Today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has an interesting article about Mitt Romney, a candidate for the Republican Nomination for the President of the United States. The article entitled “Romney says religion won’t affect decisions” where he states that his religion will not influence any policy decisions if he would become the next president of the United States. He is quoted as saying, “Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions,” and “Their authority is theirs, within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin.”
While it seems like a good thing to hear, especially since I am convinced that I don’t really want Mormonism defining the office of the president, it does however leave me asking the question, “How serious can this man be about his faith?” In a similar line of thinking, I would not want a Roman Catholic President to serve as a puppet of the Vatican either. However, I would hope that a Roman Catholic President would clearly reflect the values of the Roman Catholic Church. I would not want an Evangelical president to be a puppet for Billy Graham or an Anglican to be a puppet for the Arch Bishop of Canterbury. Yet, it seems to me that if the President is serious about his or her faith that there is no way that faith, their values, their world view shaped and formed by their religious tradition should not show up in the policy that they promote and develop. Otherwise, there is little reason for them to mention their faith, because if it does not shape and form their lives, it is nothing be a thinly veiled pretense that is only worn to court voters, and as such is blasphemous.
As an Anabaptist I am a fully convinced that the separation of Church and State needs to be complete. I don’t lobby for a return to prayer in school or bible reading either. In truth, I do not want public educators, who may or may not be believers instructing my child in matters of faith. This is a properly done by the family and the church.
Yet, I am convinced that if a believer, a follower of Jesus is in public office that his or her faith should be evident, it should appear in his or her speech, policy and practice. So, I find in the end, that if Mitt Romney is a believer, his faith should be influencing his policy. Let me clarify, not creating a theocracy, but clearly the core values of his faith should be reflected in his policy. If his faith places an emphesis on care for the poor, so should his policy. If there is an emphesis on integrity is should then be seen in his Administration. Faith should influence and form our action. Otherwise, it is empty, and blasphemous.
