On another note, Sarah Palin seems to have had an interesting spiritual journey. Born and baptized a Catholic, in her teens and young adulthood she attended an Assemblies of God church. (No word whether she has been baptized twice; AG doesn’t recognize infant baptism.) It’s unclear, according to this Christianity Today article, exactly what Palin’s theology is these days.
The Assemblies of God is one of the world’s largest Pentecostal denominations. If elected as vice-president, Palin would go farther in American politics than any previous leader with Pentecostal roots. (So far, former Attorney General John Ashcroft holds the distinction of being America’s highest-ranking charismatic.) It’s worth noting that Pentecostalism goes a long way towards explaining Palin’s balancing of socially conservative views with a strong belief in women’s capacity to lead. Like most Pentecostal denominations, going all the way back to the Azusa Revival a century ago, the Assemblies of God ordains women as pastors. Palin, born a Catholic, left a denomination that denied pastoral authority to women in order to join one that embraced women as leaders — while still holding to traditional social views on issues like “life” and sexuality. Unlike among the Southern Baptists or conservative Calvinists, it’s not unusual in Pentecostal circles to find women who are both church leaders and mothers of young children. Palin belongs, it seems, to that tradition.
The press simply calls her an “evangelical.” But that’s far too broad a term, as we all know. Given that Palin seems to have enormous credibility with Christian conservatives, it’s worth asking some questions about her theological views. After all, while many Pentecostals reject superficial “end times” millenarianism, others — including many affiliated with AG, a denomination to which my third wife belonged and with which I am very familiar — are anxiously awaiting the Rapture and the various stages of Tribulation. Someone who anticipates the imminent end of the world is, I think we can agree, a dangerous person to have one heartbeat from the presidency.
For all his myriad failings, there’s no evidence that George W. Bush ever held millenarian, apocalyptic views. I am prepared to regard faith as an essentially private concern, save when it leads to contempt for the responsibility to care for the earth for generations to come.
President Ronald Reagan entertained a long-standing fascinating with the End Times — widely credited to what he learned during childhood from his mother — yet by his second term he was pushing hard for nuclear disarmament.
While millenarians sometimes show interest in influencing politics (Tim LaHaye, for example), I cannot think of one national-level American politician who has made millenarianism an important reference point of public policy. Such eccentrics tend not to rise very high in either of the two major parties.
Millenarianism tends to create a deep pessimism about what will become of civilization in the run-up to the End Times. It would take an almost bipolar person to believe in millenarianism and to see much point in a life of public service. I suppose it’s possible to imagine a millenarian running for office in order to hasten the end, but the millenarians I know recognize that the timing of the Apocalypse is entirely in God’s hands.
Another great post, Hugo! Here are more musings at John Hobbins’s blog in this post: The Christianity of Sarah Palin.
Very, very interesting. Thanks for the post, Hugo, and thanks for the link, JK Gayle.
“Someone who anticipates the imminent end of the world is, I think we can agree, a dangerous person to have one heartbeat from the presidency.” I agree, though I would emphasize that you have at most shown that she might have these views, not that she does, or even probably does. I’m inclined to hold someone innocent until proven guilty — at least supposing in this case that it would be easy to prove “guilt.” Good post, though!
I would like to agree with Douglas LeBlanc, as well as add my own note. As a current charismatic and former Assemblies of God church member, I and many other people like me have realized the emphasis on the End Times to the point of being no earthly good is downright presumptuous. Who are we to tell God that He has to end the world soon? Why not stick around, as He wills, and plan for the good future? Please don’t paint charismatics with such a broad brush and introduce worries that are based on complete speculation. You might as well bring up the old tired arguments against having a Catholic in office–that he is obligated to obey a foreign power (the Pope), oh noes! And JFK was just fine, no need to worry.
Come to think of it, wouldn’t believing you know when the world will end be — a heresy?
Hugo,
I think we’re jumping to assumptions here that might not be fair.
Palin, born a Catholic, left a denomination that denied pastoral authority to women in order to join one that embraced women as leaders — while still holding to traditional social views on issues like “life” and sexuality. (My emphasis, your words)
We have no idea what her motivations were, so your conclusion is pure speculation, isn’t it? Since she switched denominations at a young age, and likely did so with her family, I think we’re being quite presumptuous.
Someone who anticipates the imminent end of the world is, I think we can agree, a dangerous person to have one heartbeat from the presidency.
If reports indicate that she only occasionally attends an AoG church, aren’t we taking these speculative statements too far?
Now, I just bring this up because I think we might be jumping a little too quickly to say things that we don’t have any strong support for. Although I’m Canadian, If I could have any say, I’d be voting Obama/Biden in a heartbeat. Talking about heartbeats, I have huge reservations about putting someone so inexperienced so close to the Presidency. But, at the same time, let’s be fair and not jump to religious conclusions about Gov. Palin. There are better ways to critique her than by raising fears of what her Christianity might be.
“Someone who anticipates the imminent end of the world is, I think we can agree, a dangerous person to have one heartbeat from the presidency.”
Since we’re examining the theological views of our candidates, it is not unfair to consider Rev. Wright. Rev. Wright exhulted in 9/11 as God’s righteous judgment on America for her sins. So perhaps Obama might be less than vigilant in protecting America, because after all, we’re only getting what we deserve!
I don’t believe that for a minute, but I find your analysis a bit ridiculous. If she was a staunch Roe. Vs. Wade supporter, rabidly anti-war, impeccably hostile to Bush, and pro gay-marriage you would have totally discounted even the most extreme theological views.
Sorry - mean to close the italics after “exulted”
STF, note the tone of my post: I asked a question, and didn’t presume an answer.
Barack Obama, alas, is anti-gay marriage. He is pro domestic partnerships, a key distinction that has disappointed many progressives.
Barack Obama, alas, is anti-gay marriage. He is pro domestic partnerships, a key distinction that has disappointed many progressives.
Isn’t that really a moot point, though? There’s no way any national pro-gay marriage legislation will have a chance in hell within four years, and probably not eight, either.
Seems like focusing on individual states would be the better, more politically feasible option. After all, the biggest gun in the right’s armory is portraying gays as an Other, making the “gay marriage will destroy civilization” crap more likely to take root. More states that haven’t collapsed into amoral anarchy would wreck that argument pretty quickly.
I have to ask, given this direct quote from you:
>After all, while many Pentecostals reject superficial “end times”
>millenarianism, others — including many affiliated with AG, a
>denomination to which my third wife belonged and with which I am very
>familiar — are anxiously awaiting the Rapture and the various stages
>of Tribulation.
How is it that you were unlucky enough to find two fantastic women to marry who were taken away from you way too early? I’m sorry you had those losses. Marriage is “until death do us part”
I still haven’t found “the one girl” for me, so I am jealous of you being able to find 3, 2 of which who have died. Dude, that sucks. You must be unlucky.
Not finding someone is much worse than having to say goodbye to a partner after 42 years, like my mother had to do last year for my father.
I really hope the latest woman you found lives with you are both 99 or more. That’s because I couldn’t see someone like you ever divorcing a good woman.
Cheers,
John
To the best of my knowledge, all three of my ex-wives are splendidly alive. AG is very good on the issue of divorce, and now admits divorced folks to the pastorate, praise God.