburban church that wanted to be involved with helping individuals struggling in the inner city. Claiborne's group identified a dozen of their neighbors who had a particularly difficult year and set up a day and time for something to happen, but did not tell their neighbors what the surprise was. On the set time, members from the suburban congregation appeared, sang carols, and gave some baked goodies with several hundred dollars hidden underneath so it would not be noticed until after the group left. The suburban church remained anonymous, but simply left a note with the money that declared, "Know that you are loved. Merry Christmas." Last year, they gave away more than $10,000 through this effort. Claiborne wrote recently about the effort:

Our goal was to practice generosity in a way that was so creative that even money would not corrupt the act of giving. (After all, Jesus said to be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves as we deal with the stuff of earth, like that green stuff that keeps things going but is always overstepping and trespassing on our souls.) ... Imagine if every neighborhood had a little conspiracy like this one, and imagine if every suburban congregation began plotting goodness with folks in poverty. Do an anonymous act of love this season. It was the Christ-child who said, "When you give, do it in secret … don't even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." It is an invitation to mischief — sort of like the old "ring-and-run" prank we played in high school, only better. This mischief is holy mischief. It is a divine conspiracy. It is about reminding the world that it is loved. And that seems to be what Christmas is all about.

This is an interesting idea and a good point. Hopefully we can continue to find creative ways to recapture the meaning of Christmas and share it with our neighbors.

Friday Photo

2011-12-23T20:17:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday was the three-month anniversary of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. Activists in New York City marked the occasion by attempting to occupy a new plot of land--Duarte Square. That location is owned by Trinity Church, an Episcopalian church that literally sits at the start of Wall Street and is just a couple of blocks from Zuccotti Park (the birthplace of the occupy movement). Although church leaders initially were supportive of the occupiers, they repeatedly rebuffed calls to offer space after Zuccotti Park was cleared last month. Arguing that the church should live out its ideals, many occupiers started asking for permission to use Duarte Square, which is several blocks from the church and is currently fenced off and not being used. As one occupier stated:

We are coming to you for sanctuary.

When the request was denied, the occupiers told church leaders they would use the three-month anniversary to "re-occupy" by entering Duarte Square. On Saturday, more than 50 people were arrested after entering the Square. Among those arrested was retired Episcopalian Bishop George Packard, who was the first to climb over the fence. Now that Trinity Church is at odds with the occupy movement, its wealth has come into question. One of the largest land owners in New York City, the Church's real estate holdings are worth more than $10 billion and numerous Church lay leaders are quite wealthy. It probably does not help that the Church's website is www.TrinityWallStreet.org. The use of "Wall Street" in their name is a good geographical indicator but now makes them an obvious target of the occupy movement. To connect the criticism of Trinity with the spirit of Christmas, activists went to Trinity Church two days before the Duarte Square effort and placed a nativity scene in a little tent on the Church's property. The scene included a sign declaring:

There was no room for them in the inn. But with $10 billion in real estate, Trinity has plenty of room.

Although the argument for using Trinity's space is not the same as the original argument for occupation (see post here)--and Trinity's land would not be needed if there was public space for people to peaceably assemble in (see post here)--the occupiers make an important spiritual argument. Here is a photo I took this summer of Trinity Church as seen through the fence surrounding its cemetery.

Bethlehem Still?

2011-12-23T10:01:00.000-08:00

This weekend as we celebrate Christmas, congregations across the nation will likely join in singing about that "little town of Bethlehem." However, few will likely pause to reflect on conditions in that city today. Fortunately, a couple of Christians in Bethlehem have written pieces about this topic that should cause us to stop and ponder. Bethlehem Mayor Victor Batarseh, a Christian, wrote a piece about what might happen if the biblical tale occurred today. Here are is an excerpt:

Our hearts grieve for what our city has become, and it pains us to imagine what the birth of our lord Jesus Christ would look like today. Joseph and Mary would be stopped and searched entering Bethlehem or departing on their flight to Egypt. The Magi would run into a huge concrete wall. The shepherds would not be able to graze their sheep; their land would have been confiscated.

Making a similar argument, Alex Awad, a minister in Bethlehem, wrote a piece for Sojourners. Here are a few highlights:

If you are among the people who visit today's Bethlehem, what will you see, hear or feel? As you come near Rachel's Tomb at the entrance to the city, you will be stopped by a checkpoint, a military watchtower, and an 8-meter high wall. The checkpoint is guarded by Israeli soldiers whose job is to welcome internationals to Bethlehem while at the same time keeping Israelis from entering the city or Palestinians from leaving it. ... If Jesus were to be born in Bethlehem today, he would have difficulty crossing from Bethlehem to Jerusalem for the same security reasons. Moreover, because of the current political turmoil in Egypt, Mary and Joseph may have to flee to Canada instead. What one quickly learns when visiting Bethlehem is that the political climate today is quite similar to the one that was prevailing during the time of Jesus. One exception is that the Palestinian inhabitants of Bethlehem today are being occupied by those who consider themselves the offspring or cultural descendants of Jews who were under the yoke of Roman occupation in the first century.

Both writers draw connections between the political issues today and those on that first Christmas. Jesus was born into a dark and troubled world. It was not a time of peace and joy. It seems that Bethlehem still is in that state. A former professor of mine, Rodney Reeves, wrote on his blog recently that we gloss over parts of the Christmas tale that would make for a scary Christmas pageant (and he hilariously describes one possible scene to add to next year's Christmas play at church). If we forget the context of the birth of Jesus, we might not capture the full importance of his ministry or make proper connections to problems today. As Stephen Holmes, who teaches theology at the University of St Andrews (in Scotland), detailed in a recent report, the biblical Christmas story is a highly political one but since the Victorian era we have transformed the holiday into a story focused on personal charity and family time. He concluded:

Nativity plays and carol services are not - or should not be - safe, comfortable, 'feel-good' moments through which we escape from reality, but rather occasions of truth and hope, where the faithfulness of God breaks through into the ordinary, where we are invited to consider how God intervenes in the business of politics.

Some interesting points to ponder as we consider the reason for the season.

A WARM Primary Use

2011-12-22T08:55:00.000-08:00

As we find ourselves in the midst of cold winter nights, many churches across the nation are working to provide food and shelter for those who are homeless. However, these efforts to care for "the least of these" sometimes spark interference from local officials. A prime example this year is in Waynesboro, Virginia. Several churches in town spent a year studying homeless in the community and created the Waynesboro Area Refuge Ministry (WARM) to serve as a night shelter during the winter to be hosted at a local church building and staffed by volunteers from churches in town. There currently is not a homeless shelter in Waynesboro. The WARM program is based on similar programs in nearby cities like Charlottesville and Harrisonburg. I have had the opportunity to participate in the Harrisonburg effort, known as the Harrisonburg And Rockingham Thermal Shelter (HARTS), which has been limited in which churches it can use as sites this year because of the expected increase in need. The problem for WARM is that city officials argued that a homeless shelter does not meet the city's zoning ordinances. Church leaders had to delay the opening of the shelter and argue their case before a city council meeting last week. Despite the urgency of helping people right now, the city council will not vote until next week--a full two weeks after hearing arguments from WARM organizers. Even if there are safety concerns about the shelter, it seems logical to recognize that such a situation is safer than keeping people on the streets. During the city council meeting last week, Sharon Smith of Basic United Methodist Church (the church providing the facilities for WARM) argued:

In every entrance to Waynesboro, there is a sign that says, 'Hospitality in the Valley.' ... Is that for everyone, or just those who can pay for it?

It is nice to see city officials being urged to actually live out their PR slogans. Too often today our laws are designed to remove and punish the homeless, who are not treated as full citizens.

The problem in this case is that city officials claim that the primary use of a church building is worship and that while other accessory uses can be permitted (like housing a minister), a homeless shelter does not qualify as an accessory use. As Waynesboro Assistant City Manager Jim Shaw argued:

Transient lodging or shelters for the homeless are not considered accessory.

He is right that a homeless shelter is not an accessory use--that is because it is a primary one! How can churches worship a homeless man on Sunday morning and not open their buildings for the homeless that night? To only use a building for sermons and singing songs is to turn worship into nothing more than the sound of clanging cymbals. After all, faith without works is dead. For city officials to try and decide what is or is not primary church use is to violate the religious rights of the congregations. Although there should be a concern for basic health and safety standards to be followed, to not even allow a church to apply for a permit because the ministry is not deemed "primary" or even "accessory" is problematic. As Waynesboro Mennonite Church Pastor Howard Miller, who serves as WARM Chairman, argued, the city's decision is a "gross overreach by the city zoning officials and limits the outreach of ministries." Fortunately, The Rutherford Institute, a Virginia-based organization that nationally works to protect religious and civil liberties, agrees with WARM and is fighting on their behalf. The Rutherford Institute's founder and president John Whitehead wrote a letter to Waynesboro city officials explaining how their policy to prvent WARM from operating violates the First Amendment and state and national laws. Citing laws and scriptures, he argued that WARM is an accessory use since it is clearly related to the mandate of the churches. He wrote:

As you are undoubtedly aware, the proposed temporary use of these church facilities to protect needy families and individuals from the elements is purely a function of religious exercise by devout individuals and groups in Waynesboro. Thus, any actions taken to impede these efforts must be carefully examined under the lens of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which guarantees individuals and churches the right to freely exercise their faith. ... With government budgets currently stressed beyond capacity, it is difficult to comprehend any logical reason--much less the "compelling interest" that will be required under the aforementioned laws--that would justify the City's imposition of barriers for churches wishing to provide this most basic, essential function for the neediest people in your community. In this regard, the City's actions appear to be not only illegal but also unreasonable and utterly lacking in compassion.

Amen! Although I believe WARM should actually be viewed spiritually as a "primary" use, Whitehead makes a solid argument for why city officials must legally recognize it as at least an "accessory" use. Hopefully city officials will do the right thing and allow WARM to quickly start operating. And hopefully churches in other cities will attempt similar efforts. As we celebrate Christmas, let us also make sure that in our communities it is not said that there is no room for those seeking shelter.

Two Weeks

2011-12-20T12:19:00.000-08:00

Two weeks from today, Republicans across Iowa will gather in homes, schools, and community centers for the Iowa presidential caucuses. With the race still up for grabs, the candidates are racing to gain momentum and votes. Since Christmas will keep many voters from paying attention for at least a few days, there is little time left to campaign. Despite the fact that Iowans will soon cast their votes, many conservative Christian activists are still divided over which candidate to support. Since conservative evangelical Christians have played influential roles in previous Iowa caucuses--such as propelling Mike Huckabee to victory in 2008 and Pat Robertson into second place in 1988--a united front from them could determine the outcome. On the other hand, if conservative evangelicals remain divided, it could help Mitt Romney do what he could not in 2008--win. Although Romney has some prominent evangelical supporters, many more are suspicious of him because of his Mormonism and his flip-flopping record. The criticism of his Mormonism is symptom of confessional politics (see posts here and here). Recently, there have been a few important endorsements and efforts that could impact the Iowa results. The conservative evangelical group The Family Leader, which has hosted the candidates at various events and sparked controversy earlier this year with its marriage pledge it asked candidates to sign (see post here), had initially signaled it would endorse a candidate on Monday of this week. However, yesterday they announced they had not yet reached a decision. Apparently, some leaders in the group wanted to endorse former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich--who had recently risen in the polls but now appears to be falling--but others were uncomfortable with that because of his marital past and instead wanted to support former Senator Rick Santorum or Texas Governor Rick Perry. Today, the group announced they would not endorse a candidate as a group but that its leader, Bob Vander Plaats, would. Vander Plaats, who chaired former Arkansas Huckabee's Iowa campaign in 2008 and ran unsuccessfully for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2010, announced today he is endorsing Santorum (the photo is one I took of Santorum in Iowa in August). Vander Plaats, who had reportedly been pushing the group to endorse Gingrich, stated today:

I believe Rick Santorum comes from us, he comes from us, just not to us, he comes from us. He's one of us. ... I look forward to the next two weeks to see what I can do to advance his candidacy to get him out of the state of Iowa.

