There’s been a lot of talk about last night’s GOP presidential debate and whether anyone actually won it. If you ask me, there was one clear winner: evangelicals. Sure, a lot in the field held their own -- but it was the emphasis on God, faith, and values that carried the day. Of course, no one can be sure what impact Donald Trump’s absence had, but we do know that the seventh contest of the 2016 race was a substantive one on key issues. Among them, life, religion, and family. Chris Wallace made sure of that, bringing up the hefty influence of evangelicals, which, as he reminded people, make up 60 percent of Republican caucus-goers. Pointing to the influence of the movement in the primaries, he opened an entire line of questioning to values issues.
As I sat in the audience Thursday night, it struck me how dramatically the political landscape has changed in America over the last three decades. While it’s easy to get discouraged about the direction of our country, Christians should be equally encouraged by the increasing influence they’re having in American politics. The word “faith” was mentioned in a grand total of two debates in the 1980s. And in Iowa in 1988, when Pat Robertson ran for president, he was the only evangelical on stage! Fast-forward to today, when the GOP field is full of sincere, God-fearing men and women.
Looking back over the last three decades, the role of Christians in the Republican Party has grown substantially -- and along with it, discussions about faith in public life. With the exceptions of Senator Ted Cruz (Texas), Governor Jeb Bush (Fla.) and Dr. Ben Carson, candidates were asked pointed questions about how their beliefs square with their policies on abortion (Senator Rand Paul, Ky.), religious liberty (Governor Chris Christie, N.J.), big government (Governor John Kasich, Ohio), and the notion of America as a Christian nation (Senator Marco Rubio, Fla.).
And what happened? Even candidates who might have normally shied away from the issues did not. “[Jihadists] do not want us to exercise religious liberty. That’s why as commander in chief, I will take on ISIS, not only because it keeps us safe, but because it allows us to absolutely conduct our religious affairs the way we find in our heart and in our souls. As a Catholic, that’s what I want to do. And no matter what your faith is, that’s what I want you to be able to do.” How many of you would have guessed that was the governor of New Jersey talking?
Others, for whom talking about faith comes more naturally, were even more determined to separate themselves from the pack. “I think if you do not understand that our Judeo-Christian values are one of the reasons why America is such a special country, you don’t understand our history,” Senator Rubio said. “It is because in this nation, we are influenced by Judeo-Christian values that teach us to care for the less fortunate, to reach out to the needy, to love our neighbor. This is what’s made our nation so special. And you should hope that our next president is someone that is influenced by their faith.”
In the undercard and primetime debates, it was clear that the majority of candidates recognize that rehabilitating America after seven years of President Obama’s agenda will take a healthy dose of faith and family values. That’s progress. We must not grow weary in well-doing! So make sure you’re informed, registered, voting, and engaged in the process.
