A few weeks ago Marvin Olasky wrote that “many evangelicals of college age and slightly beyond…frequently cannot think of a single conservative evangelical whom they admire.” Consequently, a new World magazine contest has been announced for:
Nominating a person. Your mission, should you choose to accept it: By July 31 send June McGraw a name and one-paragraph description of an articulate conservative evangelical under the age of 40 who already has a record of accomplishment and seems likely to accomplish more.
We’re looking for people with attractive personalities who are committed to political decentralization, free markets, and Bible-based cultural norms. We’ll research your nominees and interview some. The particular field is less important than the person. Since the proclamation of propositional truths does not engage some younger evangelicals, our goal is to offer narratives of exciting lives, profiling in words and film the most impressive. Please help us find them.
Who to nominate?
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So, basically a Republican who is also orthodox in his/her theology?! This kind of stuff cracks me up, Alex. How about young evangelicals who don’t fall that right on the political spectrum? I have a feeling that most of the most influential in the next generation will be much more moderate or apolitical, if only as a reaction against the excessive politicalization of evangelicalism in the past few decades.
Nick,
Good to hear from you. I see some support for your observation that today’s youngish conservative evangelical leaders are less publicly political than their predecessors. But I don’t think Olasky is looking for “basically a Republican who is also orthodox in his/her theology”.
Rather, reverse the order. I think Olasky’s own journey (and that of many others) speaks to the fact that the implications of conservative evangelical theology more naturally leads to a conservative political orientation (“decentralization, free markets, and Bible-based cultural norms”) than to any other system. Would you disagree?
I think Olasky is looking for folks whose orthodox theology informs their view of individual liberty (decentralization, free markets) and Bible-based culture norms (pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-charity/mercy).
I would disagree, strongly. I don’t think there is a whole lot in the Republican ideology that is opposed per se to Christianity, but to say it is the only consistently logical position flowing out of the gospel is something I would loudly protest against. I don’t think Christianity has always led to capitalism or small government, nor need to in every society. Again, I have no problem with believers holding strong convictions politically here–I just don’t like the (implicit or explicit) insistence that all other political ideologies are correspondingly unfaithful or unChristian.
First, a clarification: I did not say that a conservative political orientation was the only logical position flowing out of the gospel. I said it was the most natural. There’s a big difference. I’m not denying that some legitimate, well-meaning Christians believe in things like national health care.
Perhaps we can start by agreeing that communism (which requires atheism) is off the table for the Christian. Then you’ve got C.S. Lewis’ quote against monarchy and in favor of democracy: “Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows.”
What’s left? Different kinds of democracies. What most coheres with the gospel? Pro-life, Pro-marriage, pro-individual acts of mercy I think are obvious. The others require more explaining. I would suggest:
Piper’s explanation of the Protestant work ethic, and how industry and productivity were rooted in a God-dependent theology:
http://www.alexchediak.com/blog/2009/09/the_paradox_of_the_protestant.php
Couple that with the OT’s valuing of individual property rights, for rich and poor (and the principle that the rich were not to be exploited by the poor on the basis of their being rich, though charity and kindness were everywhere encouraged). Suggests decentralization and (generally) free markets to me.
Bradford Wilcox’s observation that where there is more government, there is generally less value/belief in God.
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2009/03/82
Now consider the reverse: Where biblical Christianity flourishes, there’s less big government. Contrast the USA (founded with a strong Protestant/Calvinism influence) with South America or Europe. I think it stands to reason that more biblical Christianity (in a society) generally leads to a greater valuation of individual liberty, decentralization, and Bible-based cultural norms (pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-individual, uncoerced charity/mercy).
Lastly, consider Jay Richards’ book on Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem. He lays out a good case for how capitalism (i.e., free markets) are consistent with biblical principles.
http://www.alexchediak.com/blog/2009/05/money_greed_and_god_why_capita.php
Very last point: Just because the rising, young, conservative evangelical leaders in our day may not actively “push” a “political agenda” (nor should they necessarily do so, depending on their vocation) does not mean they don’t embrace these principles. I would suggest to you that most would embrace them.