Ask the Question

I have written often about the interplay of religion and politics. There is no question that religion has huge influence upon the course of American politics. I believe strongly and have said often that if a statesman’s faith is sincere, it is the among the most important truths about him or her and will determine what they do in office. We ought to know what that faith is, then, before they assume power.

We seldom do. In an age in which we usually know what kind of underwear a candidate wears or what the name of their dog is, we seem reticent to Ask the Question—to press candidates about what their faith will mean for their conduct in office.

The press often treats religion as an oddity—like a wart on a candidate’s nose. The candidates try to squeeze past questions of faith with airy phrases about God and country. The public has some sense that we ought not pry into private matters of faith.

And so we are surprised by what faith means on the national stage. It is time for a change. The matters we face in our day—faith matters globally and faith-based matters domestically—are too critical to leave unaddressed before a candidate takes office. This is the case I make in Ask the Question and I hope it is a case that others will make their own.

“Mansfield’s approach is neither partisan nor partial to a particular aspect of religion. This book helps us educate ourselves about how religion shapes the decision-making of our leaders. Stephen Mansfield challenges both voters and the media to ask the right questions.” – Dr. Joel C. Hunter, Senior Pastor, Northland Church