Political Issues

            Politics and the Bible have a rather tenuous relationship in the United States, given that there is a separation between Church and State, but political delegates are often religiously affiliated.  As seen by the current presidential primary debates, many candidates see the Bible as a tool to use in order to secure votes.  Usually, the usage is backed up by the candidate’s personal beliefs, but it is nonetheless a tool for their success.

            Clearly, political use of the bible and biblical rhetoric is seen differently by politicians and by academics.  The political side sees the text as providing answers, whereas an academic reader sees the same text as a question (Berlinerblau 15).  This difference in reading dictates the action that the person will take with it.  Instead of looking for discrepancies and context, it is much more likely that the politician or candidate will simply use the verse that suits their needs.  While this has proven effective, it has also caused quite a few problems.  In the case of political arguments that Leviticus disallows gay marriage, the usual response is that Leviticus also disallows mixed fabrics.  The lack of context in the initial claim is enough to anger opponents and cause a general ruckus in the political realm. More recently, the “two Corinthians” debacle with Donald Drumpf has called attention to the importance of knowing more than the text alone—a political candidate can fall under fire for not being familiar with the specific title of a section of the bible.

            While church and state are ‘separated,’ they remain intertwined, and knowledge of both realms is crucial for the success of political candidates.  It does not matter which party or what stance, a familiarity with the text and knowledge of the terminology associated are helpful for any politician.