Chuck Hurley, who leads the Iowa Family Policy Center, joined the press conference to also endorse Santorum. Hurley suggested that Perry and Representative Michele Bachmann should combine forces with Santorum instead of splitting the vote (meaning he hopes two of the three will drop out of the race). Vander Plaats apparently even called Bachmann a few days ago to urge her to drop out. It will be interesting to see if these endorsements and the media attention help Santorum gain votes and more attention. Santorum has clearly been using confessional politics as a foundational strategy for his campaign (see posts here, here, and here). As the candidate who has spent the most time campaigning in Iowa, he could sneak into the top tier when the votes are counted.

It seems unlikely that Perry or Bachmann will step aside for Santorum in the next two weeks. Like Santorum and Bachmann, Perry is continuing his use of confessional politics. He is traveling across Iowa speaking about his faith while riding on a bus that proclaims in large letters: "Faith, Jobs and Freedom." On Sunday, Perry spoke in an Iowa church, which raises serious questions about a church that would let a candidate speak during its service--especially on the Sunday before Christmas! During his remarks, Perry urged Christians to "not be intimidated" to speak publicly about their faith. Such a comment seems odd, but is consistent with the fact that he thinks the political attacks on him are because of his faith rather than his ideas and "oops" moments. Yesterday, he joined a tele-town hall hosted by Ralph Reed's Faith & Freedom Coalition. Perry has also started comparing himself to Tim Tebow, the outspoken evangelical quarterback for the Denver Broncos (which might be a good comparison since Perry is running on his faith rather than competency). The fact that Tebow got crushed by the New England Patriots over the weekend might not be a good omen for Perry as he seeks to beat the former governor of Massachusetts. Last week, Perry joined Santorum, Gingrich, and Bachmann at a screening of a pro-life film. The event was hosted by Huckabee, who is probably the most coveted individual as this cycle's candidates try to gain endorsements before the Iowa vote. However, as long as the four candidates who appeared at the screening remain in the race, it seems unlikely one of them can emerge as the next Huckabee.

Havel's "Words on Words"

2011-12-19T12:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Czech playwright and politician Václav Havel died. A leader of the "Velvet Revolution," a non-violent revolution that overthrew the Communist government in Czechoslovakia in 1989, Havel later became president of Czechoslovakia and then of the Czech Republic. His writings and political activities had previously resulted in his imprisonment by the Communist government. As a writer, he paid close attention to the importance of words. Here are a few highlights from a speech he wrote to accept a peace prize in 1989:

In the beginning was the Word; so it states on the first page of one of the most important books known to us. What is meant in that book is that the Word of God is the source of all creation. ... If the Word of God is the source of God's entire creation then that part of God's creation which is the human race exists as such only thanks to another of God's miracles--the miracle of human speech. And if this miracle is the key to the history of mankind, then it is also the key to the history of society. ... There has never been a time when a sense of the importance of words was not present in human consciousness. ... The point is that all important events in the real world—whether admirable or monstrous—are always spearheaded in the realm of words. ... As I've already stated, my intention here today is not to convey to you the experience of one who has learned that words still count for something when you can still go to prison for them. My intention was to share with you another lesson that we in this corner of the world have learned about the importance of words. I am convinced it is a lesson which has universal application: namely, that it always pays to be suspicious of words and to be wary of them, and that we can never be too careful in this respect. ... Responsibility for and toward words is a task which is intrinsically ethical. As such, however, it is situated beyond the horizon of the visible world, in that realm wherein dwells the Word that was in the beginning and is not the word of Man.

Amen! Words are critically important and must be read with a critical eye. Havel was an important figure in both literary and political terms, but especially in the way he mixed the two.

Alternative Advent 4

2011-12-18T22:20:00.000-08:00

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent, a season devoted to waiting, yearning, and hoping for the coming of our Savior as we celebrate and reflect on his first coming. Yet, it seems Advent is too often reduced to merely lighting a few candles in church services. So, this year I am reflecting on a few efforts that take Advent to the streets in hopes the spirit of Christmas will trump the focus on shopping. One idea that has been used in several locations to accomplish this goal is turning street windows into a public Advent calendar. This idea seems to especially occur in England. An Advent calendar is where one opens a window each day (for 24 days) to find a poem or saying or even a piece of chocolate or small toy, which is designed to get one focused on the anticipation of Christmas coming. The idea of using Advent windows on the street involves getting 24 houses with each house being one day of the Advent calendar. The individuals create artwork on their window and then cover it up until their chosen day. Thus, the neighborhood is slowly transformed as Christmas nears. Some news articles about such efforts can be found here, here, and here. One group even has a website to feature their Advent windows. This is an interesting idea that attempts to bring the message of the season to where people can experience it and that can help bring neighbors together.

Friday Photo

2011-12-16T19:16:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow marks the three-month anniversary of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. In that short time, the movement has spread to thousands of cities across the nation and around the world. And--despite the criticisms on the movement for not making clear what it wants changed--it has dramatically changed public awareness and political discussions. The problem of income and wealth inequality has become a hot topic in news and interpersonal discussions. The issue has now been clearly spelled out in stark black-and-white terms. Here is a photo I took at the start of Wall Street this summer before the "Occupy Wall Street" movement started. This spot is in front of Trinity Church and just a couple of blocks from Zuccotti Park (the birthplace of the movement).

Both Sides

2011-12-16T10:43:00.000-08:00

As 2012 nears and the presidential campaign heats up, the issue of religion keeps popping up in both parties. President Barack Obama continues to represent both sides of confessional politics. As during the 2008 campaign, he both uses confessional politics and is the victim of it. In October, the Democratic National Convention chose a Baptist pastor in Washington, D.C. to lead its faith outreach. Derrick Harkins, pastor of Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, also serves on the Board of Directors for World Relief and the National Association of Evangelicals, and has served as a vice president of the North American Baptist Fellowship (a regional body of the Baptist World Alliance). These connections place him in a unique position to be able to help Obama and the Democrats reach out to the Christian community in the upcoming campaign. Joshua DuBois, who led this effort during the 2008 campaign, now leads the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Patrick Gaspard, Executive Director of the Democratic National Committee, called the hiring of Harkins "a clear sign to everyone that Democrats will be making our case to voters motivated by their faith and values in 2012." Some liberals, however, are upset because Harkins has been for some pro-life efforts and against same-sex marriage. Adding to this new staff hire, Obama continues to voice his personal faith. For instance, during the ceremony for the lighting of the national Christmas tree, Obama stated:

More than 2,000 years ago, a child was born to two faithful travelers who could find rest only in a stable, among the cattle and the sheep. But this was not just any child. Christ's birth made the angels rejoice and attracted shepherds and kings from afar. He was a manifestation of God's love for us. And He grew up to become a leader with a servant's heart who taught us a message as simple as it is powerful: that we should love God, and love our neighbor as ourselves. That teaching has come to encircle the globe. It has endured for generations. And today, it lies at the heart of my Christian faith and that of millions of Americans. No matter who we are, or where we come from, or how we worship, it's a message that can unite all of us on this holiday season. So long as the gifts and the parties are happening, it's important for us to keep in mind the central message of this season, and keep Christ's words not only in our thoughts, but also in our deeds.

Obama clearly is not ready to cede the topic of religion to the Republicans in the upcoming election.

However, Obama continues to not only use religious-political rhetoric but to be criticized by those using confessional politics. For instance, the chancellor of the fundamentalist Bob Jones University expressed his opinion last month that Obama was not a Christian. Bob Jones III stated:

I've no reason to think he's a Christian... Anyone can say he's a Christian. Some people will say whatever they think the politically helpful thing would be. I say, 'Where is the evidence that he is a Christian?'

Jones, whose school has figured heavily in the creation of confessional politics, also refused to say if he thought Obama was a Muslim or born in the U.S. Such rhetoric is often used to try and suggest that Obama--because of religious concerns--should not be president. Earlier this month, Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry attacked Obama for supposedly waging a "war on religion" (see post here). Fox News also claims Obama is against Christmas and is not a Christian. The issue, of course, is not merely that they are making inaccurate claims but that these complaints are leveled in order to suggest Obama is not Christian enough to be president. Clearly, both sides--Obama and his critics--are using confessional politics.

No Moore!

2011-12-13T18:18:00.000-08:00

Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore recently announced he will run again run to be the state's top judge. He was removed from the position in 2003 for violating the law. But now an unrepentant Moore wants to hold the position again. Perhaps the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court should not be an elected position! Moore, who installed a five-ton Ten Commandments monument in the state courthouse, was kicked off the bench after he refused to remove it when ordered to by a federal judge. Last year, my academic study on this controversy was published in the K.B. Journal. Since being removed from office, Moore has been badly defeated in two Republican primaries for Alabama governor. Last year, I wrote a column in the Birmingham News about Moore's second loss. Earlier this year, he decided to run for president. However, the media virtually ignored him as an unserious candidate with no chance of doing well. Thus, he has now shifted course and decided to run instead for his old Supreme Court seat. Hopefully, he will still be seen as unserious and will receive the same treatment Republican voters gave him in the last two gubernatorial elections.

Alternative Advent 3

2011-12-11T19:56:00.000-08:00

Today is the third Sunday of Advent, a season devoted to removing the distractions of the world so we can reflect on God coming to dwell among us that first Christmas. Yet, it seems Advent is too often reduced to merely lighting a few candles in church services. In the midst of the craziness of the season, we hardly seem to take the time to pause and remember. So, this year I am reflecting on a few efforts that take Advent to the streets in hopes the spirit of Christmas will trump the focus on shopping. One effort designed to help us pause and reflect is "Occupy Advent." A new initiative that is a play on the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. The "Occupy Advent" creators use Twitter to post morning and evening prayers that literally break into the fast-paced stream of thoughts on Twitter in hopes of sparking moments of meditation as a respite from the craziness. As the founder of the effort--a Lutheran pastor in Texas--explained when asked why he started "Occupy Advent":

I would like to see is Christians using the power of social media to change the conversation of the "holiday season" – away from the shallow commercialism and toward the power of waiting and watching.

Thus, a couple of days ago they tweeted a prayer "For those who care more about how the cashier greets them than about the hungry & poor in their neighborhood" to encourage everyone to "Slow down, friends. Remember to leave space for God to enter into your life in this holy season." The "Occupy Advent" effort also includes a blog with longer posts designed to provoke meaningful thoughts in a time that can often be mind-numbingly busy. For instance, they had an excellent post last week about the politics of Advent. Here is an excerpt:

Now often seen as an innocuous slogan of the church, "Jesus is Lord" was a radical political claim for the first Christians. It is this creed that led to many of the martyrdoms of early Christians. In claiming Jesus as Lord, these Christians were also making the political statement - Caesar is not Lord. It was treason to confess Jesus as Lord, because that confession necessitated a denial of the authority of the Emperor. Still today, this is a troublesome claim. As a homiletical exercise prior to Christ the King Sunday, we placed various ideologies, ideas, and movements into the equation "If Jesus is Lord, then ________ is not." The not-so-shocking discovery we made? People loved when we told them that the things they despised are not Lord. People hated when we told them that the things they love are not Lord. In one night, with one train of thought, we simultaneously pissed of both Tea Partiers and Occupiers, socialists and capitalists.

Amen! This is the subversive nature of Advent--it challenges us to cast away our idols and focus on our Lord who came to us that first Christmas. Just as people occupying public parks is a powerful message (see post here), so can be the mindset of occupying Advent. It is time to not merely have a passing Advent moment, but to stop and occupy.

Friday Photo

2011-12-09T19:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo I took of Bill Ayers giving a lecture during the National Communication Association in New Orleans last month. I also shot some video, including Ayers talking about about potential dangers of qualitative or oral history research (he primarily points to problem of researchers helping colonizing/military forces), Ayers talking about the power of telling and listening to stories, and Ayers talking about how to avoid self-blindness to critical social issues (pay attention, be astonished, tell about it, doubt). In the last video, he uses "Occupy Wall Street" as a main example. He is a controversial figure, but is very good at challenging people to think outside the box.

Not so Merry Christmas

2011-12-08T17:46:00.000-08:00

With the Iowa caucuses for the Republican presidential race occurring on January 3, many of the candidates are spending this Christmas season campaigning in the hawkeye state. One candidate is even using Christmas as part of his partisan political strategy. This week, Texas Governor Rick Perry released a new campaign ad in which he uses Christmas to attack President Barack Obama. While candidates will often issue Christmas wishes to voters during this time of year, Perry's use of Christmas as a partisan political weapon is a troubling form of confessional politics. In the ad, Perry declares his faith and attacks Obama's:

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian. But you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school. As president, I'll end Obama's war on religion. And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage. Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again.

