Jesus for President

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An Ethical Musings’ reader sent me these intriguing questions:

If Jesus ran for President, would you vote for him? Would the American people vote for him? Would the media reduce his achievements to make us question his value?

Christians too often limit the scope of Jesus’ teachings and his significance to issues of personal, interior spirituality. These Christians are sadly blind to, or choose to ignore, the relevance of Jesus and his teachings to issues of human relationships, community, national and international policies, and the stewardship of creation.

If you have a narrow view of the scope of Jesus’ teachings, reread any one of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) with the expectation that Jesus’ speaks not only about one’s interior life but also about life’s broader, external dimension. Remember, Jesus calls to love God and our neighbor.

Would you vote for Jesus?

No one issue defined Jesus. Nor does any one candidate ever fully embody the teachings of Jesus. If you would vote for Jesus, how do you translate that commitment into voting for candidates actually on the ballot?

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