Review
Voter's Guide
The Bible and the Ballot: Using Scripture in Political Decisions by Tremper Longman III
If you tune in to virtually any television news outlet today, your eyes and ears will be assailed with the bile and vitriol of the political rhetoric that is leading up to the 2020 election. In the midst of this already contentious election season, Dr. Tremper Longman III has issued a resounding call for the responsible use of Scripture in political decision-making. This call is a right and good and even a joyful thing, given that much of the current rhetoric that has been spewed involves an obscene abuse of Biblical doctrine.
In the midst of this disturbing situation, Longman provides clarity and sound teaching on Scripture from an informed, scholarly, and decidedly conservative position. His analysis is both accessible and erudite. He addresses key issues of the day with nuance and obvious deference to the witness of Scripture. His conclusions stand within the bounds of tradition; his style of argument is fresh and engaging.
Part One of The Bible and the Ballot builds an appropriate hermeneutical lens through which Christians can view any political situation. This lens comprises such fundamental theological assertions as that all people are made in the image of God and that all are sinners in need of saving grace. In establishing these parameters in Part One, Longman gives the reader a grace-filled position from which to confront the issues at hand.
In Part Two he seeks to inform the reader about where Holy Scripture stands on the following hot-button issues of the day, to each of which he devotes a separate chapter: (1) Nationalism, Patriotism, and Globalization; (2) Religious Liberty; (3) War; (4) Abortion; (5) Criminal Justice and Capital Punishment; (6) Immigration; (7) Same-Sex Marriage; (8) The Environment; (9) Poverty; and (10) Racism. He speaks cogently on each topic, cautioning the reader to be both critical and merciful in thinking about the sin-sick reality of humanity's fallen nature.
Some Surprises
While Longman's arguments lead to traditional conclusions, some might find themselves surprised by how he gets to them. For instance, in his chapter on abortion, he does not argue that life begins at conception. Instead, he contends that the potential of life, which he sees as being the biblical foundation found in such passages as Jeremiah 1:5 and Psalm 139:13, is precious and ought to be protected. After all, every person is made in the image of God. According to Longman, those who would say that the potential of life is not life are simply missing the reality of this image-bearing, which is present both in utero and among those already born.
Longman will surprise others with his position on capital punishment, which, he argues, the Bible might actually support, if only in cases of premeditated murder. And regarding the Mosaic Law, which he addresses from his vantage point as a renowned scholar of the Old Testament, he confronts the reader with the prospect that the saving work of Jesus Christ frees the baptized from the ritual and purity laws, but not from the whole Law.
Whether one agrees with Longman or not, these points call for thoughtful engagement.
Chief among his concerns is the desire to instruct Christian voters in the United States in what Scripture says about the issues of the day. He does so, it would seem, to clarify the waters of Christian political discourse, which have been made murky by platform politics. So an indirect outcome of this book might be the injection of a bit more biblical literacy into the political scene. If that happens, then perhaps people will actually remember the Christian foundations of American society. While "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing," hope springs
eternal.
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