Not only does the ad makes some factually inaccurate claims, but Perry wrongly uses religion to win votes. Welton Gaddy, a Baptist minister who leads the Interfaith Alliance (and who is cited in my book on confessional politics), reacted to Perry's ad:

Under the guise of spirituality, Perry has taken the manipulation of religion for partisan political advantage to an incredible, almost unbelievable extreme. With a smile on his face, he trades on personal attacks and provable untruths that reveal no understanding of the first amendment to the Constitution and very little respect for the integrity of religion. ... This is a race for commander-in-chief, not pastor-in-chief. His divisive and misleading message about faith has no place in a U.S Presidential campaign. ... Rather than fighting these supposed 'liberal attacks' on our religious heritage, he should focus on protecting that heritage by guarding religious freedom for everyone.

Amen! Interestingly, CNN noted that last year Perry sent out a card as governor that mentioned the "holiday season" instead Christmas. Yet, now he wants to be known as the one standing up for Christmas. Perry's ad is merely the latest example of him using confessional politics in hopes of garnering the Republican presidential nomination. As I have previously reported, Perry has privately met with conservative Christian leaders, led a public prayer rally just as he was officially entering the race, and has trekked to key conservative Christian institutions to speak. The problem for Perry is that his poor debate performances have done so much damage that he might not have a prayer of winning. Oops!

Suspending Cain

2011-12-07T06:09:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain ended his long-shot White House bid (the photo is one I took of him in Iowa in August). Hounded by several allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior, Cain's poor presidential prospects became even worse--especially since he handled the charges poorly (see post here). With Cain's departure, it becomes easier for other candidates to attract attention. His departure also raises a couple of interesting issues. For instance, during his speech on Saturday, Cain did not say he was "dropping out" or "ending" his presidential run, but that he was "suspending" his campaign. This is not merely a matter of personal word preference, but a deliberate semantic decision with critical legal and financial implications. As the Washington Post explained, by "suspending" his campaign, Cain can continue to raise and spend money. If, however, he completely "ended" his campaign, Cain could not keep raising money except to retire his campaign's debt. Clearly, word choices are important.

Another interesting part of Cain's speech on Saturday was that he invoked God to justify his decision. He stated:

So one of the first declarations that I want to make to you today is that I am at peace with my God. ... So as of today, with a lot of prayer and soul searching, I am suspending my presidential campaign.

This use of God to explain his decision to leave the presidential race brought his use of confessional politics full circle. He had previously compared himself to Moses and claimed God told him to run for president (which now raises interesting questions about why would God want Cain to be publicly exposed and humiliated). Additionally, Cain said the recent attacks arising from accusations from several women were all part of God's plan and journey. With the mindset of confessional politics, it seems consistent for him to credit God with the decision to stop running and not just with the decision to run. Mike Huckabee, who used confessional politics to jump to the top tier of Republican presidential candidates in 2008, similarly invoked God to explain why he decided not to run this time (see post here). Despite falling apart in the presidential campaign, Cain will likely attempt to follow Huckabee in building a media career. In the meantime, his departure means the Republican race should have fewer confessional political attacks on Muslims.

Occupy Communication

2011-12-06T16:08:00.000-08:00

On Friday I participated in a panel discussion at James Madison University for an event called "Faculty Flashpoint: Occupy Wall Street." The event, which included five other professors from various departments, attracted numerous students, professors, and community members for a discussion about the occupy movement. Two newspapers reported on the event. Yesterday, the JMU student newspaper The Breeze ran an article that included several comments from an interview with me. Today, the Harrisonburg newspaper Daily News-Record ran an article that included a couple comments I made at the event. Both articles are good ways to continue the discussion about this movement. The event sparked lively dialogue and I have enjoyed the opportunities to continue talking about the issues with individuals since then.

Among the points I made during the event on Friday were a couple I have articulated in previous blog posts: the importance of the concept of occupation for the movement (see post here) and the problems with limitations being placed on First Amendment freedoms (see post here). I also talked about interesting communication strategies employed by the movement. I started my first presentation with a demonstration of the "people's mic," which occupiers use to amplify speeches so more people can hear them. With the people's mic, someone makes a statement and then the crowd echoes it. I started by saying "mic check," which is what one says to start the people's mic (it took a couple of tries to get the crowd going). Then we entered the speech: "The people's mic [the people's mic] is one of the most [is one of the most] fascinating rhetorical strategies [fascinating rhetorical strategies] of the occupy movement [of the occupy movement]." By the last phrase, the audience was chanting along quite well. I then cut the mic since it takes twice as long to speak and I was on the clock (and had an actual microphone). The adoption of the people's mic is interesting because it not only allows speakers to be heard better but it also seems to symbolize the movement. After all, it creates a scenario where no one really owns the message but it instead belongs to the masses. When I speak and others repeat, my message becomes their message. And when someone else speaks and I repeat, their message becomes my message. This also creates a situation where people are actively engaged with a message and not merely passively listening (since you have to pay attention in order to repeat the statements).

Another interesting communication strategy of the occupy movement is the use of the hand signals during general assemblies. This allows individuals to easily express their perspective on an issue but in a way that does not drown out the speaker (as can happen with clapping, cheering, and booing). After I mentioned these gestures another panelist taught the audience a few key ones (like agree and disagree) and encouraged the audience to use them throughout the event. By the end, the audience was quite active in using the hand signals and it added a nice dimension to the discussion. Rather than allowing those of us who were panelists to merely spout off on topics unquestioned, we were instantly receiving clear feedback on our opinions. This also gave all of the audience members a chance to have their say even if they did not get an opportunity to actually speak during the question/comment time. It made the event much more interesting and a better dialogue. Regardless of what one thinks about the occupy movement, these communication strategies are interesting and warrant consideration.

Schlafly Away

2011-12-06T11:48:00.000-08:00

Phyllis Schlafly, a prominent conservative Christian political activist, has made her endorsement for president in 2012--Michele Bachmann. Touting Bachmann's work against "ObamaCare" and for "traditional values," Schlafly argued:

If I were an Iowa voter, I would be making plans right now to cast my vote for Michele Bachmann for president on January 3. I hope you will take advantage of this golden opportunity to support a candidate we can all be proud of.

As I noted in my book (Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in an Age of Confessional Politics), Schlafly was an important figure in helping establish our age of confessional politics. Although not as important of a religious-political figure today as she was in the 1970s and early 1980s, Schlafly is still held in high regard by many conservative Christians. Her endorsement will likely do little to help Bachmann's struggling campaign, but it might bring in a few extra votes. Regardless, the fact that Schlafly deliberately decided not to endorse "one of the two who currently lead in the polls" demonstrates that both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are struggling to unite or excite conservative Christians. Iowa Republicans vote in just four weeks, but conservative Christian leaders still seem quite divided.

No Longer a Stranger

2011-12-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

With the growing attention to immigration issues in American politics, faith leaders are increasingly being pressed to speak out. The controversial comments by Republican presidential hopefuls on the topic and the passage of harsh laws in Arizona and Alabama and have brought the issue to the forefront of political, religious, and social discussions. Entering this scene comes a new biblical translation that includes an important translating decision. As Robert Parham of Ethics Daily noted, the Common English Bible translators decided to use "immigrant" instead of "alien" or "stranger." Parham praised this translation decision:

This is a concretizing and humanizing improvement of the biblical witness, removing the moral abstraction of "stranger" and depersonalization of "alien."

He is correct that the term "immigrant" provides a richer and more obvious meaning for today's society, which is one of the goals of translating a text. Paul Franklyn, an associate publisher of the Bible, explained they used the word "immigrant" since it "is the most up-to-date meaning" of the Hebrew word ("ger") being translated. He added:

Even when we shift to the word immigrant, as you can see in the sample book of Genesis that is posted at this site online, we have not eliminated the fear that permeates our society when new waves of immigrants compete for resources with old waves of immigrants. Most of us are by nature xenophobic. We have a fear of strangers, provided that we got here first. This phobia is not eliminated by switching from alien to immigrant in our common language. But it does help the participants in the modern political debate to think about what the Bible has to say about the ger

Although he is correct that it will not automatically stop the attitudes of fear and hate, it can help. Using one word over another will impact how people read those biblical passages, how they think about God's teachings, and how they view their responsibilities as believers. Changing the language can be the first step toward changing the attitudes and behaviors.

Alternative Advent 2

2011-12-04T19:14:00.000-08:00

Today is the second Sunday of Advent, a season devoted to remembering the first coming of the Prince of Peace and yearning for the second coming. Yet, it seems Advent is too often reduced to merely lighting a few candles in church services. In the midst of the craziness of the season, peace hardly seems to describe this time of year. So, this year I am reflecting on a few efforts that take Advent to the streets in hopes the spirit of Christmas will trump the focus on shopping. One effort designed to focus on our hopes for peace is an annual tradition of Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Since 1997, they have used the second Sunday of Advent as their annual Peace Sunday service, and this year two other churches in the city will join this effort. Near the end of their Sunday morning church service, the congregation moves outside where crosses dot the lawn to represent the individuals killed in violence in Louisville this year. The names of the individuals will be read and the congregation will pray for peace to come to their city. The church's newsletter this week explains:

Come now, O God of peace, make us one body. These words will be sung at the beginning of our Advent services on the second Sunday of Advent, December 4. Peace Sunday is highlighted by placing white crosses on HBC's front lawn in memory of Louisville residents killed in an act of violence. To date, 45 crosses will create a sad memorial on our lawn during this holiday season. At the
same time, the crosses signify our hope that God calls the church to work actively against violence in its many forms.

A photo from a previous service can be seen here. Highland's pastor, Joe Phelps, said about the service:

We grieve with those families for whom this is not a season of joy, and hold out the life of Jesus as a model for putting away violence. ... We also pray for all who work to make our community safe and just. It is a testament to the hope that God is not done.

This public ritual is an interesting testimony to the community and helps move the message of Advent from the sanctuary to the public sphere--as experienced literally by the congregation moving during the church service from the sanctuary to the lawn.

Right to Assemble

2011-12-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, I visited "Occupy Harrisonburg." This version of the occupy movement is quite different from the ones usually on the news or "Occupy New Orleans" that I visited earlier (see post here). There are no tents and the group has not been occupying space around-the-clock. The group instead gathers each night for an hour in the gazebo on the courthouse square, which is public land in the middle of downtown. Most nights, a few individuals simply gather to hang out and discuss important political, economic, and social issues. On Tuesday nights, the group has its weekly general assembly where they use the consensus model--and the occupy hand gestures--to talk about the occupy movement, important issues, and decide on future actions. I visited the group on Monday and Tuesday of this week (photos below are from Tuesday's general assembly). At the heart of our democratic freedoms is the idea that the people have the right to peaceably assemble (along with having public space for such assembly as I argued in a post here).

The reactions to various occupy encampments across the nation, however, raise critical questions about the limitations placed on our First Amendment rights. After New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg evicted the occupiers from the park that served as the birthplace of the movement, he declared:

The First Amendment gives every New Yorker the right to speak out – but it does not give anyone the right to sleep in a park or otherwise take it over to the exclusion of others – nor does it permit anyone in our society to live outside the law. There is no ambiguity in the law here – the First Amendment protects speech - it does not protect the use of tents and sleeping bags to take over a public space.

Perhaps Bloomberg should read the whole First Amendment because it is about much more than simply free speech. It also has that part about not abridging "the right of the people peaceably to assemble." That is the section that is relevant to the occupy movement meeting in parks or in gazebos on the court square. Although the occupy movement is clearly exercising free speech rights, the problem with Bloomberg using what he thinks is his "own army" to evict the occupiers is really a matter of assembly rights. Regardless of what one thinks about the message of the occupy movement, their First Amendment rights should be protected--or else none of us can really be confident we have such rights. In his statement, Bloomberg added that protesters " are welcome there to exercise their First Amendment rights" but "going forward, must follow all park rules." Yet, when did a park rule come to trump the First Amendment? If the First Amendment merely protects free speech, then Bloomberg and other mayors are within their rights to evict the occupiers (as is being threatened at this moment in New Orleans). However, if the First Amendment is about more than free speech--and it is--then Bloomberg and other mayors are violating the rights of nonviolent individuals to assemble.

