Thumpin' It: The Use and Abuse of the Bible in Today's Presidential Politics

In one of the most insightful, provocative, and witty books yet to explore the fascinating relationship between the Bible and American politics, author Jacques Berlinerblau looks at how the left, right, and everyone in between have used and misused the Bible to advance their political causes and careers. In this engaging book, Berlinerblau looks at the recent history of how Scripture has influenced public policy, including debates about the environment, abortion, stem cell research, and foreign policy. Berlinerblau also pays close attention to how recent U.S. presidents have employed the Bible, and he examines how each of the major candidates in the 2008 presidential elections used and often misused the Bible in his or her race for the White House.

In one of the most insightful, provocative, and witty books yet to explore the fascinating relationship between the Bible and American politics, author Jacques Berlinerblau looks at how the left, right, and everyone in between have used and misused the Bible to advance their political causes and careers.

"The Bible's 'raw power' is surging into American politics with an intensity perhaps not equaled since the nineteenth century," Berlinerblau writes in his introduction. Politicians, especially those seeking the presidency, know the importance of having "a good Scripture game." And no longer do Republicans alone have a grip on this; Democrats have also begun quoting Scripture, employing religious advisers, and telling their own faith stories in an effort to court the religious vote.

In this engaging book, Berlinerblau looks at the recent history of how Scripture has influenced public policy, including debates about the environment, abortion, stem cell research, and foreign policy. Berlinerblau also pays close attention to how recent U.S. presidents have employed the Bible, and he examines how each of the major candidates in the 2008 presidential elections is using and often misusing the Bible in his or her race for the White House.

He concludes that politicians would do well to invoke Scripture with caution, because too often it can be used to argue both sides of a position. "It is an abuse of the Bible to claim that the answer to highly nuanced and complex modern problems simply sits on its pages.... It is a cynical business, politics is. It becomes no less so when public servants and interest groups get it into their heads that God himself provided proof-texts for theirpolicy initiatives two thousand years ago."

About the Author:
Jacques Berlinerblau is Associate Professor of Jewish Civilization at Georgetown University

Publishers Weekly

Georgetown University professor Berlinerblau (The Secular Bible) makes the unoriginal argument that American politicians on the left and right use Scripture in their speeches, and that policy wonks on both sides of the aisle draw on the Bible to defend positions on the environment, stem-cell research and foreign policy. Berlinerblau finds politicians' use of Scripture to be shallow-they offer "poor and tendentious readings," throwing in a verse here or there and failing to acknowledge Scripture's internal diversity and contradictions. A few of Berlinerblau's sweeping historical assertions are questionable-did the U.S. really undergo a "thoroughgoing" secularization in the first 75 years of the 20th century? A wealth of scholarship on the persistence of conservative religion and the extent to which religion shaped liberal agendas such as feminism would suggest not. His tone has the faint veneer of sarcasm ("Enter, as if on cue, the Evangelical Climate Initiative"), so when he gives speechwriters tips about using Scripture effectively-be vague, avoid "theological depth"-it is hard to tell if he is being sincere or snide. Two concluding chapters assess the ways leading presidential candidates, from Clinton to McCain, present their religious bona fides. (Jan.)