An excerpt from the book Faith & Politics
by C. Welton Gaddy

What are some specific sources from which I can get help in formulating my political convictions?

Information garnered from a balanced sampling of print and electronic media, coupled with common sense, provides helpful insights for making decisions on political issues that have nothing to do with morality. However, when trying to reach conclusions about matters with strong moral underpinnings, overtones, and ramifications, several different types of resource materials should be consulted. Here are five good sources of insight with which to begin:

The Bible
Personally, accting the Bible as the authoritative word of God, I consult the Bible as I construct or revise various planks in my political platform. Though the Bible is in no sense a moral code book, the Scriptures elaborate basic moral principles that apply to many contemporary issues.

Indirect Influence. The Bible is a book of faith-a God-inspired book written by people of faith for people of faith and people in search of faith. It is not a textbook on morals, politics, and society. The Bible alerts its readers to basic moral values-love, justice, mercy, forgiveness, honesty, and rest; to name a few. However, the Bible offers no specific direction for the application of these values to complex situations such as the wisdom of providing the President a line-item veto in the federal budget, whether or not American troops should be deployed to Bosnia, and a choice of the best method to secure Medicare benefits for generations to come. Turning to the Bible for help in formulating political strategies is akin to consulting a political action manual for insights into the nature of the Christian faith.

The Bible shapes people of conscience, individuals sensitive to moral values in their decision-making and character development. Since character, in turn, shapes conduct, the Bible's nurture of character represents the greatest moral benefit of the Bible.

Direct Influence. The Bible directly addresses specific issues that repeatedly appear in the political realm. Specific biblical texts convey authoritative judgments on issues such as marriage, capital punishment, war, and help for the poor. Each biblical text reflects its particular setting within the history of salvation, however. Thus, the counsel of an Old Testament passage may differ substantially from a teaching from Jesus. Biblical ethics and Christian ethics are not synonymous.

Under the banner of "family values," enthusiastic reconstructionists influenced by R. J. Rushdoony want to establish the death penalty for crimes (sins) such as adultery. From a biblical perspective, such a policy seems in order when viewed from Leviticus but reprehensible when placed under the light of Jesus' message. On the whole matter of sexual relations, the Bible contains not one but several different points of view (compare Gen 2, Song of Songs, Prov 7, Lev 19, 1 Cor 7, and 1 Pet 3).

One Voice among Many. Seldom does the Bible present one well-defined moral norm that has received precisely the same treatment in all periods of the history of faith. More often than not, the Bible offers several perspectives on an issue and prompts fundamental questions that should be raised when studying that issue.

Turning to the Bible for insight in the development of political positions is important, but further study is necessary. We also need to know how an issue in question has fared throughout church history.

Church History
The church is the only "community that undertakes to relate Christians' specific moral choices and acts to their identity as Christians."2 Thus a knowledge of how the church has treated an issue across the ages can helpfully inform contemporary Christians dealing with that issue in the process of formulating a political platform.

The Church and Morality. The church preserves and conveys moral tradition. Much of church history consists of the church's interpretation and application of the Bible in thoughts, words, and actions (evangelical missions, liturgical forms, and political initiatives). Contemporary considerations of moral issues benefit greatly from studying the fate of these issues within Christian communities across the centuries.

Consistent Inconsistency. Any review of church history consistently documents the inconsistency with which the church has treated major issues. Take war, for example.

Based upon the teachings of the New Testament and the example of Jesus, early Christians apparently embraced pacifism with a passion. Prior to 170-180 A.D., no evidence exists that Christians served in armed forces.3 During the first three centuries of the Christian church, all outstanding Christian writers in both the East and West repudiated participation in warfare on the part of Christians.4 By no means, however, have Christians maintained this anti-war posture through the centuries.

A review of official resolutions and pronouncements in my own denomination reveal an insistence on peace prior to a declaration of war on the part of Congress or the President. After an official declaration, though, denominational leaders have urged church members to support the military efforts of their government. Frequently, national patriotism appeared more important than allegiance to a moral value commended and practiced by Jesus.

On most political issues, a singular biblical position or a distinctly defined Christian position is nonexistent. Yet, both the Bible and the church enable Christian decision-makers (and political platform builders) to view various ideological options with discretion and a sensitivity to moral values. Constructing a responsible political platform, though, requires studies that move beyond religious materials.

Political Statements
Politicians spell out their convictions on various issues in statements for the media, in posturing speeches, in printed reports to voters, and in position papers distributed by their offices. A comparison of differing political perspectives on the same issue can help us form a personal opinion about that issue.

Additional help can be found by contacting the national headquarters of various special interest groups. The organization, Citizens for Excellence in Education, provides a wealth of material critical of public schools. A radically different point of view on the same topic can be secured from the National Education Association. Both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party offer interpretive materials on their priorities. Studying materials from each major political party side-by-side can clarify differences in their philosophies and strategies and enable us to reach better informed conclusions of our own.

Expert Opinions
Expert opinions prove extremely beneficial in political decision-making, especially when an expert speaks or writes in the field of his or her expertise. Otherwise, watch out.

Truth or Propaganda. Propagandists regularly secure a popular expert in one field to speak authoritatively regarding an issue in a completely different field. The hope is that a gullible public, which generally respects the speaker's authority, will fail to note that, on this occion, her comments address a matter outside her realm of authority. A woman's status as an attractive, skilled actress endows her with no special competence to advocate a particular position on a controversial piece of environmental legislation. Sometimes a comment billed as an honest expert's opinion is no more than a slick attempt at propaganda.

Reaching a personal conclusion about economic policies requires a study of different economic philosophies. Expert economists provide helpful information. Likewise, developing an opinion on welfare necessitates consideration of the suggestions of social scientists and actual caseworkers. The insights of military strategists prove invaluable in the development of a defense budget, but negotiators and diplomats are the best advisors on initiatives for peace.

Dealing with Bias. No one is unbiased, experts included. A careful massage of raw data can make the identical facts look very different. Numerical statistics lend themselves to a vast array of interpretations and manipulations. Thus, on any issue, we should consult more than one expert opinion. We make our best decision on a matter once we have achieved a balanced perspective on it.

Personal Observations
Don't underestimate the power of common sense and personal observations as a source of political insight. The real test of a policy statement, a campaign promise, or the legislative initiatives of an individual candidate is effect-specifically effect on people. In the final analysis, good intentions don't count. Historically, many well-motivated acts ended up hurting people horrendously.

Seeing a policy's impact on specific persons tells the true story of that policy's worth. Cutbacks in welfare expenditures seem wise and right until we realize that these reductions take away a hot-meals program targeted at hungry kids. Calls for Medicare reform sound appealing until a citizen watches one of her parents denied needed medication because of a change in Medicare policies. State-sponsored gambling carries the appearance of a quick fix for improving local economic resources until the public witnesses the dramatic rise in bankruptcies, embezzlements, and family problems that accpany a proliferation of gambling establishments in an area.

In formulating a set of political beliefs, we do well not only to study policies on various issues but to look carefully at how these policies impact specific individuals. Personal observations provide priority information.

C. Welton Gaddy is the author of "Faith & Politics: What's a Christian to Do?" To order, go to the online bookpage or call 1-800-747-3016.