Kevin DeLuca, a communication professor at the University of Utah, recently penned a column in which he explained that the lack of respect for the right to assemble shows that "[t]he First Amendment is gravely ill." He added:

The Occupy protests reveal the architecture of oppression. First, the loss of public spaces leaves few places to protest. When people do gather in public places, local laws are used to violate the people's First Amendment right to assemble. ... Of course, arbitrary public park closing times are not considered critical to America's democracy and yet they are deployed to silence people in city after city, including Oakland, Seattle, Phoenix and Atlanta. ... Americans do not need to ask permission to assemble. The First Amendment is a right, not a privilege. Even in the Internet Age, democracy and freedom depend on the right of the people to assemble and speak. The Arab Spring confirmed this truth and now the American Autumn of anti-greed protests reminds us. From Cairo's Tahrir Square to Chicago's Grant Park, places for the people to assemble and speak are at the heart of any possible democracy. The physical and legal architecture of oppression must be dismantled in light of the right to assemble in places and protest.

He is absolutely correct. While the occupy movement originally started to bring attention to the problem of income inequality in our nation, it is also serving to demonstrate the problem of government officials trying to limit our First Amendment freedoms. As I sat in the gazebo on Tuesday night during the "Occupy Harrisonburg" general assembly, it hit me that this is democracy--people peaceably gathering in the heart of the city to talk about issues and how to improve the community. There on the court square in the middle of downtown Harrisonburg, people are exercising their First Amendment rights. Even if they do not say anything, just by showing up they are participating in democracy. As Supreme Court Justice Owen Roberts wrote in a 1938 opinion:

Wherever the title of streets and parks may rest, they have immemorially been held in trust for the use of the public and, time out of mind, have been used for purposes of assembly, communicating thoughts between citizens, and discussing public questions. Such use of the streets and public places has, from ancient times, been a part of the privileges, immunities, rights, and liberties of citizens.

That is how a simple gazebo can become a sanctuary for democracy.

Friday Photo

2011-12-02T19:17:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo I took recently in New Orleans. It is a statue that honors the city's founder, Jean Baptiste LeMoyne de Bienville (the figure at top). What grabbed my attention was the priest standing behind him. Symbolically offering divine approval to the colonizer, the priest is reading his Bible but does not seem to be aware of what is going on around him. This disconnect and the priest's subjugated position seem to perfectly depict problems that often occurred as religious leaders supported political colonizers.

Time to Occupy Christmas

2011-12-02T19:10:00.001-08:00

My latest column is in the Churchnet page in Word&Way. Entitled "Time to Occupy Christmas," the column considers ways we can recapture a healthy frame of mind concerning Christmas. Considering the growing consumerism surrounding this time of year and the "Black Friday" violence like the pepper spraying incident, it seems clearly something has gone wrong. Hopefully we can reclaim Christmas.

Mass Changes

2011-11-30T19:01:00.001-08:00

On Sunday, the English version of the Catholic Mass changed from the version used for the past four decades. The changes made include:

-When the priest says "The Lord be with you," have the people say "And with your spirit" instead of "And also with you"
-Changing several statements that begin with "We believe" to "I believe"
-Replaced option of saying "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again" with "We proclaim your death, O Lord,and profess your Resurrection until you come again."
-Replaced saying Jesus is "one in Being with the Father" with "consubstantial with the Father."

The changes are intended to make the English a more literal translation of the Latin Mass. Many people have offered complaints that the new language is too unusual and unfamiliar. In particular, the addition of the word "consubstantial" has drawn criticism. For instance, comedian Stephen Colbert (who is Catholic) declared:

We're trying to get into heaven here, not take the SATs!

Although intended to elicit laughter, Colbert makes a good point. The language used in Mass or any other church service should be something people actually understand. This why the Mass was translated into English in the first place (as part of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council). Rather than keeping Mass in Latin, the decision was made to allow it to be said in the language of the people. However, using arcane English terms keeps that from happening as well. Some claim it is a minor change that people will get used to. For instance, Reverend Tom Willis argued:

This is a change in the translation, and that's it.

He makes the idea of changing a translation to be minor, but it is not. Even as people get used to it, it will change the the service and those who attend it. Using one word instead of another changes the way people view a text, think about the concepts involved, and act in response. As Mark Twain wisely put it:

The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter--'tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.

If the translation change was not a big deal, then the Catholic Church's leadership would not have made the changes. Yet, the idea of having a more literal translation is a guiding translation principle that impacts the texts and how it is interpreted. Both translation goals are good--both the goal of keeping the concepts closely tied to the original text and the goal of making the language as accessible and understandable as possible (these two principles also help explain differences between some biblical translations). Regardless which translation principle one prefers, it is important to recognize the impact of changing the words.

Alternative Advent 1

2011-11-27T19:44:00.000-08:00

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, a season devoted to waiting, yearning, and hoping for the coming of our Savior as we celebrate and reflect on his first coming. Yet, it seems Advent is too often reduced to merely lighting a few candles in church services. So, this year I am reflecting on a few efforts that take Advent to the streets in hopes the spirit of Christmas will trump the focus on shopping. One effort attempting to accomplish exactly that is the "Advent Chapel" in Montreal. A new project this year, the Anglican Diocese of Montreal created the ministry space in the middle of a shopping mall in hopes of creating "an oasis of calm in a hectic mall." Interestingly, the mall is underneath a church, which makes this space already a unique mix of both sacred and profane space. In one of the devotionals on the initiative's website, Reverend Jennifer Bourque articulates the vision for the project by comparing it to the tents of the "occupy" movement:

As Advent and winter draw close, those tents seem flimsy against the elements, yet make a bold claim: this is our space, the people's space, in the middle of the city. The incarnation, as John describes it, is like God pitching a tent. At Christmas, we celebrate God the Word taking flesh--flesh that is study enough to claim physical space, to literally "stand up" in the world. ... Advent is a time of camping out, watching and waiting--waiting for the yearly remembrance of the incarnation, which we know will surely come, again this year, on December 25. But also watching and waiting, with God, for Christ's final coming, for that day on which the whole world will be redeemed and acknowledge that it is truly God's own space. ... We're in the mall for only a month, outsiders to the retail world, trying to carve out a tiny space for hospitality and Advent prayer amid hundreds of thousands of square feet devoted to holiday shopping. We're craning our necks to see where God's reign might be breaking in, even now, even in the mall, even among us. And we're feeling our way, trying to figure out what it might mean to take space as the Body of Christ in this city, in the mall, at this time.

Amen! Hopefully this effort will find ways to break through the shopping season and help people connect with God during this time of Advent.

Friday Photo

2011-11-25T18:49:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! Here is a photo I took this summer of Macy's in New York City (the largest store in the world). We went into the store, which plays a prominent role in holiday traditions this time of year, but this picture is the view of the store from the Empire State Building. This year, this Macy's location opened at midnight for "Black Friday" for the first time. It seems that with each year the shopping part of the season becomes more and more the reason for the season. As if it was not bad enough, a shopper at a Walmart pepper sprayed other shoppers just so she could get the electronics she was wanting to buy at cheap prices. Apparently she forgot that even though pepper spray has been banned in warfare it is only supposed to be used on peaceful protesters! Is pepper spraying other shoppers what this season has come to? Guess we need an "Occupy Christmas" effort to stop this dangerous consumerism. The annual "Buy Nothing Day" does not seem to go far enough (even though it was popularized by Adbusters, the same magazine that sparked the "Occupy Wallstreet" movement). Simply avoiding the commercialization of Christmas for one day does not seem to be enough. The pepper spraying incident suggests we need to completely recapture the purpose of Christmas.

Presidential Studies Quarterly Book Review

2011-11-23T09:34:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of the journal Presidential Studies Quarterly reviews my book Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in an Age of Confessional Politics. Here are a few excerpts from the piece:

In an excellent review of the literature discussing religious-political rhetoric, Kaylor prepares his readers for the analysis that follows. The goal of his study is not only to define and describe the altered contract that dictates this new civil-religious rhetoric, but to explain why this change occurred and how it affects the democratic process. ... Whether or not one is willing to agree with Kaylor's final conclusion, he does present his readers with a persuasive argument. I heartily recommend his discussion of this important dimension of contemporary presidential rhetoric.

The review was authored by Lucy Lind Hogan of Wesley Theological Seminary.

This Space is Occupied

2011-11-22T11:08:00.000-08:00

While in New Orleans over the weekend I stopped by "Occupy New Orleans" (some photos I took are below). This version of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement is camped out in a park across the street from city hall. As my first visit to an occupy location (which included a several dozen tents and numerous signs), it was interesting to see firsthand the tactic of occupation. Regardless what else one may say about the movement, Occupy Wall Street has chosen an intriguing rhetorical strategy that its name captures well--they are not just protesting but occupying. This reclamation of public space has not only increased media coverage of the movement but also greatly impacts the message of the movement. Rather than treating public space as merely land where we plant flowers to look at but otherwise do not use, the occupy movement embodies its message by attempting to literally reclaim the public square. Even if one does not agree with the occupy movement's message, its attempt to reclaim public space is an important aspect to consider. They are literally transforming the empty public square into a forum for public deliberation. It is that idea which lies at the heart of the movement. As one of the signs I saw at the New Orleans encampment proclaimed, "This space is occupied." Across the nation, people who have rarely had a public voice on civic matters have been participating in general assemblies at occupy locations and becoming part of the public discourse. Although I did not have the opportunity to see a forum time in New Orleans, the place was full of posted messages--thus transforming the space from a park virtually devoid of non-government signs to one full of political messages directed at government officials across the street. Yet, many commentators and public officials fail to understand the importance of the idea of occupation to the occupy movement. For instance, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared in his statement about evicting occupiers from Zuccotti Park (where the Occupy Wall Street movement started and a place that, while privately owned, is supposed to remain open to the public at all times) in the middle of the night last week:

Protestors have had two months to occupy the park with tents and sleeping bags. Now they will have to occupy the space with the power of their arguments.

The problem with Bloomberg's statement is that he fails to recognize that their bodies and tents are part of their argument. Since the occupiers chose to embody their message about the need for a public square where all the people decide public policy (and not just the one percent), one cannot separate the form of the protest from its message. As media theorist Marshall McLuhan explained, "the medium is the message." To suggest that the occupy movement should simply offer its concerns in more traditional forms and stop camping in public spaces is to completely misunderstand the message of the movement.

This effort to reclaim public space has important democratic implications. Without public space where citizens can gather to be heard and to hear one another, our political system becomes less democratic. As Kevin Mattson, now a professor at Ohio University, explained years ago in the National Civic Review:

The relationship between public space and democracy is crucial. Democracy requires places where citizens can gather together to discuss the issues of the day and work on solving problems. In the past, architects recognized this and built public squares where citizens could assemble. ... One thing is certain: the suburban landscape as we know it does not create the public spaces that are conducive to civic interaction and public life. If we are truly concerned with the state of American democracy, we should build a landscape that encourages and symbolizes our respect for the public realm and for the intermingling of citizens. Democracy demands it.

His argument compliments the work of many other scholars who have considered the rhetoric of space and the impact of space on rhetoric. I dealt with some of these concepts in a recent study in Free Speech Yearbook (a translation article of the study later appeared in Communication Currents) as I analyzed the First Amendment rights of the members of Third Church of Christ, Scientist in Washington, D.C. as they successfully fought for the right to tear down their church building. The primary theorist whose work I used in the study, French sociologist Henri Lefebvre, offers insights particularly well-suited for understanding the occupy movement. In his book The Production of Space, Lefebvre argued that the way a city's space is developed and arranged impacts the development and arrangement of ideas and values within that space. Thus, he criticized Soviet urban planners for failing to create a socialist space and attributed the ultimate failure of their political system to their failure to destroy the czarist infrastructure they inherited. Rhetorical scholar Joshua Gunn borrowed from Lefebvre and others as he recently offered his thoughts about the importance of space for the occupy movement. While the occupy movement has done much to bring attention to the problem of income inequality in the U.S., hopefully it will also raise awareness to the importance of public space in our society.

