Paul Capetz, who teaches theology at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (Minnesota) has sent us his theological-ethical reflections on the presidency of George W. Bush.    [10-30-04]

It is a sign of the moral impoverishment of Christianity in this country that George W. Bush has been able to persuade many persons that he is an exemplary Christian and, therefore, has a moral presumption to be our president for another term. But this claim does not bear rigorous scrutiny upon critical examination. Two crucial issues are sufficient to make this point.

The first is Bush's obvious preference for the wealthy and the powerful over against the needs of the poor and the vulnerable. Aside from the fact that his tax cuts have clearly benefited the upper classes far more than they have helped the middle class, his policies have done nothing to relieve poverty. There is a clear expectation in both the Old and the New Testaments that a society is to be judged moral to the extent that it establishes justice for those without power and privilege as well as exercises mercy toward them. Jesus said, "Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do it unto me…[and] whatever you do not do unto the least of these, you do it not unto me" (Matthew 25:40, 45). In this passage Jesus is identifying himself with those who are hungry and without sufficient clothing or shelter.

A few weeks ago my church prepared a meal for 75 homeless persons at the Simpson Shelter in south Minneapolis. All of these homeless persons are employed at full-time jobs since that is a criterion of admission to this shelter. What kind of moral society do we live in when employed persons do not have a roof over their heads, not to mention what becomes of persons who have no employment? In both Judaism and Christianity, there is a moral vocation to live at least as much for the well-being of our neighbors as for ourselves. Would not a truly Christian president exercise genuine moral leadership through some sort of redistribution of wealth, responsibilities, and burdens that would insure access to basic conditions necessary for even a minimal level of human well-being for the poor and neediest members of our society?

The second issue is Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq. Aside from the fact that the original justification for going to war has turned out to be factually fallacious since weapons of mass destruction were not found in Iraq, it is well known that Bush has violated the historic criteria for a "just war" as these have been articulated and defended theologically and ethically in the Christian tradition. Indeed, it is notorious that, prior to going to war, the president refused to meet with leaders of his own Methodist church who sought to counsel him on the moral aspects of the question that ought to be taken into consideration in such a momentous decision. Of course, more than a thousand American lives have been lost (not to mention the toll on the Iraqis) because of the president's decision even though his decision cannot justifiably invoke the moral warrants of the Christian tradition he claims to represent. At its recent national General Assembly, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), of which I am a member, called the war in Iraq "unwise" and "immoral." I am not aware of any reputable scholar of the "just war" tradition in Christian ethics who has come to the defense of the president's decision in this respect.

Bush's arrogance in defying the Christian ethical precedents in the matter of war as well as his obvious lack of compassion for the truly poor and needy persons in our society belie his claim to be an exemplary Christian. In truth, he has made a mockery of Christianity through his rhetorical claims. Bush claims: "Christ transformed my heart." But I have to ask: "Really? What does that say about the state of his heart before he met Christ?"

It is time that Christians in this country wake up to the fact that serious commitment to Christian faith requires a critical perspective toward those politicians who invoke the name of Christ to justify their policies and their right to govern. The Christians who support Bush because they think he is a good Christian would do well to ponder the words of another president, Abraham Lincoln, who said: "I tremble for this nation when I remember that God is just."

Paul E. Capetz
Associate Professor of Historical Theology
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
New Brighton, Minnesota