Christianity in the Public Square?

This is a season full of confusion for many Christians.  With the presidential election in front of us, Christians are confused about many things from who to vote for to how much should our faith influence our vote and how.  Let's talk about the latter question for a second. 

I've often heard it said that we Christians shouldn't seek to "legislate morality".  Really?  What are laws then- unmorality?  Non-morality?  You see, all laws inescapably reflect moral choices that are shaped by a prevailing worldview.  And while I believe in the spirituality of the church, I also believe in the Kingdom of God in which Christians seek to extend the real effects of Jesus' reign into all corners of their lives.  This is why our Kingdom worldview must be controling in all the choices we make in our lives- including how to participate in the political process.  Just listen to how powerfully Don Carson describes what the reach and impact of our Kingdom worldview should be in his excellent book Christ and Culture Revisited:

 Christians whose worldview- whose way of looking at the world - is decisively shaped by the Bible's story line cannot forget that we human beings have been made in the image of God; that our first obligation is to recognize our creatureliness, and thus our joyful obligation to our Creator; that sin is nothing other than de-godding of God; that our dignity as God's image bearers is horribly marred by our rebellion; that the entire race, and all of human history, is rushing toward final accountability before this God who is no less our Judge than our Maker; that there is a new heaven and a new earth to gain and a hell to fear; that our sole hope of reconciliation with this God is by the means He himself has provided in his Son; that the people of God are made up of human beings from every language and tribe and nation, and, empowered by God's Spirit, are growing in personal and corporate obedience and love, rejoicing to come under the reign of God in anticipation of the consummation of that reign.  Meanwhile, we are enjoined to do good to all, especially - but certainly not exclusively! - those of the household of faith.  In other words, Christianity does not claim to convey merely religious truth, but truth about all reality.  However complicated the issues may be, however disputed the way ahead may be, this vision of reality is radically different from a a secularist vision that wants Christianity to scuttle into the corner of the hearth by the coal shovel, conveniently out of the way of anything but private religious concerns."

 So let us not be confused at least on this point- that all truth is God's truth and speaks to every arena of life!  So should our faith infuence our voting choices?  Absolutely!  How should that happen?  By doing the hardwork of thinking through the whole scope of Christian truth revealed in the Bible and asking how it applies to the issues and the candidates before us.  Certainly not an easy task- but life is not easy nor does Jesus ever lead us to think it will be.  But he does tell us to believe that His Word is truth, and that His truth can be known and lived.  

 Vote accordingly!