New Orleans

2011-11-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

I spent the weekend in New Orleans for the annual gathering of the National Communication Association. There I presented two academic papers. The first, "The people's parody: An exploration of colonial mimicry," examined rhetorical issues related to parodic communication. The second, "A Burkean poetic frames of the 2008 presidential ads," looked at the tone of attack ads during the 2008 presidential general election. During the convention, I also received the Bruce E. Gronbeck Political Communication Research Award from the Carl Couch Center for Social & Internet Research for my book Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in an Age of Confessional Politics. Past winners of the award have included top political communication scholars like Denise Bostdorff, Karlyn Kohrs Campbell and Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Robert Hariman and John Louis Lucaites, and Mary Stuckey. The gathering was also a great chance to see former colleagues and professors.

Friday Photo

2011-11-18T09:14:00.000-08:00

When it is hot, our dog likes to lay on the air conditioning vent. At the end the summer, he suddenly got up quite dramatically. That was when we realized the vent got caught on his collar and he just pulled the whole thing up. Then he looked quite sheepish until I rescued him (after Jen took a quick photo).

NAE and Nukes

2011-11-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

Last week, the National Association of Evangelicals issued a statement warning about the dangers of nuclear weapons and calling for reductions in nuclear arsenals. Here are a couple of highlights from the statement:

While the threat of armed nuclear conflict no longer captivates the public imagination as it did a generation ago, these weapons of mass destruction, now capable of being delivered in ever more sophisticated ways, continue to threaten humankind. Many argue that they weaken rather than strengthen our security. And so we prayerfully and boldly call on evangelicals to re-engage the national dialogue on nuclear peace and security in our globalizing age, making a distinctively evangelical contribution. ... We call on evangelicals to consider these issues in light of their faith and to pray for our leaders and all who are charged with protecting our nation from external aggression.

Speaking about the statement, NAE President Leith Anderson argued:

Nuclear weapons don't serve as a deterrent to the dangers of our post-Cold War era, which include rogue nations and terrorist groups. We must re-engage the dialogue on nuclear peace and security for the sake of our world.

He is right on both points--nuclear weapons do not make us safer today and evangelicals need to join the dialogue on this critical issue. Hopefully this statement will spark more dialogue among evangelical leaders. Considering the importance of evangelicals and the NAE (as I noted in my book on confessional politics), this statement could impact the broader sociopolitical discussion on the issue.

New Baptist Covenant II

2011-11-15T10:40:00.000-08:00

This weekend, the second national gathering of of the New Baptist Covenant movement will occur. In 2008, about 15,000 Baptists from different denominations and ethnicities gathered in Atlanta for the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant (the picture is one I took of former President Jimmy Carter, who helped initiate the New Baptist Covenant movement, at that event). I served as a Co-Chair of the Communications Committee and reported on the event for the media pool, Ethics Daily, and the Baptist General Convention of Missouri (now Churchnet). The following year, several regional gatherings were held, with events in Birmingham (Alabama), Kansas City (Missouri), Winston-Salem (North Carolina), and Norman (Oklahoma). I reported on the Kansas City and Norman events for Ethics Daily. I also helped promote the Kansas City gathering (the Baptist Border Crossing), which the Baptist General Convention of Missouri helped organized. As a result of these experiences, I have found the New Baptist Covenant movement to be a wonderful time for Baptists of various denominations and backgrounds to unite for fellowship, ministry, worship, and missions.

The New Baptist Covenant II gathering this Thursday through Saturday promises to continue the efforts of the earlier events. The unique aspect to this weekend's event is that it will actually be held in simultaneously in several locations across the nation, including Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. The main sessions will be held in Atlanta and broadcast to the other locations. However, each location will have its own unique plenary sessions, breakout sessions, and ministry projects. Information about each location can be found here. The speakers in the national sessions will include Carter, Tony Campolo, Wendell Griffen, and Marian Wright Edelman. Below is a video of Carter talking about the goals for the New Baptist Covenant II. Hopefully, many people will join this event at each of the locations.

Political Communication Book Review

2011-11-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of the journal Political Communication reviews my book Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in an Age of Confessional Politics. Here are a few excerpts from the piece:

Kaylor manages this task well overall, presenting a compelling framework for a new "confessional" style of political communication and incorporating a Foucault-inspired critique of that style's implications for American democracy. ... Kaylor presents a wealth of examples of highly religious rhetoric used by many of the presidential candidates of the past 30 years. Even those of us who study these campaigns may be surprised by some of the excerpts. ... Kaylor sets up a well-reasoned and convincing argument for our current era of confessional politics. ... Overall, Kaylor does a nice job of presenting both a scholarly and philosophical critique of confessional politics. In sum, this book presents a novel and interesting framework for understanding the current style of religious rhetoric in American political campaigns. Students and scholars of religious politics and modern presidential campaigns will find it both useful and informative.

The review was authored by Penelope Sheets of the University of Amsterdam.

Trusting and Helping?

2011-11-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives took the important step of tackling our nation's biggest issue: reaffirming the national motto is "In God We Trust." With a 396-9 vote, our nation's congresspeople boldly stood up to protect that which was not even in danger. The author of the resolution, Virginia Republican Randy Forbes, claimed this effort was needed to protect the motto from those who are trying to push God out of the public square. Yet, the resolution does not actually change anything. Additionally, if there was actually a serious threat to changing the motto, one would imagine that the number of representatives voting against it would hit three figures--or at least two figures! Forbes said of the motto:

They are far more than words, they are the very fabric that has built and sustained the greatest country the world has ever known.

He seems to be missing the point since the phrase was not adopted as the national motto until 1956, at which point it was adopted to rhetorically distinguish the U.S. from the 'godless' communists of the Soviet Union. Thus, the phrase was selected to justify the nation--and the nation's military efforts--in the midst of the Cold War. Rather than an attempt to declare that the nation actually trusts in God, it was really an effort to reassure people that they could trust in the U.S. government. In fact, many religious and political leaders (including President Teddy Roosevelt) opposed the use of the phrase on U.S. currency before it became the nation's motto.

Another problem with the resolution is that its supporters actually undermined its purpose with their arguments. Forbes argued it was needed to remind people of the national motto:

Some public officials have stated incorrectly that there are different national mottoes. ... We heard the president make that mistake.

Yet, it hardly seems appropriate to waste congressional time voting on announcements that could instead be handled with a simple email or a flier on the cafeteria bulletin board. What the comment by Forbes suggests is that this vote actually had more to do with scoring partisan political points. Unfortunately, Forbes has used prayer and God in the past to attack President Barack Obama (see post here). Using God for partisan votes hardly seems like trusting in God.

For his part, Obama mocked Congress for wasting time on the vote--even though most of those in his Party also voted for the resolution. Obama argued that Republicans instead needed to focus on legislation to help create jobs:

That's not putting people back to work. I trust in God, but God wants to see us help ourselves by putting people back to work.

Although Obama made a good point about the resolution, he appeared to be paraphrasing a statement many claim is in the Bible but actually is not (and he also used the occasion to offer some confessional politics by reaffirming his faith). Later, Obama's press secretary made the biblical blunder more obvious. When pressed as to why Obama would invoke God in the debate over jobs legislation, Jay Carney responded:

Well, I believe the phrase from the Bible is, 'The Lord helps those who help themselves.' And I think the point the President is making is that we should - we have it within our capacity to do the things to help the American people.

Not only does the statement not appear in the Bible, but it actually runs counter to biblical teachings. With the White House using the phrase as gospel truth, we now understand a little more of their view on proper economic development--which ironically puts them closer to the TEA Party's rhetoric than either side would like to admit. Last week's congressional resolution may have sparked a lot of talk about God from Republicans and Democrats, but both sides seem to be missing the point.

Friday Photos

2011-11-04T19:18:00.000-07:00

Here are two photos from our snow last weekend, which came even before Halloween! We got five or so inches of wet, heavy snow. Jen took the first one of some of our flowers in the snow and I took the second one of some of our flowers struggling to get out from underneath the snow.

True Blue (in the Face)

2011-11-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

According to Family Research Council Action (the political action committee of the James Dobson-founded Family Research Council), Republican Representative Joe Walsh is a family man. He was named a "True Blue" pro-family member of Congress for his "unwavering support of the family." As the president of both the Family Research Council and the Family Research Council Action, Tony Perkins, explained:

We thank Cong. Walsh who has voted consistently to defend faith, family and freedom. ... Cong. Walsh and other 'True Blue Members' have voted to repeal Obamacare, de-fund Planned Parenthood, end government funding for abortion within the health care law, uphold the Defense of Marriage Act, and continue support for school choice. I applaud their commitment to uphold the institutions of marriage and family.

That all sounds nice except for Perkins left out one little fact--Walsh's ex-wife has accused him of owing more than $100,000 in late child support payments. It seems hard to believe that a Christian group would just ignore such an issue as they put together their list of "pro-family" congresspeople. Shouldn't personal actions mean as much as public claims? Surely the Dobson-founded group can find more worthy politicians to praise. And surely they could create a more holistic way of measuring this--something that would not just look at votes but also consider the way one talks about the issue and the way one lives. To look merely at votes--which is the simple standard many advocacy organizations use--can create a misleading picture and can create embarrassing moments like the recognition of Walsh.

Cain Does Not Seem Able

2011-11-02T17:36:00.000-07:00

Herman Cain's long-shot campaign is becoming an even longer shot due to his poor communication recently. Although his strong debate performances have pushed him to the front of the Republican presidential polls, his rhetorical abilities recently have been quite poor (the photo is one I took of him after a GOP debate in Iowa in August). First, Cain talked about abortion in pro-choice terms, which created confusion for many of his pro-life supporters. While talking with Piers Morgan last month, Cain stated about the issue of rape and abortion:

No, it comes down to it's not the government's role or anybody else's role to make that decision. Secondly, if you look at the statistical incidents, you're not talking about that big a number. So what I'm saying is it ultimately gets down to a choice that that family or that mother has to make. Not me as president, not some politician, not a bureaucrat. It gets down to that family. And whatever they decide, they decide. I shouldn't have to tell them what decision to make for such a sensitive issue.

This rhetoric is clearly pro-choice. Cain's answer quickly came under attack from pro-life groups, and was the focus of an attack ad from his Republican presidential opponent Rick Santorum. Cain responded by claiming he was "pro-life, no exceptions." However, when questioned further, Cain clarified his position by noting he is for exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. This suggests Cain has at least three different positions on the issue that is highly important to many of his primary supporters. Despite his attempts to stress he is pro-life (and attack Morgan for supposedly asking a tricky question), Cain's answer on Morgan's show is interesting because it suggests that his personal beliefs do not align with his professed label on the issue. It is simply hard to imagine someone who has internalized the pro-life perspective giving the answer Cain gave on Morgan's program.

Offering even more proof that Cain is not ready for primetime, he has poorly handled claims this week that he sexually harassed female employees while he led the National Restaurant Association. Cain's response to the issue has been nearly a textbook example of how not to respond to a crisis. Scholarship in apologia would suggest Cain has made a couple critical errors. First, rather than completely address the issue when it first surfaced, he has instead tried to say as little as possible. This has allowed the news to slowly trickle out, which keeps the story as a news item and makes Cain appear like he is hiding something. His response to Politico when they first asked him about the charges is one of the worst reactions he could have given because it makes him sound guilty. Here is how Politico described the exchange:

He was then asked, "Have you ever been accused, sir, in your life of harassment by a woman?" He breathed audibly, glared at the reporter and stayed silent for several seconds. After the question was repeated three times, he responded by asking the reporter, "Have you ever been accused of sexual harassment?"

Since then, Cain keeps slowly adding more details as reporters uncover more information. Cain's best strategy would have been to address the issue completely right away. After all, it will come out eventually. A second mistake Cain has made is that he keeps denying claims and then later admitting the claims. Cain attacked the Politico story as "unsubstantiated," but then admitted he had been accused (which is what Politico claimed in its article). Then Cain claimed he did not know the women received settlements for the claims, but then later admitted he knew they did. Cain's changing story led conservative Fox News commentator Charles Krauthammer to challenge Cain for "parsing the words in a Clintonian legalistic way." Quite a fall for someone whose political rise started with a stern challenge to then-President Bill Clinton in a town hall forum! Now, a third woman is claiming she was harassed by Cain even though she did not file a complaint at the time, and a Republican political strategist (who has worked for Cain's Republican presidential opponent Rick Perry) claims he witnessed some of the harassment. Then today, Cain yelled at reporters for asking him more questions about the claims, which is not going to help him.

