How to read the Bible on matters of public policyChristians affirm the Bible as our standard of faith and practice. We turn to it to hear God’s voice. But what relevance does the Bible have for
How to read the Bible on matters of public policy
Christians affirm the Bible as our standard of faith and practice. We turn to it to hear God’s voice. But what relevance does the Bible have for the contentious public policy issues we face today? Although the Bible does not always speak explicitly to modern issues, it does give us guiding principles as we think about how we might vote or act as political figures ourselves.
The Bible and the Ballot demonstrates the proper use of Scripture in contemporary political discussions. Christians regularly invoke the Bible to support their positions on many controversial political topics—gay marriage, poverty, war, religious liberty, immigration, the environment, taxes, etc.—and this book will help facilitate those conversations. Tremper Longman provides a hermeneutical approach to using the Bible in this manner, then proceeds topic by topic, citing important Scriptures to be taken into consideration in each case and offering an evangelical interpretation.
Longman is careful to suggest levels of confidence in interpretation and acknowledges that often there are a range of possible applications. Each chapter includes questions to provoke further thought in individuals’ minds or for group discussion.
The Bible and the Ballot is a ready guide to understanding the Bible on issues that American Christians face today as we live within a pluralistic society.
Publishers Weekly
“Evangelicals will find much food for thought in this cogent, well-argued guide.”
“The Bible and the Ballot is a book where Tremper Longman III’s biblical scholarship, wisdom, and intellectual integrity converge. His goal is less to tell you what to think than to explain how to think, in a way that is faithful, theologically rigorous, and authentically biblical. In an era when many politically engaged evangelical Christians are discrediting their faith, Tremper Longman honors it.”
— Peter Wehner
contributing editor, The Atlantic; senior adviser to President George W. Bush
“This book is a tremendous gift to Christians seeking counsel on how to read Scripture to make political decisions! Tremper Longman’s expert biblical scholarship, his love for God’s word, and his longing for Christian citizens to be shaped by Scripture come through on every page.”
— Stephanie Summers
Center for Public Justice
“Longman’s book illuminates core biblical principles to help guide moral reflection on public-policy issues. Christian citizens will find the introductory chapters on biblical interpretation and the subsequent case studies on domestic and global issues especially helpful in the challenging task of integrating faith and politics.”
— Mark Amstutz
Wheaton College
“The Bible and the Ballot is a book where Tremper Longman III’s biblical scholarship, wisdom, and intellectual integrity converge. His goal is less to tell you what to think than to explain how to think, in a way that is faithful, theologically rigorous, and authentically biblical. In an era when many politically engaged evangelical Christians are discrediting their faith, Tremper Longman honors it.”
— Peter Wehner
contributing editor, The Atlantic; senior adviser to President George W. Bush
“This book is a tremendous gift to Christians seeking counsel on how to read Scripture to make political decisions! Tremper Longman’s expert biblical scholarship, his love for God’s word, and his longing for Christian citizens to be shaped by Scripture come through on every page.”
— Stephanie Summers
Center for Public Justice
“Longman’s book illuminates core biblical principles to help guide moral reflection on public-policy issues. Christian citizens will find the introductory chapters on biblical interpretation and the subsequent case studies on domestic and global issues especially helpful in the challenging task of integrating faith and politics.”
— Mark Amstutz
Wheaton College
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Tremper Longman III is Distinguished Scholar and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Westmont College. He has authored or coauthored over 35 books. His books have been translated into seventeen different languages. In addition, as a Hebrew scholar, he is one of the main translators of the popular New Living Translation of the Bible. Tremper and his wife Alice live in Alexandria, VA.
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