LANGUAGE OF FAITH AND THE 2004 DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTIONS, THE

Much has been written about what some people describe as the co-opting of religious language by the Bush administration to promote a conservative political agenda. Democrats, on the other hand, have been accused of being areligious or uncomfortable with the use of theological language in the political arena. I decided to do an unscientific survey of theological references made during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions to ascertain whether these perceptions are on target or not. The survey is unscientific because I did not watch or read accounts of every speech or comment made during the entire convention. They reflect the evening speeches as telecast by PBS.

There were remarkable similarities in the use of religious language in both conventions. The Christian hymn "Amazing Grace" was featured in each. Scripture was quoted in each. The end of many speeches was punctuated by "God bless you" and variations on "God bless America." From both sides of the political aisle came an appeal for prayer or a statement that we are praying in memory of September 11 or recent events. Words such as "hope," "love" and even "faith" often emerged in both conventions in secular as well as religious phrases.

During the first evening of the Democratic convention, there were precious few theological references except for a smattering of "God bless you's" at the end of speeches (Al Gore and Bill Clinton) and "God bless America (or the United States)" (Jimmy Carter and Al Gore). Jimmy Carter noted at one point that in a few months "God willing, I will enter the eighty-first year of my life...." After a few words in memory of September 11, "Amazing Grace" was played. The Rev. David Alston, an African American man who served alongside John Kerry on a Swift boat in Vietnam, recounted a harrowing firefight in which they were both wounded. Crediting Kerry for his leadership at that time, he said "I stand...before you only because Almighty God saw our boat safely through those rivers...[and gave] us...John Kerry."

On the first evening of the Republican National Convention, speeches yielded variations on "God bless you" or "God bless America" from Heather Wilson, Bernard Kerik, Zainab Al-Suwaij (in Arabic, "Peace be upon you"), and Debra Burlingame, Al-Suwaij spoke of dreaming of a day when Iraqis could "worship God in a way of our own choosing." John McCain referred to a "malevolent force...disputing God's care for every soul on earth." Deena Burnett recalled her husband's last words as "Pray Deena, just pray." Debra Burlingame appreciated the "pray for the families" messages posted around the city. Tara Stackpole asked the delegates to pause for a "moment of prayer in thanks and remembrance." This was followed by a minute of silent prayer. Then the Republicans listened to the singing of "Amazing Grace." The main speaker of the evening, former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani, thanked God for George Bush and Dick Cheney. He then offered a trifold benediction calling on God to bless "each one," "those in harm's way," and "America."

On the second evening of the Democratic convention, Teresa Heinz-Kerry spoke of freedom as a "sacred gift," and concluded with "God bless you." However, the rising star of the Democratic Party, the African American Barack Obama, drew on a number of slightly altered biblical and church phrases. After explaining that his unusual first name means "blessed" in the African language of his father, he noted that "I am my brother's keeper." Quoting from the Declaration of Independence he recited, "they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights." Rejecting the imposed stereotype that deems Republicans to be more religious than Democrats, he said, "We worship an awesome God in the blue states." (Blue states are Democratic states.) Obama continued peppering his speech with theological language such as "a belief in things not seen..."; "We have a righteous wind on our backs..."; "Hope" is "God's greatest gift to us"; and "God bless you." The only negative theological reference came from Ron Reagan, who in appealing for support for stem cell research said, "The theology of the few should [not] forestall the health and well-being of the many."

The second day of the Republican National Convention yielded a couple of variations on "God bless you" or "God bless America" from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Laura Bush. Priscilla Smith quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as saying that to serve "you only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love." Elizabeth Dole generated the largest number of theological references during the evening. She said, "We believe in...the divinity of every soul...the new life of a man and woman joined together under God." "We value the sacred life of every man, woman, and child." "We believe in the treasured life of faith." She continued quoting Jesus as saying, "I have come to give life and to give it in full" (John 10:10). She referred to those who have attempted to "strip the name of God from the Pledge of Allegiance." Quoting President Bush quoting the Bible, she recited, "Love your neighbor."

The third evening of the Democratic convention yielded "God bless you" from Al Sharpton and John Edwards. Edwards added, "God bless the United States of America." Gov. Jennifer Granholm concluded her speech with "God bless America." She also used the phrase "run and never tire," which is a variation of "sing and never tire," a line from the Negro spiritual "Walk together children." Edwards listed faith as a value. He noted that he was "blessed to be the first one in [his] family to go to college." He added that we are "praying" for the soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. General Shalikashvili used the word "blessed," and Elizabeth Edwards, "faith." Al Sharpton asserted that "the vote is sacred to us." These words may have been used in a religious or secular sense. Edwards's "Hope is on the way" was used to refer to a Democratic administration, not the Almighty.