In both of these cases, Cain is demonstrating an inability to clearly articulate his ideas and keep his claims consistent. Cain's problems on the issue of abortion demonstrate the problems of political labels as politicians try to merely parrot simple phrases without seriously engaging in the complexities of the issues. Cain's problems on the issue of sexual harassment allegations show that politicians should avoid what often seem to be their first instincts in a crisis--to deny and try to avoid the issue as much as possible. These missteps can be fatal for any candidate, but especially for one whose rise in the polls is based on his rhetorical performance and not his record.

Friday Photo

2011-10-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

Our dog loves to fetch sticks. Sometimes he will find a bigger one he likes better and decide we should play with that one instead. Then, there was the time he brought me this huge branch. I'm not sure how he carried it as he ran.

Robertson Reasonableness?

2011-10-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

Televangelist Pat Robertson, long known for making outlandish and hateful remarks, has on two occasions this month offered some slightly reasonable perspectives on religion and politics. First, Robertson announced that he would not endorse any presidential candidates this year. He explained:

I've personally backed off from direct political involvement. ... I've been there, done that. The truth of the matter is politics is not going to change our world. It's really not going to make that much of a difference.

Although his view might be too cynical, he at least recognizes that it does not help his ministry when he becomes a partisan supporter to specific candidates. Perhaps he learned his lesson after compromising his convictions last presidential cycle and endorsing Rudy Giuliani in hopes of having influence in Giuliani's White House (a gamble that failed as miserably as Rudy's decision to bet his whole campaign on winning Florida). In the same interview, Robertson also called Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney "an outstanding Christian" Although his comments came before the recent controversy when a Southern Baptist pastor--who endorsed Rick Perry--attacked Romney for being a member of a cult (see post here), it still represents a different tone than Robertson often offers.

The second interesting comment from Robertson this month occurred when he criticized Republican presidential candidates for being too extreme on social issues. He argued:

Those people in the Republican primary have got to lay off this stuff. They're forcing their leaders, the frontrunners into positions that will mean they will lost the general election. ... You appeal to the narrow base. And they'll applaud the daylights out of what you're saying, and then you hit the general election and they say 'no way.' The Democrat, whoever it is, is going to just play these statements to the hilt. They've got to stop this. It's just so counterproductive. Well, if they want to lose, this is the game for losers.

It is odd that he does not appear to know who the Democratic presidential nominee will be, but the rest of his comment shows an awareness of the problems being created by much of the rhetoric in the Republican presidential field. Of course, the problem with Robertson's statement is that he is worried the comments will hurt the Republicans in the general election, not that he is bothered by the comments themselves. Earlier this week, Jon Stewart did a great job of hilariously demonstrating this problem with Robertson's argument (you can watch the video here).

Although these comments are not perfect, they are pretty good for Robertson, who in the past has given me plenty of material to write about on this blog and in my two books as I critiqued his religious rhetoric (For God's Sake, Shut Up!) and his political rhetoric (Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in an Age of Confessional Politics). These recent comments made just be baby steps, but it is still nice to seem him tone things down.

Friday Photo

2011-10-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a shot I took recently of our dog carrying his frisbee on a foggy morning. He loves chasing the frisbee in almost any weather condition.

No Jack Kennedy

2011-10-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

My latest academic study has been published in Communication Studies. Here is the citation:

Kaylor, B. T. (2011). No Jack Kennedy: Mitt Romney's "Faith in America" speech and the changing religious-political environment. Communication Studies, 62, 491-507.

Here is the abstract:

In December of 2007, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney traveled to Texas to give an address on religion and politics. The speech was heralded by many as Romney's "JFK moment." This study explores the campaign religion speeches of Kennedy and Romney by considering various issues concerning context, audience, and content of the two speeches. Guiding this analysis is Roderick Hart's work on the civil-religious contract and Kenneth Burke's work on dramatistic analysis, which are utilized to demonstrate that--despite the media's proclamations--Romney's speech represented a stark shift from Kennedy's rhetorical approach. Implications are drawn concerning the differences between the two speeches and an understanding of the confessional political style guiding the intersection of religion and politics today.

With questions about Romney's Mormonism arising in this presidential cycle, this study on how he handled it during his previous run is quite timely. Clearly, these questions will continue in our age of confessional politics.

Pray the Devil Back to Hell

2011-10-18T15:14:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, three women were announced as the winners of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. One of those individuals, Leymah Gbowee, spoke at Eastern Mennonite University over the weekend. Gbowee received her M.A. in Conflict Transformation from EMU. On Friday night, I attended a screening of the documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell," which features Gbowee and her movement's work to bring peace to Liberia through non-violent means. After the inspiring film, Gbowee spoke (the photo is one I took of her speaking). It was exciting to hear her and see the large crowd who gathered for the event. Tonight, PBS is airing the film as the second of its "Women, War and Peace" series. I highly recommend you watch the program that highlights the Christian women's peace movement Gbowee led (and their partnering with Muslim women) to help drive dictator Charles Taylor out of power. Another of this year's Nobel Peace Prize winners--Ellen Johnson Sirleaf--also appears in the film.

'Arab Spring' Debate

2011-10-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I moderated a public debate on "Resolved: The Arab Spring demonstrates that American youth have much to learn from the youth of the Middle East and North Africa." The debate was sponsored by the Madison Debate Society and the James Madison University Office of International Programs and included debaters from several different universities. A video of the debate can be viewed here. I enjoyed hearing the arguments from the debaters and hope many of the college students present think more about the non-violent protest movements that toppled governments and sparked democratic reforms earlier this year.

Friday Photos

2011-10-14T19:46:00.000-07:00

Here are two photos I took this summer of the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the building does not only house art but is itself art. The first photo is of the outside, and the second one is of the inside.

Pro-Perry SBC Pastor Attacks Romney, Mormons

2011-10-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Pro-Perry SBC Pastor Attacks Romney, Mormons." It covers the comments made by Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, at the "Values Voter Summit" over the weekend (an event led by the Family Research Council). After endorsing Texas Governor Rick Perry for president and introducing Perry at the event, Jeffress talked with reporters and called Mormonism "a cult." He added that he did not believe former Massachussets Governor Mitt Romney, a Mormon, is a Christian. Thus, Jeffress believes Christians should vote for a Christian like Perry over a Mormon like Romney. Oddly, however, Jeffress said he would vote for Romney over President Barack Obama, apparently because he thinks Obama is a Muslim and not a Christian. Jeffress was part of evangelist James Robison's group that met in June to plot spiritual revival. I broke the news of that meeting, as well as the fact that Perry spoke to the group. The comments by Jeffress are classic confessional politics as people are disenfranchised due to their religious faith (thus it is quite appropriate that Romney is on the cover of my new book on confessional politics).

As I note in today's article, Romney spoke out against religious bigotry in his speech later at the "Values Voter Summit." Similarly, former Utah Governor Jon Hunstman, also a Mormon and the only major Republican presidential candidate who skipped the "Values Voter Summit," called the Jeffress incident "the most ridiculous sideshow in recent politics." He added that talking about Mormonism would not solve the nation's economic or other problems. Huntsman later added that Jeffress is "a moron." Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich dismissed the comments by Jeffress as "very unwise and very inappropriate." Other presidential candidates, however, have not stood up like they should against the religious bigotry of Jeffress. Perry's campaign distanced itself from Jeffress--even though they approved him as the introducer--but Perry did not denounce the comments when asked to do so by a reporter. Similarly, U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann refused to denounce the comments (even though she will repeat any random theory any random person tells her). Herman Cain also refused to denounce the anti-Mormon comments. He correctly noted that he is "not running for theologian-in-chief," but he should stand up for the constitutional rights of religious minorities. Ironically, he invoked his own religious beliefs as he answered the question and said he was "not getting into that controversy" because his motto is "Do the right thing." Huh? The right thing is to denounce religious bigotry. Of course, Cain is probably the presidential candidate this cycle with the worst record of spouting religious bigotry (see posts here, here, and here). Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum defended Romney but then attacked Harry Reid. He said:

I'm not an expert on Mormonism. All I know is that every Mormon I know is a good and decent person, has great moral values and, by and large, with the exception of Harry Reid, by and large, pretty consistent in the values that I share and that things I want to see happen to this country. And that's what he should be judged on.

Santorum started well but then resorted to confessional politics by attacking Reid's decency due to partisan affiliation. It would be nice if more presidential hopefuls would be willing to speak out against efforts to marginalize Americans of various religious traditions.

Friday Photos

2011-10-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

Here are two photos from a trip this summer to New York City. The first photo is of a sculpture at Trinity Church. It is made from roots of a sycamore tree knocked down on 9-11. The second photo is of the Atlas Statue. The shot is of the backside with St. Patrick's Cathedral in the background.

Obama's Double-Edged Sword

2011-10-07T17:10:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama continues to represent the double-edged nature of confessional politics. At times, he is a victim of this system as critics question his lack of church attendance and suggest he is a secret Muslim (see post here). The problem with these charges is that they imply that Obama should not be president if he is not a good Christian. At other times, however, Obama is a primary instigator of confessional politics. For instance, he delivered a highly confessional address earlier this year at a prayer breakfast for Easter. Similarly, Obama frequently made highly confessional remarks as he tried to overcome claims he was a Muslim. Although such remarks helped him put aside those concerns during the last presidential campaign, they also served to justify the mindset behind the criticisms. By trying to overcome the de facto religious test, Obama ironically affirmed that such a test should exist by arguing that he passed it. This double-edge sword for Obama reemerged recently when a heckler interrupted one of his speeches. The individual claimed Obama was the antichrist and urged him to follow Jesus (as it turns out, worries about the antichrist is not uncommon in U.S. politics). Obama responded to the heckler by stating, "First of all I agree Jesus Christ is the Lord." Obama's response actually affirms the challenge of the heckler. By denying the charge by confessing his faith, he actually helps add to the expectation that presidents make such religious declarations.

Destroying a Church Building to Advance Free Speech Rights

2011-10-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

Communication Currents, a publication of the National Communication Association, ran my latest piece, which is entitled "Destroying a Church Building to Advance Free Speech Rights." The piece is based on my recent study in Free Speech Yearbook (see post here) about the legal fight by a church in Washington, D.C. to gain the right to tear down its building on First Amendment grounds (the photo is one I took of the building in question). As I argue in the piece, the church members were correct that church architecture communicates and thus should be considered as part of its public message.

On other topics, I was quoted recently in two different publications. The Bolivar Herald-Free Press included a write-up about my recent CNN.com column (which has over 1,600 comments and over 1,800 Facebook recommends). Additionally, a Religion Dispatches article about Michele Bachmann's speech last week at Liberty University included a quotation from my new book on confessional politics.

Friday Photos

2011-09-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

Here are two photos I took of High Line Park in New York City. It is a former elevated train line turned into a 1.45 mile-long park, providing a place for people to experience nature in the midst of the city and transforming neighborhoods in the area. Walking through the park made for a nice Sunday afternoon stroll early this summer. The first photo is of one end of the High Line Park. The second photo is a close-up up in the park. The tracks have been left, creating a unique blend of the urban and the natural worlds

The Spiritual (Not Religious) Candidate?

2011-09-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I served as a facilitator for a "Spirituality Dialogue" session at James Madison University, which is an hour-long program to give students an opportunity to engage in a dialogue about a subject that is often difficult for them to discuss and help them think about the ways spirituality impacts their lives and college experiences. One theme that often emerges from these sessions and in public discourse about faith is the separation between spirituality and religion and the growing number of people describing themselves as spiritual but not religious. If there is a presidential candidate testing our system of confessional politics by trying to represent this perspective, it is former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman. Although he grew up Mormon, Huntsman often describes himself in terms of spirituality rather than religion. His Mormon background poses some electoral problems for him--as it does Mitt Romney--since many voters are hesitant to elect a Mormon (see post here). However, his language about spirituality is unique as it might attract some while adding to the concerns of conservative evangelicals.

In a new CNN video, Huntsman offered some interesting thoughts on his religious faith that places him in stark contrast to the type of religious arguments that we generally hear in our age of confessional politics. For instance, he stated:

My faith is a very personal and private part of who I am. I believe in God. I'm a Christian person. I'm very proud of my Mormon roots and heritage. I believe in the goodness of all religions. I believe that they bring a level of strength to individuals that other endeavors in life just can't fulfill. But as for me, I don't wear religion on my sleeve, I wear it in my heart. And I believe that your actions always speak louder than words.

