<\/p>\n
As the stand off between workers and Governor Scott Walker continues This is an impressive religious group by any Yet none of these prayers or sermons has swayed Scott Scott Walker is neither Roman Catholic nor a mainline In other words, Scott Walker does not give a rip about Before he was elected governor, Walker shared his testimony This is the same sort of evangelical spirituality that In other words, the Catholic bishops and mainline pastors–as Unlike the Roman Catholics and traditional Protestants who And this is why Scott Walker’s religion is actually <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As the stand off between workers and Governor Scott Walker continues in Wisconsin, religious leaders have weighed in on the dispute. Roman Catholic bishops came out on the side of the unions, urging the governor to protect worker’s rights. Many mainline pastors, including Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, Congregationalists, and American Baptists have written letters, issued statements,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nin Wisconsin, religious leaders have weighed in on the dispute. Roman Catholic bishops c<\/span>ame out on the
\nside of the unions, urging the governor to protect worker’s rights. <\/span>Many mainline pastors, including
\nLutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, Congregationalists, and
\nAmerican Baptists have written letters, issued statements, and preached sermons
\nsupporting labor, unions, and collective bargaining. <\/span>In Madison, interfaith prayers and proclamations have upheld
\nand encouraged the teachers, police, firefighters, and other public employees
\nin their resistance to the governor’s plan to break their union.<\/p>\n
\nstandards–particularly so in Wisconsin where traditional faith still plays an
\nimportant role in the life of a large number of its citizens. <\/span>Wisconsin is almost evenly split
\nbetween the three largest American religious groups: 29% are Roman Catholics;
\n24% are evangelical Protestants; and 23% are mainline Protestants.<\/p>\n
\nWalker. <\/span>He has steadfastly stayed
\non his original course, unfazed by the full weight of Roman Catholic authority
\nor the mainline social justice tradition pressing upon him and urging him
\ntoward compromise and change.<\/p>\n
\nchurchgoer. <\/span>The son of a Baptist
\npastor, born in Colorado Springs, the heartland of the Religious Right, Walker
\nis a member of Meadowbrook Church in Wauwatosa, a non-denominational
\nevangelical church. <\/span>Meadowbrook’s statement
\nof faith, a fairly typical boilerplate of conservative evangelical theology,
\nincludes beliefs in biblical inerrancy, sin, exclusive salvation through Christ,
\nand eternal damnation.<\/p>\n
\npronouncements by the Roman Catholic Church, any Lutheran, Episcopal, or
\nMethodist bishop, or the Protestant social justice pastors. <\/span>These religious authorities, steeped in
\ncenturies of theology and Christian ethics mean absolutely nothing in Scott
\nWalker’s world. <\/span>His spiritual
\nuniverse is that of 20th<\/sup> century fundamentalism, in its softer
\nevangelical form, a vision that emphasizes “me and Jesus” and personal
\nsalvation.<\/p>\n
\nwith a group of Christian businessmen.
\n<\/span>In it, he said that his religious life was expressed in the words of an
\nold hymn, “Trust and Obey.” <\/span>From
\nchildhood onward, Walker recounted how God specifically directed his life, how
\nhe had learned to trust that direction, and how he sought to obey Christ in all
\nthings and at all times. <\/span>He
\nrelated the biblical story of the apostle Peter in a boat, whom Jesus directed
\nto walk on the water. <\/span>At first,
\nPeter followed Jesus and did, indeed, walk upon water. <\/span>But Peter became fearful and sank. <\/span>According to Walker, this is a parable
\nof the whole Christian life. <\/span>If
\nyou “fail to trust and obey,” Walker said, “You sink.” <\/span>Doubt is not allowed. <\/span>Only obedience. <\/span><\/p>\n
\nshaped George W. Bush–and led to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. <\/span>Once you
\nknow God’s direction, no change is allowed. <\/span>Doubt opens the door to failure. <\/span>Obeying Christ’s plan is the only option. <\/span>In this theological universe,
\nhard-headedness is a virtue, compromise is the work of the Devil, and anything
\nthat works to accomplish God’s plan is considered ethically justifiable. <\/span><\/p>\n
\nwell as the Quakers, Jews, Buddhists, and others–who have been trying to convince
\nthe governor to shift course are pretty well preaching in the wind. <\/span>Other than David Koch (fake or
\notherwise), Walker is listening to One Person and One Person only: Jesus speaking
\ndirectly to him. <\/span>God, evidently,
\nhas directed him on his current path.
\n<\/span>Scott’s just trusting and obeying.
\n<\/span>He bears no responsibility other than that.<\/p>\n
\nhave spoken on behalf of the laborers, Walker has no spiritual “check” on him,
\nno authority other than the ones he hears in his own head, and no moral
\nculpability in this situation.
\n<\/span>He’s the good Christian soldier, just following God’s lead. <\/span><\/p>\n
\ndangerous in the public square.
\n<\/span>Because it lacks the ability to compromise, it is profoundly
\nanti-democratic. Many faith traditions actually possess deep spiritual
\nresources that allow them to participate in pluralistic, democratic, and
\ncreative political change. <\/span>But
\nthose sort of traditions tend emphasize the love of God and neighbor over
\nstrict obedience to an unyielding Father God. <\/span>Unlike the confident dictum of the old hymn, “Trust and
\nObey” is not the best way to govern a state.<\/p>\n