The president need not be a Christian

Because of all those stories about the role of religion in the 2008 presidential campaign, Christianity Today has started an ongoing series of articles exploring how Christians should behave in a secular society. The first perspective is offered by Uwe Siemon-Netto:

The religious aspect of the 2008 election leaves this confessional Lutheran once again mystified. First there was the kerfuffle over whether Christians could elect a Mormon to the White House, a dispute making no sense to followers of Martin Luther, who said, “The emperor need not be a Christian so long as he possesses reason.“ Meanwhile, the amiable Mike Huckabee mused inexplicably about an alleged need to conform the Constitution more to the Bible. Then John McCain got in hot water for accepting the endorsement of Texas pastor John Hagee, a vituperative critic of the Roman Catholic Church.

The latest uproar is over the church Sen. Barack Obama has affiliated himself with, and whether he should have fled Jeremiah Wright after the pastor offered such hideous political pronouncements as “God damn America.“

All this makes a staunch Lutheran groan in desperation. Did not Christ tell Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36)? Which of these seven words is so hard to understand?

Preach on, brother. I couldn’t agree more. As I commented on this post at GetReligion:

It has been quite nauseating listening to politicians pander their religious beliefs. The person I vote for does not have to share my religious beliefs, so long as they share my values.