Although he affirms his belief in God, Huntsman calls it a "private" issue and not something to "wear on my sleeve." These comments place him in opposition to much of the religious-political rhetoric presidential candidates have offered over the past thirty-five years. In the video, there is also a shot of Huntsman, his wife, and his adopted daughter from India all with a traditional red Hindu dot (tilaka) on their foreheads. This image will likely be unsettling to many conservative evangelicals, much as a picture of Barack Obama in traditional Somali dress in Kenya was used by some to falsely suggest he is a Muslim.

On a similar note, Huntsman talked last month about how his family blends his Mormon background and his wife's Episcopalian background:

You blend two cultures, you blend two traditions, you try to raise kids in a responsible fashion -- drawing from the strengths of both [faiths], and you come up with something that is kind of a hybrid model that, first and foremost, puts God at the center of your life.

In a recent Vogue profile, he and his family made a similar argument as they stressed the importance of spirituality over specific religious denominations. As the Boston Globe noted, these attitudes make Huntsman a different type of Mormon than Romney.

None of this should matter when voters pick who would be the most competent leader, but unfortunately it probably is part of the electoral equation. Huntsman's religion is not the only--or even main--problem keeping him at the back of the Republican presidential polls right now. However, it certainly adds to the problems he faces as the more moderate candidate in the race when Republican voters seem to instead want someone extremely conservative. After all, he is at the bottom of the polls despite being more qualified--especially on foreign policy issues--than virtually everyone else in the race and much more qualified than some of the candidates (like Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, and Michele Bachmann) who are polling better in large part because of their outreach to conservative evangelicals.

Friday Photos

2011-09-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

Here are two photos I took early this summer of historic landmarks in New York City that are basically across the street from each other. The first is of Riverside Church. The building, the tallest church in the U.S., was financed in large part by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Former pastors have included Harry Emerson Fosdick and William Sloane Coffin. As we sat in the virtually empty sanctuary where Martin Luther King, Jr. preached on a couple of occasions, the organists were practicing. The second photo is of Grant's tomb (who's buried there?) that honors Union General and U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant.

Life and Death

2011-09-21T11:47:00.001-07:00

The death penalty has been in the news a lot lately, with some troubling cases and attitudes. Barring some unexpected last-minute change, Georgia is set to execute Troy Davis tonight. Davis, who may or may not be guilty, provides a case that should cause concern. After three prior stays of execution, it now appears Davis will be executed for a 1989 killing of a police officer. Seven of the nine eyewitnesses who implicated Davis have since since recanted, another individual (one of the witnesses) has been accused by several people, and the physical evidence tying Davis to the crime is weak. Many individuals have called for clemency for him, including Pope Benedict XVI, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Noel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former Republican Representative Bob Barr, and former FBI Director and judge William Sessions (and some people argue that the repeated near-executions of Davis is a form of torture). Many religious leaders have also joined the fight to stop the execution. Reverend Raphael Warnock, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, said:

This is a civil rights violation, a human rights violation in the worst way.

Megachurch pastor T. D. Jakes called the pending execution "a tragedy." A preacher was arrested while protesting outside the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles offices, and another preacher offered to be executed in place of Davis. Although Davis might be guilty, his case raises serious questions about the level of standards needed to execute someone. Even supporters of the death penalty should be troubled by the problems with the case and the possibility that an innocent person could be executed. Over 100 convicted death row inmates have been freed in the U.S. over the last forty years after evidence exonerated them of the crimes. Several spent more than a decade--and some more than two decades--in prison for the crime they did not commit. These mistakes alone should make everyone hesitant to support the death penalty in its current form.

Another case in the news right now involves a man on death row in Texas. Last week, Duane Buck had eaten his last meal and was preparing to be executed when a stay of execution was handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Buck's case demonstrates another flaw in our current death penalty system: minorities are more likely to get the death penalty than whites. Even among rightfully-convicted individuals, we have a system that does not treat individuals equally. The issue in Buck's case is not if he is innocent of killing two people in 1995, but that his race was used by a prosecution witness as a reason why he should receive a harsher punishment (similar comments by the same prosecution expert led to five other cases be reheard at the sentencing level). Apparently "Lady Justice" is not colorblind. Even supporters of the death penalty should not support such an imbalanced system.

Adding to these two troubling cases is the response of the crowd at a recent Republican presidential primary debate. When NBC's Brian Williams started asking presidential hopeful Rick Perry about the fact that Perry had been governor of Texas while the state executed 234 individuals, the Republican crowd interrupted Williams with applause and cheering. Such a response--especially when coupled with a different Republican debate hosted by the Tea Party Express and CNN when some in the crowd yelled "yeah" when presidential hopeful Ron Paul was asked if a man without insurance should be left to die--suggests a callous attitude among some who claim to be "pro-life." Hopefully we can move to a more respectful discussion of life-and-death issues where all are viewed and treated as human beings. And hopefully we can move beyond a culture that too often celebrates death.

Several Citations

2011-09-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

My CNN.com column last week (which now has 1,600 comments and over 1,700 Facebook recommends) ran over the weekend in the Keene Sentinel newspaper in New Hampshire. In the CNN.com column on confessional politics in the current Republican presidential primary, I referenced my earlier Ethics Daily articles about the effort by James Robison (and Rick Perry) to politically mobilize conservative Christian leaders (see articles here, here, here, and here). Earlier this summer, I mentioned several publications that had picked up the stories (see post here). Now, additionally publications have referenced the stories. Church & State magazine noted my reporting in its September issue. The articles were also noted in The New Republic. On a different note, I was also quoted (but unnamed) in a recent Washington Post piece (I am the one quoted about Christ and Gandhi).

Friday Photos

2011-09-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

Here are two photos I took earlier this summer of raccoons in Central Park in New York City. The first one is of raccoons scurrying up a tree, and the second one is of one of them looking back before going into the tree.

Perry Continues to Court Evangelicals

2011-09-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Perry Continues to Court Evangelicals." It covers his speech this week at Liberty University and his recent private meetings with conservative Christian leaders. All of this is part of his effort to garner the presidential nomination through the use of confessional politics

Don't be fooled by candidates' God talk

2011-09-14T20:53:00.000-07:00

CNN.com ran my latest column today, which is entitled "Don't be fooled by candidates' God talk." It deals with issues related to religion in the current presidential election and draws from ideals developed in my new book on confessional politics. For several hours days today, the piece was one of the headlines on the CNN homepage. It has already been recommended on Facebook by over 1,000 people and has sparked over 1,400 comments. It is nice to see some thinking and discussion on these critical issues.

10 Years Later

2011-09-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago today, our nation and our world changed dramatically. Many aspects of the past decade are different because of the pain and suffering that occurred that day. I still remember that day clearly when, as a Junior in college, I got up that morning and heard NPR talking about a plane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City. At the time, of course, few realized what was really going on. The rest of the day is still etched in my memory as I watched the horrifying images on television. The ceremonies today are poignant reminders of that day (the two photos are ones I took earlier this summer of the construction at the then-unfinished memorial in New York City and of the new One World Trade Center tower still being built).

During the ceremonies today, it was interesting to see the images of the memorials, especially the powerfully symbolic one in New York City that was still a mess when I was there less than two months ago. I will have to return to see and hear the large pools marking the bases of the two towers and to walk around the rest of the memorial. Watching from afar today, the moments of silence as the crowd paused to mark key moments from that day were especially powerful reminders of the need to stop and reflect. May we all take time to pause and reflect. May we all work to learn from the past so we can create a better future. May we all commit as followers of the Prince of Peace to work to end the vicious cycles of violence, pain, and hatred that too often dominant our world.

Friday Photos

2011-09-09T19:37:00.001-07:00

Here are two photos I took earlier this summer in the rainforests of Olympic National Park in Washington. The first one is of moss growing on a tree limb, and the second one is of a waterfall.

GOP Candidates Clash with Themselves, Reagan on Immigration Reform

2011-09-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "GOP Candidates Clash with Themselves, Reagan on Immigration Reform." It covers how the issue of immigration reform was dealt with during Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Ron Paul's Evangelical Outreach

2011-09-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

As the Republican presidential candidates gather tonight for a debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, there will likely be more examples of confessional politics. That is fitting for the setting since Reagan was a key figure--along with Jimmy Carter--in helping create our system of confessional politics in the first place. Along those lines, Sarah Posner has a good Salon piece in which she notes examples of religious dog whistle comments to watch for in the debate, and she quotes me and my book on confessional politics. Although the religious appeals of candidates like Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann have received a lot of attention, Ron Paul is also reaching out to conservative evangelicals in hopes of finding political salvation at the ballot box. Ron Paul, whose second place finish at the Iowa Straw Poll last month (the photo is one I took of him speaking at his campaign's tent at that event) demonstrates how much better he is doing this year than last time when he came in fifth, has also been trying to improve his standing among evangelicals.

Back in July, Paul's campaign announced its "Evangelicals for Ron Paul" effort, which is modeled after similar efforts by other campaigns. None of the names are well-known individuals, but the effort is a clear sign that Paul is trying to win over conservative evangelicals. The most significant person in the effort is Paul's adviser for the effort--Doug Wead, who advised both President George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. Wead said of Paul:

Evangelicals are hurting as much as any other segment of America during this economic stagnation, which manifests itself in record-high unemployment, barely palatable growth and widespread loss of opportunity. In addition, cash-strapped local governments use land-use privileges to erode the rights of those who wish to establish a house of worship. Pastors assert that they cannot construct needed churches because zoning boards prefer not to allow properties to be transferred to the nonprofit, and thus tax-exempt, sector. ... There is so much outrage about the economy, the corruption of the political system and rights erosion that Ron Paul is seen as the only presidential candidate who is trusted to deliver the message reliably, consistently and unapologetically.

Going even further, Brian Jacobs, who consulted for both the Billy Graham Association and Kenneth Copeland Ministries, proclaimed:

Ron Paul is comfortable proclaiming that he accepts Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. He is happily married to his childhood sweetheart Carol. And his stance on the sanctity of life is positively unassailable.

Similarly, the website for the effort prominently features a quotation from Paul about having "accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior." This is a clear example of confessional politics. Following the Iowa Straw Poll, Wead said Paul's strong showing was in part because of such outreach to evangelicals--an effort that included mailing 5,000 copies of a DVD about Paul to pastors. It will be interesting to see if Paul is able to find even more success among conservative evangelicals and how his anti-war message will work with this group that has been generally supportive of our nation's recent wars.

Unhealthy Body Image

2011-09-06T18:42:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to preach at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church. The sermon, entitled "Unhealthy Body Image," focused on Paul's use of the body metaphor in 1 Corinthians 12. The audio of the sermon can be heard here.

Friday Photos

2011-09-02T19:22:00.001-07:00

Here are two pictures I took over the summer of a sunset at Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park in Washington.

Blowing Hot Air

2011-09-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Last week brought some unusual natural occurrences in Virginia, which were sadly followed by the usual dumb comments. On Tuesday of last week, a 5.8 earthquake hit about 60 miles away--which was quite an interesting experience as the whole house started shaking (and our dog ran around wild as if he thought it was a fun game). The dust had hardly settled from the earthquake--much larger than any previously recorded ones for this area--before televangelist (and God's hitman) Pat Robertson declared that the earthquake damage in Washington, D.C. was a sign from God. Robertson started his comments with the disclaimer, "I don't want to get weird on this." He then went on to get weird by suggesting that the cracks in the Washington Monument could be "a sign from the Lord."

On Saturday, Hurricane Irene passed by. Although I live a few hours from the coast, the edge of the storm passed over town, giving us a little bit of wind and rain. The storm created an eerie overcast (that made our dog unusually whiny and upset the whole time the storm passed by). Robertson seems to have been quiet about if God was sending a message with this unusual hurricane--perhaps because it hit his Regent University, forcing them to cancel classes and knocking out power. However, presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann quickly jumped in to offer her assessment on the mind of God (perhaps since her presidential campaign is falling apart she is now running to be the next Pat Robertson). Bachmann suggested that the earthquake and hurricane were both signs from God for politicians to adopt the "TEA Party" agenda. She claimed:

I don't know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We've had an earthquake; we've had a hurricane. He said, 'Are you going to start listening to me here?' Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we've got to rein in the spending.

