Romney on Religion

As I'm writing this, Mitt Romney is making a speech designed to reassure evangelical Christian members of the Republican party about his Mormon faith. Although the media likes to frame this speech as a sequel to JFK's speech to Baptist ministers about his Roman Catholic faith, there are really big differences between the two. Kennedy spoke about a separation of church and state to reassure his conservative Christian audience, but Romney will make no such appeal, because he can't--not if he wants to win over the Religious Right. The Religious Right has changed American politics arguing that religion should be intertwined with politics and not just any religion but their particular brand of conservative Christianity. Given the differences between the beliefs of the Latter Day Saints and evangelical/fundamentalist Christians, I don't see how Romney can hope to truly assuage their anxiety over his beliefs.

I was sent a great article on Salon by Andrew O'hehir that makes just this point--only more eloquently and with more background context. It really helps put Romney's dilemma in focus.

I have to say that I feel no sympathy for Romney. He may share similar values with the Religious Right on social issues, but when you seek to make a deal with a particular group that will not allow for any religious views to have power besides their own, you get what you bargain for. Give me a candidate that argues for a common respect for the pluralistic nature of our country when it comes to religion and sees government's job to be protecting and enabling that pluralism rather than limiting its scope or scale.

Grace and Peace,

Chase