The Faith of Barack Obama

Conversation 101: you should never talk about politics or religion in polite company.

When it is a presidential election year whose candidates are being examined like never before in regards to religion and faith issues, that’s a near impossible task. At no other time in modern history has faith been so at the forefront of platform speeches from both parties - a trend that is likely to continue into the foreseeable future. Faith and politics, as unholy a union as some would have it be, is here to stay.

This is nothing new for the Religious Right or the Republican party, but religious openness has not always been so forthcoming from the Democratic party. This shift is a large reason why a lot of people of faith are approaching this election with such passion and emotion. Say the word “Obama” and you’re likely to either find yourself in a heated barrage or a hopeful glee. Such is the rallying and passionate nature of a man who has entered the public and popular space - a place he will occupy for many years to come, no matter if he is elected or not. This is Stephen Mansfield’s assertion in The Faith of Barack Obama:

Should [Obama] lose the presidential race in 2008, he can run for office as often as he likes for the next twenty-four years and still be younger than John McCain is as these words are written. In short, he is going to be a political and religious force to be reckoned with in American society, and both his supporters and distractors are well served by understanding why.

The book is a faith biography, starting with Obama’s family heritage, and offering perspective on how that heritage has shaped him and his beliefs. It examines the pivotal moments in Obama’s political career where he chose to allow his faith to become a part of his public life and began talking about how it informs him in matters of leadership and policy. It discusses how Obama’s faith is one that has connected with a large core of Christians who have been born into and lived through a postmodern world.

Perhaps as compelling as anything else is the admission from the author in interviews that he will not be voting for Obama. For him, the conversation is one that needs to take place - if for no other reason than to give an accurate picture of the man’s faith, a faith which has been questioned, mis-rumored and attacked. Policy stances, and how those affect the voting habits of Christians, is not glossed over - the book clearly spells out what Obama stands for, and even some spiritual reasons why. New issues of faith, however, including poverty, racial discrimination and healing, and war, are offered alongside more traditional faith issues like abortion and gay marriage. The book doesn’t settle on these issues, though, and allows the reader to draw their own lines on what is important for them. The issues are not the subject - the faith of the man who speaks to the issues is.

Historical biography is Mansfield’s element - having written on the faith of the current president in the New York Times Bestseller, The Faith of George W. Bush, among several other historical figures. His writing only gets stronger as the book goes along. His final two chapters are reason enough to read the book. “Four Faces of Faith” gives a good broad picture of the faith of John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and George W. Bush, and compares these faith images, alongside Obama’s, in painting a picture of the current state of faith and politics in America. The final chapter, “A Time to Heal,” is a compelling charge to Christians to take the reins in a moment in history where much healing can take place in America and in the lives of its people, regardless of who holds high office.

The Faith of Barack Obama is written in a very objective, yet captivating manner. It speaks to the relevant issues that face the church during this political season, regardless of what candidate you support or which candidate eventually gets elected. It is for this reason that I think it should be read by anyone who is allowing faith to have even part of their vote in the upcoming election. It likely will change no ones opinion, but it does well to offer a clear look into the faith life of the senator from Illinois. And in an electronic age where everyday Christians struggle to sift the wheat from the chaff, Mansfield’s book offers a clearer picture of the threshing floor.

Posted 08.19.2008

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