Christian Faith and Political Life: A Pre- and Post-Election Dialogue

Jason Carter, University of Georgia School of Law
Randy Beck, University of Georgia School of Law

Abstract

The 2004 presidential election has generated a wide-ranging discussion of the role of religion in public life. Well before the election, Jason Carter, grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, anticipated the difficulties the political left would experience in attracting the votes of theologically conservative Christians. In a paper initially drafted for a Spring 2004 law school seminar, Mr. Carter called for a genuine dialogue about political implications of the Christian faith, designed to overcome the country's unhealthy polarization between a religious right and a secular left. In light of the election results, Prof. Randy Beck suggested that Mr. Carter's seminar paper form the basis for this written dialogue, which explores political implications of Christian faith, including the extent to which conservative theology might be consistent with liberal politics.