On the third night of the Republican National Convention, except for a couple of "God bless you's" and "God bless America" (Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney), theological language emerged in the context of reminiscences of Ronald Reagan and the present faith of President Bush. Ronald Reagan's son, Michael Reagan, quoted a man who said in the present tense "God bless Ronald Reagan." He said that Reagan's ideas came from "God, who gave us life, gave us liberty." According to Michael Reagan, President Reagan believed that "God had a plan for his life and for every life and for the life of our nation." The renegade Democrat who addressed the Republican National Convention, Senator Zell Miller, said of George Bush: he knows that "God is not indifferent to America." Miller also said that he can identify with President Bush because he has lived "Amazing Grace...was blind but now I see." It was unclear whether he meant this theologically or politically. He described the current President Bush as "a God-fearing man" and ended his speech and the theological language spoken on night three with "God bless this country. God bless George W. Bush." The keynote speaker of the evening, Vice Present Cheney, made no theological references.

During the final night of the Democratic convention, nearly everyone ended with "God bless you" and/or "God bless America." General Wesley Clark started the evening off with a reference to the need for a leader who can function in times of war but also in times of peace when "beating swords into plowshares" (Isa. 2:4) is the appropriate course of action. He said that we need a leader who with the "grace of God" will make the country a better place. Joe Lieberman, the only person who identified himself by his religious affiliation (Jewish) referred to our common "faith in one God" and added that we are "all God's children." He alluded to the same "swords to plowshares" text that Clark mentioned, along with one from the New Testament, "to some...much is given" (Luke 12:48). Lieberman quoted a portion of the "endowed by their Creator" segment of the Declaration of Independence and counseled that we not "demonize" our enemies. Representative Nancy Pelosi listed "faith" as an impetus for immigration to America. She also said that one reason for coming to the convention is to "express faith in God and country." Max Cleland confessed that as a result of his anger at the Vietnam situation and the lack of adequate care for veterans, "My faith was shattered." In reference to John Kerry's heroic actions during the war, he quoted the New Testament verse, "No greater love has a man than to lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Early in their friendship, he said that he gave John Kerry a Bible to give him comfort and guidance.

Then it was John Kerry's turn. In the now mandatory introductory video, carefully avoiding the "G" word, he said of his experience in Vietnam, "I am alive through the grace of a higher being." In the speech itself, Kerry listed faith as a value. He quoted from the Ten Commandments, "Honor thy father and thy mother," in relation to Social security and prescription drugs and expressed a desire to provide opportunities so that everyone "has an equal shot at living up to their God-given potential." Other phrases included, "We welcome people of faith" and "Faith has given me hope and values." He quoted Lincoln in saying, "I don't want to claim that God is on our side, !...pray humbly that we are on God's side." The second negative statement about faith came from Kerry when he noted that he does not wear his religion "on his sleeve."

On the last evening of the Republican National Convention, in addition to "God bless you's" from General Tommy Franks and President Bush, MeI Martinez mentioned prayers prayed on behalf of Floridians bracing for the next hurricane. Martinez spoke about "faith in God" twice: once noting that "all things are possible" (Mark 10:27) if you pursue dreams with "faith in God," and once in reference to helping young people by the "power of faith." Martinez concluded his remarks by saying that he thanked God that President Bush was at the helm on September 11.

President Bush's own speech closed the Republican National Convention. His religious references were relatively few. He spoke of "evil" terrorists, an Iraqi man's prayer for "God to bless America," "freedom" being "the Almighty God's gift to every man and woman in the world," his prayer for the families of fallen soldiers, and a near quote from the biblical book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, "to everything, we know, there is a season...a time for struggle...for rebuilding."

Hours and hours of speeches in both conventions did not yield a whole lot in the way of theological language, nor did speakers develop any theological ideas. They simply quoted or stated the ideas. That is surely appropriate. Political conventions are not church gatherings. One cannot assume that because a person shares a political affiliation he or she also shares a religious commitment or feels comfortable with the use of religious language. After all, one can be a Buddhist and a Democrat, an atheist and a Republican, a Muslim and a Democrat, a Christian and a Republican, a Jew and a Democrat, or any other combination.

Republicans did not use more theological language than Democrats, and yet they managed to convey a great religiosity to their targeted audience (presumably Evangelical Christians).

At one point, near the end of his speech, John Kerry spoke very directly to the use of the language of faith when he said that he does not "wear my own faith on my sleeve." It was an unfortunate statement. Although Republicans often did not use any religious language, they did manage to avoid offending the large percentage of the American population that does. But twice in the Democratic convention speakers made negative statements. While the statement "wear my own faith on my sleeve" may be an accurate reflection of some who manipulate religion for political gain, as an African American, I can testify that for many people-African Americans, Hispanics, European Americans, and others-the language of faith is their everyday language. And because faith permeates the lives that they live and the decisions that they make, including political decisions, that language is going to be there. Moreover, the use of the language of faith is prevalent among people who are most conscious of their dependence on God because they are poor or sick or in trouble. Notice that God language emerged in relation to that Swift boat in Vietnam.

Because the use of the language of faith is closely tied to the way in which one was religiously and socially acculturated, it should not be assumed that the absence of God language reflects an absence of faith. At the same time, one should not need to be baptized in verbal atheism to have a genuine place in the political arena.

Wilma Ann Bailey

Associate Professor of Hebrew and Aramaic Scripture Christian Theological Seminary

Copyright Christian Theological Seminary Spring 2005
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