In the beginning there was candidate Jimmy Carter, facing waves of reporters demanding an answer to the urgent question: What exactly is a \u201cborn-again Christian?\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Most political insiders were shocked to learn that millions of evangelicals, fundamentalists, Pentecostals, charismatics and even some people in historic-church pews fit under this theological umbrella. Most of these folks even planned to vote.<\/p>\n\n
There were more plot twists ahead. The born-again crowd wasn\u2019t well organized \u2014 yet. Also, many evangelicals didn\u2019t want this particular Southern Baptist in the White House, while others cheered him on. It was all very complex and most journalists acted as if the Martians had landed. The earth moved.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cWhen I ran in 1976 \u2026 the Moral Majority, so called, Jerry Falwell and them, were not even known. I mean, it was a tiny little movement,\u201d said Carter. \u201cSomebody told me, once when I was on the campaign trail, that there was a fellow named Jerry Falwell who was criticizing my Christian beliefs. I didn\u2019t know who he was.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Soon, Falwell was on the cover of Time and the media had discovered the Religious Right. Meanwhile, many on the left asked how Carter could mix evangelicalism and politics. Many on the right said his faith wasn\u2019t influencing his politics enough.<\/p>\n\n
Today, these debates rage on. While Carter remains a strong supporter of church-state separation, he said he never has understood how anyone can expect politicians to make this kind of division at the personal level. This issue is at the heart of \u201cLiving Faith,\u201d the former president\u2019s introspective new book.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t separate one\u2019s own religious faith from your experiences if you\u2019re a classroom teacher, or if you\u2019re a medical doctor, or if you\u2019re a lawyer, or if you have a job in a grocery store,\u201d he said. \u201cI never have found any serious disharmony between my own religious faith, which has fluctuated during my lifetime in its sincerity or fervency, \u2026 (and) with my responsibilities as a senator, or governor or president.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Nevertheless, Carter\u2019s 11th book contains many references to the religious tensions that shaped his years in the White House and afterwards \u2014 from his chat with Playboy about sexual temptation to theological lessons learned in Middle East diplomacy. He also discusses his agonizing internal debates over abortion, his military career and other issues of life and death.<\/p>\n\n
It will surprise no one that \u201cLiving Faith\u201d includes many criticisms of the Religious Right. Obviously, Carter said he doesn\u2019t mind that Christians have become more politically active. But he does worry that some evangelical superstars appear to have become more interested in government policies than in asking people to repent of their sins. For example, many act as if homosexuality is the single greatest problem facing America, while avoiding sins \u2014 statistically \u2014 affect many more people in church pews.<\/p>\n\n
For example, writes Carter, \u201calmost all Protestants, including those allied with the Christian Right, will now acknowledge divorce as an acceptable choice for unhappy couples, and they rarely speak out against `fornication\u2019 or adultery, although Jesus repeatedly condemned these acts.\u201d He notes that the church has fallen silent on other lifestyle issues that threaten millions, such as \u201csmoking, improper diet, lack of exercise, sexual promiscuity, carelessness with firearms and driving while intoxicated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
It may actually be easier for religious leaders to avoid clarity today than it is for politicians \u2014 who are finding it harder and harder to hide. Carter found it especially ironic that Pat Robertson choose to publicly address some of the moral and ethical issues in his own life when he ran for president in 1988. Apparently, no such clarifications were needed when he was merely a powerful Christian broadcaster and educator.<\/p>\n\n
It\u2019s important for Christians to be active in the public square, said Carter. But it\u2019s even more important for believers to face tough issues in their private lives.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cWe are all,\u201d stressed Carter, \u201cinclined as human beings to condemn people who commit sins of which we are not guilty. That\u2019s human nature.\u201dn the beginning there was candidate Jimmy Carter, facing waves of reporters demanding an answer to the urgent question: What exactly is a \u201cborn-again Christian?\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Most political insiders were shocked to learn that millions of evangelicals, fundamentalists, Pentecostals, charismatics and even some people in historic-church pews fit under this theological umbrella. Most of these folks even planned to vote.<\/p>\n\n
There were more plot twists ahead. The born-again crowd wasn\u2019t well organized \u2014 yet. Also, many evangelicals didn\u2019t want this particular Southern Baptist in the White House, while others cheered him on. It was all very complex and most journalists acted as if the Martians had landed. The earth moved.<\/p>\n\n
It\u2019s important for Christians to be active in the public square, said Carter. But it\u2019s even more important for believers to face tough issues in their private lives.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cWe are all,\u201d stressed Carter, \u201cinclined as human beings to condemn people who commit sins of which we are not guilty. That\u2019s human nature.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the beginning there was candidate Jimmy Carter, facing waves of reporters demanding an answer to the urgent question: What exactly is a \u201cborn-again Christian?\u201d Most political insiders were shocked to learn that millions of evangelicals, fundamentalists, Pentecostals, charismatics and even some people in historic-church pews fit under this theological umbrella. Most of these folks […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":610,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n