David Kuo’s Sins

He was an Evangelical
true believer who subscribed to a sort of hegemonic view that Evangelical

Christians could remake American society by permanently covenanting with the
Republican Party. 

By now most readers of Faithfuldemocrats.com know all about
David Kuo’s new book Tempting Faith.  As
I read his work I was struck that it is far less of a political tell all and
more of a spiritual autobiography.  Every
Evangelical interested in the role of religion in public life should read
it.  Two issues stand out for me.  First, there should be no doubt left in
anyone’s mind that the political wizards who run the White House see
Evangelicals as a bunch of huckleberries to be managed and coddled and taken
seriously only for their votes not for their views.  The ferocity of the White House denials only
reinforces the sting of what Kuo revealed.

Second, and equally troubling, is Kuo’s limited theological
vision.  On the one hand he was an Evangelical
true believer who subscribed to a sort of hegemonic view that Evangelical
Christians could remake American society by permanently covenanting with the
Republican Party.  Kuo’s current
disillusionment stems from the realization that the GOP cynically manipulated
Evangelicals and had little interest in advancing the issues he held dear.  Now, however, in the face of this
disappointment all he can advocate is that Evangelicals take a two year “fast”
from politics.  Hegemony or withdrawal
are two theological options embraced at various times throughout church
history.  Yet neither of these options
honors what I believe to be central public tasks of the Church.  The hegemonic view entails forging a
permanent political alliance that undercuts the Church’s loyalty to God while
the withdrawal option violates the Christian commit to love our neighbors as
ourselves.

Kuo has done the world a favor by exposing the cynicism of
the Bush crowd.  But he has not given
Evangelicals any real guidance on how to enter public life in a way that truly
incarnates Christian discipleship.