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Martin Luther King Jr. also fails Obama's test. "I am in Birmingham because injustice is here," King wrote from his jail cell in 1963. King said he felt as compelled as Paul and the Prophets, who carried "their 'thus saith the Lord' far beyond the boundaries of their hometown." He also argued that "a just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God."

What Lincoln, King, and others did, however, was use a variety of reasons—some religious, some pragmatic—to motivate social change. Thus, listeners with or without a religious bent could find some reason to buy into the cause. America remains a profoundly religious nation and far and away a Judeo-Christian nation. It may not be enough to use only religious reasoning, but as the rise of the Religious Right has demonstrated, it is not enough to cast political arguments in the language of power and rights either. The American people want not only political, but also moral leadership—leadership that understands some issues transcend political pragmatism.

Still, Obama deserves credit for saying what few politicians on the Left dare say. In fact, his speech just might persuade reluctant politicians to check their fears and prejudices. In a subsequent blog entry, Zorn admitted that he might have a blind spot on the subject and "that blind spot … threatens to leave me, and others, out of the conversation Obama wants to start."

Thanks to leaders like King and Lincoln, this conversation won't start from scratch.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Weblog commented on Obama's speech after it was delivered.

Obama gave his speech at the Call to Renewal Conference where many other politicians also spoke.

The Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn's comments are available on his blog.

More commentary includes:

What's the Matter With Barack Obama? | Unfortunately, Obama's rhetoric ends up reinforcing Republican myths about liberal Godlessness instead of challenging them. (Michelle Goldberg, Huffington Post, July 30, 2006)

Obama Works to Win Evangelicals Back for Democrats | Illinois Sen. Barack Obama talks with Renee Montagne about his call for Democrats to reach out to evangelical Christians. (Morning Edition, NPR, July 14, 2006)

In Good Faith | The real meaning of Barack Obama's speech on religion and politics. (Amy Sullivan, Slate, July 3, 2006)

More Christianity Today editorials on Politics includes:

Worship as Higher Politics | Political priorities for citizens of the kingdom. A Christianity Today editorial (June 23, 2005)

How Serious Are Democrats? | Making abortion rare will take more than words. A Christianity Today editorial (March 16, 2005)

Same Song, Second Term | It is a unique political moment for Christian conservatives—or is it? A Christianity Today editorial (Jan. 10, 2005)

For Whom Would Jesus Vote? | Single-issue politics is neither necessary nor wise. A Christianity Today editorial (Oct. 27, 2004)

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September 2006, Vol. 50, No. 9