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Voting is the ultimate symbol of trust in our fellow citizens. To vote is to propose that we settle our differences not by warfare, and not by litigation, but by accepting the forms of democracy and laying our cherished certainties on how the world should be on the table. We rely on persuasion rather than coercion, which means that we risk being unpersuasive. If we are sufficiently unpersuasive, then our side loses and the other side wins.

In that sense, our voting represents a sacrifice, an acknowledgment of the possibility that we will lose the political struggle, at least in the short run. But by taking that risk, by allowing our fellow citizens to outvote us, we place our hope in the next world, not this one, enabling us to render unto Caesar and glorify the Lord.

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Previous articles by Christianity Today sister publication Books & Culture on American voting include:

The Right to Vote | The controversy over the vote this November is nothing new, scholar Alexander Keyssar explains; the history of voting in the United States is much messier than we have been led to believe. (Nov. 15, 2000)

A Terribly Undemocratic Thought | Is universal suffrage a failure? (Nov./Dec. 2000)

Recent Christianity Today columns by Stephen L. Carter include:

Virtue via Vouchers | The Supreme Court's recent decision can help prevent more corporate scandals. (Dec. 4, 2002)

Remedial History | The educational establishment seems confused about our spiritual heritage. (July 10, 2002)

Uncle Sam Is Not Your Dad | The separation of church and state protects families too. (March 22, 2002)

A Quiet Compromise | Why a moment of silence is better than school prayer. (Feb. 25, 2002)

Leaving 'Normal' Behind | Life before September 11 seemed more secure, but do we really want it back? (Dec. 4, 2001)

Rudeness Has a First Name | Instant informality actually sabotages true friendship. (Nov. 2, 2001)

Why Rules Rule | Debates on the Ten Commandments expose our culture's ultimate rift. (Sept. 6, 2001)

We Interrupt This Childhood | Parents who raise their children to do right face a barrage of resistance. (July 11, 2001)

And the Word Turned Secular | Christians should count the cost of the state's affirmation. (May 29, 2001)

Vouching for Parents | Vouchers are not an attack on public schools but a vote of trust in families. (Apr. 2, 2001)

The Courage to Lose | In elections, and in life, there is something more important than winning. (Feb. 6, 2001)

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March 2003, Vol. 47, No. 3