"If, in the divine plan, there were sure answers to questions of public policy, God seldom gave them to me. If God gave the answers to anyone, a lot must have been lost in translation, for on "religious issues" — abortion, stem cell research, public display of religion and the like — people who worship God are on opposing sides. If there is a Christian agenda for politics, what should it be? I, for one, cannot be certain.
Then one might ask, what does faith bring to politics if not an agenda? For me, it brings a struggle to do God's will that always falls short of the goal. It leavens the competing self-interests of politics with the yeast of the Love Commandment, but it seldom fulfills the Love Commandment. It makes us better participants in politics, but not the custodians of God's politics."
From "Faith and Politics: How the "Moral Values" Debate Divides America and How to Move Forward Together" by John C. Danforth, former Republican Senator and U.N. Ambassador and Episcopalian priest. Listen here for interview on American Public Media's Speaking of Faith.
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