Necessary Roughness

The Washington Post reports that a group of pastors has endorsed Ken Blackwell for Governor of Ohio. Blackwell’s campaign site as of this writing has not mentioned it in its endorsement list (link dead). The only pastor mentioned in the article is Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr., of Hope Christian Church in Bowie, Maryland.

I understand when a pastor using his office argues a viewpoint supported by biblical text. Scripture is pretty cut and dry about things like murder, theft, and adultery. Scripture is not so clear when it comes to political endorsements of people or parties. Ken Blackwell is closer to my views than Ted Strickland, but the Bible doesn’t say “Thou shalt vote for Ken Blackwell.”

Would you want a math teacher in the execution of his or her duties telling students how to vote? I certainly don’t during the course of my classes, even though in HAL a lot of us share similar views on certain subjects. It’s disruptive. It detracts from the material I am trying to teach. If a student knows all about the effects of minimum wage law but doesn’t know how to use the software in their job, I’ve been negligent.

A pastor doesn’t get the breaks I do, though. At the end of the day I go back to the hotel or the house, and I stop teaching. He’s always a pastor, unless he disclaims himself. When a pastor endorses a candidate or a particular law, he is applying the theological and psychological weight of his office (who wants to sin by voting for Strickland?) He is making Law where there isn’t.

It is especially inappropriate to suggest political action, whether Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or that of the Constitution Party, from the pulpit. This isn’t a separation of church and state issue. It’s an issue of the pastor doing his job, which is to preach Christ crucified for us sinners.

Whether or not Blackwell sought this endorsement, I’m interested in the mentality behind seeking the endorsement of clergy. Is the candidate seeking testimony that he won’t sin? Does one need the clergy to sell you on legislation you have moral issues with? Is the candidate looking for a character reference?