Just this past weekend there was an event that hasn’t seemed to get a whole lot of coverage in the media. The Compassion Forum was held on the campus of Messiah College yesterday, Sunday April 13th. All three current presidential hopefuls were invited to the event, though John McCain chose not to attend. Some selected clips are available on the Compassion Forum videos page. Videos of the event in its entirety can be found on either YouTube or other similar venues.

What strikes me most is how little of this 90 minute event (aired live on CNN) is being retold in the media. It seems that the only topic most media outlets are talking about are the few minutes from each candidate regarding Obama’s recent comments about how some people are “bitter” about lost jobs and unfulfilled promises. I feel there was much greater depth to this event than is being reported that makes it worth watching for anyone who is interested in learning how these two politicians approach their own faith (and the faith of others) in the public sphere.

The complete videos of the Compassion Forum are also a good opportunity to see what the candidates are like in a less scripted setting, with each giving a number of responses that I felt were thoughtful and honest. These include Hillary Clinton’s comment that she doesn’t know why God allows suffering in the world and Barak Obama’s admission that how God intervenes in the world is a mystery beyond our comprehension. The topics addressed varied widely and included abortion, torture, sex education, poverty, the environment, and yes, how faith impacts our participation in politics and the public sphere. It was this last question that I was particularly interested in. Not because I don’t think the others are important, but because I think it’s an issue that many Christians and other people of faith in this country continue to struggle with.

As I said at the outset of this post, I feel that if we are to be true to our faith then we cannot refuse to allow it to influence our interactions in the political and public square. Does that mean I think that we should dissolve the separation of church and state? Not in the slightest. However it does mean that when we as people of faith engage in the politics of our country that we should not have to check our faith at the door. What excites me most about events such as the Compassion Forum isn’t hearing candidates talk about topics other than healthcare, the war, and the economy. It is the opportunity to see how candidates approach a wide array of topics as persons of faith, putting their religious beliefs in conversation with their political actions.

As I prepare to graduate seminary and enter into what will likely be a relatively visible position of professional ministry, I am reminded that I will be looked to as an example of how to appropriately put faith in conversation with public life. This will especially be the case because of this being an election year. However I believe that being able to enter into such conversations in an intentional and appropriate way is a task that every person of faith should also seek to undertake during such an important time in the life of our nation.

While I’m still unsure of what candidate I will ultimately give my personal support in the upcoming election, I must say that I was very impressed by Barak Obama’s insightful and (in my opinion) appropriate comments about this topic at the Compassion Forum. I’m not sure if I agree 100% with his statement about needing to translate our religious language into one that will appeal to everyone. I would rather say that we must speak in ways that can be heard by others in the interest of starting conversation and moving towards understanding. Here’s the video, let’s hear what you think about all this in the comments …