The Scattered Voice: Christians at Odds in the Public Square
by James W. Skillen
Canadian Institute for Law, Theology and Public Policy (Reprint 1996)
Paperback
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The Scattered Voice probes the question Who speaks for Christians in politics today? with a dispassionate examination of seven political perspectives held by Christians today:
- pro-American conservatives
- cautious and critical conservatives
- sophisticated neo-conservatives
- traditional and reflective liberals
- civil-rights reformers
- pro-justice activists
- theonomic reconstructionists
These are not mutually exclusive categories, Skillen says, and readers may find themselves identifying with more than one of them or with none at all. But they represent major tendencies and points of view.
"Pro-American conservatives" is the description Skillen uses for many on the Christian right, including Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, James Dobson, Phyllis Schlafly, D. James Kennedy, and Tim and Beverly LaHaye. These Christians are strong moralists who do not distinguish clear political criteria for their activism.
Among the "cautious and critical conservatives," in the author's view, are Charles Colson, Mark Amstutz, Ken Myers, and Doug Bandow--four very different people who nonetheless share a cautious reserve about government initiatives while expressing self-criticism because of human sinfulness.
Richard John Neuhaus and Michael Novak are the two activist authors whom Skillen evaluates in a chapter titled "sophisticated neo-conservatives." Neuhaus and Novak show a keen awareness of the diverse complexity of society, but their political philosophies remain underdeveloped in Skillens estimation.
"Traditional and reflective liberals" is a description that embraces both Protestant and Catholic figures, including the American Catholic bishops who published an important pastoral letter on the U.S. economy. In Chapter 5 Skillen also discusses Max L. Stackhouse, author of Public Theology and Political Economy, and M. Douglas Meeks, author of God the Economist. These representative figures start with the assumption that government should take positive initiatives to create a just society--a just political community. But Skillen criticizes them for not distinguishing clearly enough the proper sphere of the state in its relation to non-political institutions and communities such as families, schools, churches, and business enterprises.
Christian "civil rights reformers" such as Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson, and many others, believe that politics is above all a crusade for securing and protecting rights. Given the history of American racial discrimination, the inspiration behind this approach seems obvious. But today when any cause at all might try to march under the banner of "civil rights," Christians need to take a new look at the nature of the Bill of Rights and at the full political/governmental context in which civil rights and liberties have their proper meaning.
Ronald J. Sider and Jim Wallis are the most prominent people examined in Chapter 7--the "pro-justice activists." Skillen applauds their quest for biblical justice, but asks whether these evangelicals have adequately identified a political target for their activism.
The "theonomic reconstructionists" are those who believe with R.J. Rushdoony, Greg Bahnsen, and Gary North that the Old Testament's case laws and legal standards are directly applicable today. They want a radical reconstruction of American politics--one that goes further than merely recovering an earlier "Christian America." This approach is not at all comfortable with the kind of pluralism that Skillen sees as grounded in biblical revelation.
But the book offers more than evaluation. The author concludes by urging Christians to move from contention to communication in the development of a more coherent and consistent approach to politics. No other book examines such a diverse range of views. The Scattered Voice makes sense out of the difficult and complex issues, and it will help you look to the future with hope.
