The Bible & Politics Week 5

What has the Bible to do with politics?

Political Receptions of the Bible in the 21st Century The Cultural Bible The Liberal Bible The Radical Bible (Tuesday)

1. The Cultural Bible The idea that the Bible underpins Western culture. This use assumes that the Bible is part of our heritage and is important for understanding our shared cultural identity.

“All you have to understand about life is the works of Shakespeare and the Old Testament. Then you will understand what human nature is all about.“ - Winston Peters

“Nobody reads the Bible more than me…” - Donald Trump

2. The Liberal Bible

2. The Liberal Bible The Bible upholds ‘liberal’ values like free speech, individual conscience, justice, law, consensus, and human rights. Further: the Bible lays the foundation to political systems like democracy.

“the Judeo-Christian roots of the Bible also provide the foundations for protest and for the evolution of our freedom and democracy.” - David Cameron

Tomorrow: Russell Brand & the Radical Bible

1. The Cultural Bible 2. The Liberal Bible

3. The Radical Bible

3. The Radical Bible The Bible is ‘really about’ revolutionary transformation. It promotes values like political liberation, the redistribution of wealth, confronting abuses of power, and standing up for the poor and oppressed.

Liberation theology Makes use of the ‘Radical Bible’ tradition. God and the Bible is thought to have a preferential option for the poor. Its origins are in Latin America during the 1950s & 60s.

“Jesus…said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.” (Mark 10:21-22)

Russell Brand’s Reading of the Lord’s Prayer (1) In what ways does Brand harness the power of the Radical Bible tradition? (2) Do you think the Bible is important for Brand as a religious text or as a cultural text? (or both) Why? (3) Do you think Brand’s interpretation would get a fair hearing in a local church near you? Why/why not?

Implications/Questions Does the actual content of the Bible matter for politicians? How is the Bible operating as an implicit cultural authority? What contradictions can you identify? Different interpretations of what the Bible “really means”: e.g. Liberal Bible vs. Radical Bible Secular political traditions vs. appeals to religious authority.