Category: Worldviews
We are hearing a lot about faith these days from the presidential wannabe's. For example, Mrs. Clinton affirmed that faith is what got her through her husband's infidelity and that faith is very important to her. This was quickly followed by the reputation-saving qualification--her faith is very private. Of course it's private. In our intolerant milieu, faith is tolerable as long as you keep its objectivity out of the public square, but for someone to express that what they believe is the truth and, therefore, everyone else ought to believe it too, is not. What we are rarely told is who or what the faith is in. I have not heard any of these leaders say something like, "My faith is in the Triune God who lives and who revealed Himself on the inerrant pages of holy Scripture" or "My faith in Allah (the one true God and Mohammed is his prophet) is what drives me." But emphasizing faith without its object is a bit like buying a ferrari and inviting all your friends over to check out your new car keys.
Now the one exception to this, which caught me by surprise, was when John Edwards actually referred to "my Lord, Jesus Christ." I want to commend him for this. However, I would sure love to know what he meant by "Lord." Does he truly believe that Jesus is the Son of the living God who has been invested with all authority in heaven and earth? Is that what he means? Is Mr. Edwards affirming that all American laws and practices should be informed by, and conformed to, the commands of Christ? Does he avow that Jesus Christ is not merely the Lord of John Edwards, but also the Lord of every other living human being whether they acknowledge Him or not? Or, is Jesus his preferred faith object, but he would hate to impose his personal decision on anyone else? And does he view this Lord as someone who has no business hanging around capitol hill?