Reviews, Interviews, News, Commentaries, Excerpts, My Top 5 Books, Wilson's Bookmarks, Book AwardsQ & A: Timothy Goeglein on Redemption After Plagiarism
So how about advice for people about being a Christian in public life? Is it possible?
We don't choose angels or perfect men and women to be our leaders. I believe for my fellow Christians that we ought to be very careful that we understand that we, as Christians, are citizens of two places. We're citizens of the country where we live, but we are ultimately citizens of heaven where we're going. Chuck Colson has rightly called these the kingdoms in conflict. It happens in Jerusalem. It's the city of God and the city of man. We have to be very careful to understand that there are two realms. We can't expect perfection in one realm because there was only one perfect human being.
That sounds pretty Lutheran.
Luther was an Augustinian monk, and he was very influenced by St. Augustine in the concept of the place in which a person's faith and public life cross. The Augustinian view is one that I think is pushed a lot among leaders. I love America; I think it's the greatest country. But I'm very careful not to conflate pride in my country with heaven itself.
Some complain that evangelicals have been too involved with the Republican Party in predictable ways. Are you concerned about that?
I am. You had this rise of people like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell who helped bring a lot of people into public life, which I think is a good thing. A certain duty of the Christian life is to vote and to be involved. But I also believe in prudence. The U.S. Constitution is not the Bible. A political party is not the church.
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Related Elsewhere:
Previous coverage of Timothy Goeglein, Focus on the Family, and George W. Bush includes:
Focus on the Family Action Taps Former Bush Aide who Resigned for Plagiarism | He was special assistant to President Bush and public liaison deputy director, often acting as a pipeline for social conservatives, including evangelicals. (January 28, 2009)
Refocusing on the Family | Like many evangelical organizations that were built in the past 50 years, Focus on the Family is attempting to thrive—and survive—past its founder. (July 1, 2011)
Bush's Defining Moment | The President, facing a grief-stricken nation under attack, finds his voice and his mission. (November 12, 2001)
Christianity Today covers political developments on the politics blog.
Star Trek Into Darkness
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A Hermit
The article was about redemption after plagiarism. President Bush forgave his aide; he also commuted part of Scooter Libby's sentence, keeping him out of prison. Libby was sentenced with regard to the outing of Valerie Plame, wife of Joe Wilson, who called the Bush administration to account for the fact that the Iraq attempt to purchase Niger yellowcake uranium didn't happen as it claimed. It may be reasonably assumed that Libby was the fall guy for Cheney, who sought a complete pardon for him. The Bush administration also violated the constitution in ordering illegal wiretapping, but was never prosecuted. It also condoned and advised interrogation techniques that most consider torture in violation of international law, despite the opposition of ranking members of the military. It remains to be seen whether the dictators who fell will not be replaced by fundamentalist Muslims and Sharia law, with ties to Iran.
A.Yeshuratnam
Goeglein's testimony is very moving. People like 'A.Hermit' have not understood that Bush alone, unlike earlier presidents, had to face a new type of war, global terrorism after 9/11. In the two World Wars, the enemy could be targeted and smashed. But in the war against terrorism, the enemy is invisible but present everywhere. But Bush successfully handled the new situation by bringing quickly Baghdad and Kabul under the Americans as a retaliation to 9/11 attacks. Quite surprisingly, the fall of Saddam Hussein led to the fall of other dictators in the Middle East in quick succession. It may not be wrong to say that Bush is the "Father of Arab Spring." What is more, After World War II Americans failed in the Korean War, in Viet nam, in Somalia and in other skirmishes here and there. In Iraq and Afghanistan Americans are not fleeing for their lives as in Vietnam. American flag is still fluttering in Baghdad and Kabul, although Obama wants to withdraw the troops.
Doug
Jacks and A Hermitt's comments are absurd and show their political bias. Their comments have NOTHING to do with the article that was written but only a way for them to continue to bash and bring up old rhetoric that has no supporting truth. If we could only get them and the Obama Birthers in the same room, then we would really have some fun...