After rightfully being criticized for making these comments as people were still dealing with horrendous flooding and searching for lost loved ones, Bachmann's campaign claimed she was just joking. Apparently she thinks joking about God sending a hurricane to kill people and destroy homes is presidential and funny. It will be interesting to see if any of her supporters are upset by her "joke" about God, especially since part of her campaign strategy has been to go around to speak at various churches (see post here). The comments by both Robertson and Bachmann echo some of those I critiqued in my first book (For God's Sake, Shut Up!). And the advice still fits for both of them today as they need to be more careful with what they say.

Friday Photos

2011-08-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

Here are two waterfall photos I took earlier this summer in Glacier National Park in Montana. The first is of Apikuni Falls and the second is of Running Eagle Falls.

Building Free Speech

2011-08-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

My latest academic study is in the Free Speech Yearbook. Here is the citation:

Kaylor, B. T. (2011). Building free speech: A case of First Amendment rights versus church architecture. Free Speech Yearbook, 45, 47-55.

Here is an abstract for the piece:

In the heart of Washington, D.C., members of the Third Church of Christ, Scientist sued for the right to destroy their own church building. The congregation argued that the building--which the District designated as a protected historical site--was not only ugly and impractical but communicated messages contradictory to their theology. The congregation therefore argued that being forced to keep the building was an infringement on their First Amendment free speech rights. This study analyses the free speech arguments concerning the architecture of the Third Church of Christ, Scientist's building and the controversy surrounding it. Implications consider the relationship between free speech rights and architectural design.

The photo is one I took recently of the D.C. church building at the center of the controversy examined in the study.

White House Briefing

2011-08-22T18:34:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I had the opportunity to participate in a White House Community Leaders Briefing. Run by the White House Office of Public Engagement, this meeting brought together about 100 people from around the country. The group included religious leaders, educators, non-profit leaders, and entrepreneurs. The first session was held in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House. Then we walked across the front lawn of the White House to go to the East Wing. As we walked by and then when we came back out on the North portico, there were lots of people lined up by the fence taking pictures (so I guess I am a dot in some tourists' photos of the White House). The last part of the event was a Department of Education briefing in the White House Conference Center, which is close to the White House. During the various sessions we heard from administration officials, including the Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, the First Lady's Chief of Staff (the photo is one of her that I took during the meeting), the Chief Economist for the U.S. Commerce Department, a Deputy Director for the White House Office of Digital Strategy (the website, Twitter, and Facebook people), and a Deputy Director for the White House Office of of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnership (a video I shot of her talking about the President's Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge is here). Overall, it was interesting to see how the Office of Public Engagement works to advance the Administration's messages and programs and it was exciting to visit the White House and other Executive buildings.

Friday Photos

2011-08-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of photos I took earlier this summer at the Calgary Stampede in Canada. In the second photo, the rodeo clown is in the red barrel.

Just a Little Talk With Jesus

2011-08-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

My latest academic study is in the Journal of Media and Religion. Here is the citation:

Kaylor, B. T. (2011). Just a little talk with Jesus: The portrayal of Jesus in NBC's The Book of Daniel. Journal of Media and Religion, 10, 138-151.

Here is the abstract for the piece:

NBC's short-lived show The Book of Daniel sparked intense controversy and outrage among many Christians. Much of the criticism centered on the show's portrayal of Jesus. However, the show's creators contended that it was a reverent depiction. This study analyzes the Jesus character in the show and argues that despite the criticism it was actually a positive depiction of Jesus. Four roles of Jesus in the show are explored: moral conscience, advice-giver, comforter, and inspiration. Implications discussed deal with the cultural battle over how Jesus is depicted and insights this analysis of The Book of Daniel offers for that debate.

Although the show was quickly cancelled, the controversy surrounding it provides insights into cultural debates over how Jesus is depicted.

Iowa Straw Poll Reveals Role of Religion in Politics

2011-08-16T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Iowa Straw Poll Reveals Role of Religion in Politics." It covers the role religious outreach played in the Iowa Straw Poll on Saturday. I attended both the Straw Poll and the Republican presidential debate sponsored by Fox News and Washington Examiner two days earlier (and got to be in the post-debate "spin room"). The weekend in Iowa demonstrates the continuing consequences of our age of confessional politics. Pictures of both events are below.

During the events, I also shot several videos. On the night of the debate, I shot a video of Mitt Romney arriving at the last minute, a video of Herman Cain attacking Sharia during the debate, a video of presidential candidate Thaddeus McCotter talking about his time with the "Values Bus" religious-political effort, a video of former U.S. Senator Jim Talent praising Romney's debate performance, a video of U.S. Representative Steve King talking about Iran and nuclear weapons, a video of Family Research Council President Tony Perkins talking about the "Values Bus" effort, a video of U.S. Senator Rand Paul talking about the TEA Party and the national debt as a moral issue, a video of presidential hopeful Rick Santorum attacking his opponent Michele Bachmann on the issue of same-sex marriage (even comparing her to President Barack Obama), a video of the head of "Americans for Perry" talking about how Rick Perry's prayer rally helped his presidential campaign, and a video of the head of "Americans for Perry" expressing his excitement for the satirical Colbert SuperPAC ads promoting "Rick Parry." During the Straw Poll, I shot a video of a TEA Partier in colonial garb chanting for Bachmann to be elected "Mother-in-Chief" so she can "spank" Congress, a video of religious-political activist Rick Green campaigning for Bachmann, and a video of presidential hopeful Ron Paul speaking.

Pawlenty's Out, Perry's In

2011-08-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

The Republican presidential campaign changed substantially over the weekend as one candidate dropped out and another finally got in. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty was initially expected to be a leading contender, but struggled to excite GOP activists (the photo is one I took of him in Iowa last week). After his distant third-place finish in the Iowa Straw Poll on Saturday, it became clear that he was not going to be able to raise the money or organize the voters necessary to win the nomination. Thus, he dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday morning. The departure of Pawlenty, who attempted to use the confessional political style to woe conservative evangelicals (see posts here and here), is particularly helpful for candidates trying to woo that same group. Although U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann brought in conservative evangelicals and TEA Party activists to win the Straw Poll, the harsh attacks between her and Pawlenty means his supporters will likely move elsewhere.

One candidate who might gain from Pawlenty's fall is Texas Governor Rick Perry. Already Perry is attempting to use the confessional political style to win over conservative evangelicals. This is not surprising given the fact that Perry met back in June with a group of conservative Christian leaders led by evangelist James Robison. The Washington Independent connected Perry's new religious-political outreach with the Robison story that I broke. Perry said last week that he decided to run for president about 45 days earlier, which means he was running while he hosted his August 6th political prayer rally (see posts here and here). That timeline suggests Perry decided to run just a few days after his meeting with Robison. The Perry-Bachmann match-up will be important to watch as they both fight to win over conservative evangelicals and TEA Partiers.

Road to Ames

2011-08-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

It seems that for many of the Republican presidential hopefuls, the road to Iowa Straw Poll in Ames leads right through the church aisle (the picture is of the backdrop for the stage at tomorrow's Straw Poll, which I took yesterday at the Republican primary debate in Ames). As tomorrow's contest has neared, the appeals to God and faith have rapidly increased as candidates urgently seek political salvation from the Iowans who will vote at the Straw Poll. The efforts demonstrate that the confessional political style is still dominating presidential politics. For instance, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, whose campaign needs to show strength with a good Straw Poll result tomorrow, recently called "Jesus Christ" one of his "political heroes" (along with Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, and Abraham Lincoln). Pawlenty also has been stepping up his outreach to conservative evangelical voters (see post here on earlier efforts). Pawlenty even joined with the "Values Bus," a political outreach effort by FRC Action, National Organization for Marriage, Susan B. Anthony List to make social issues a top priority among Straw Poll voters (the latter group, which recently was criticized by a federal judge for making false claims in political ads, is running a radio ad naming which candidates Iowans should decide between). In addition to Pawlenty, Rick Santorum joined the "Values Bus," as did Herman Cain and little-known candidate Thaddeus McCotter (who talked about the effort in a short video here).

Fighting Pawlenty for a top spot in the Straw Poll (and more literally in a testy exchange during last night's debate), Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann has also been working to win over conservative evangelical voters (see post here). On recent Sundays, Bachmann has spoken in church services, such as this past Sunday when she spoke during the service of the non-denominational Point of Grace Church in Waukee, Iowa. Although all Bachmann did was make a couple of comments and read a Bible passage, it is sad that a church would give a candidate such an opportunity and therefore politicize the service. And the moment was made worse by the fact that the congregation cheered after her reading (guess they were happy she made it through without any gaffes). As she finished, the church's pastor walked up and said about Bachmann and her Bible:

There are some candidates who start running, and have this come-to-Jesus moment. ... What I love about this Bible ... is how well it's used.

It definitely seemed like a Bible was being used. Last week, Bachmann's campaign released a list of more than 100 pastors and church leaders who have endorsed her campaign. Although none of them are well-known figures, it is still quite a brazen religious-political strategy. The list makes Sunday's church service even more troubling since the pastor of the church is listed among the endorsers of Bachmann just a couple of days before he brought her to the pulpit and praised her during the church service. Such politicization of the church should not occur! Tomorrow will give some signs as to whether or not the confessional political efforts of Pawlenty, Bachmann, or the others are working.

Civil Discourse

2011-08-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

The Religion Communicators Council this week urged journalists and religious communicators to promote and practice civil discourse on religion as the tenth anniversary of 9-11 approaches. Here is part of the resolution:

The rhetoric at such times can become heated and distorted as it intermingles the religious identity of participants in those heinous acts;
... The Religion Communicators Council encourages religion communicators to adhere to the highest ethical guidelines in the communication of religious faith and values in public discourse and to foster understanding among faith groups;

Amen! Hopefully people will take this advice to heart. As I argued in my first book (For God's Sake, Shut Up!), Christians need to set better examples of civil discourse.

Altar Call

2011-08-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

My latest academic study is in Public Relations Review. Here is the citation:

Kaylor, B. T. (2011). Altar call: The Democratic Party’s religious rhetoric as image repair discourse. Public Relations Review, 37, 250-256.

Here is the abstract for the piece:

In 2004, Senator Barack Obama declared, "We worship a mighty God in the blue states." During the 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns, Obama and other Democratic candidates attempted to prove that Republicans do not have a monopoly on religious campaign rhetoric by invoking God, quoting scriptures, and attending forums on faith. These efforts to find political salvation can be seen as an attempt at apologia by Democrats who defended their Party from a perception of being godless or anti-religion. This study analyzes the religious-political rhetoric of the 2004 and 2008 Democratic presidential candidates in order to evaluate and critique the various strategies used to repair the Party's image on religious matters.

In our age of confessional politics, it will be important to watch this type of rhetoric in the upcoming presidential election.

Perry's Prayer Rally Attracts Crowds, Political Speculation

2011-08-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Perry's Prayer Rally Attracts Crowds, Political Speculation." It reports on Saturday's political prayer rally in Houston, which brought in 30,000 people and may help launch Perry's presidential campaign. As I noted in the article, Perry stated last week that he was inspired to lead the event after speaking with evangelist James Robison and conservative political organizer David Lane. I first broke the news back in June that Robison talked Perry into holding a national prayer event. On a related note, CNN has an article about Samuel Rodriguez--who leads the National Hispanic Leadership Conference--and his importance as religious-political figure. Rodriguez was part of the leadership for Saturday's event and was part of a group led by Robison that Perry spoke to back in June. Perry's event and Rodriguez's influence are signs of our age of confessional politics.

Friday Photos

2011-08-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

Here are two pictures I took recently at Lake Louise in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Both show how clear and clean the water is, which created great reflections.

Rick Perry Invokes God's "Calling" to Prepare Presidential Run

2011-08-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

Ethics Daily ran my latest article today, which is entitled "Rick Perry Invokes God's 'Calling' to Prepare Presidential Run." The article covers updates about Perry's presidential aspirations and his political prayer rally tomorrow, which is not bringing in as many people as the planners thought it would. Both his rhetoric about running for president and his rally are symptoms of our age of confessional politics.