Spirituality in Government Lincoln and Gandhi

Reply to Reginald and Norman

Reginald

I agree with you that the Bible is very important—or at least should be—when it comes to public administration. What else is government than the vehicle through which the ultimate authority—God—should be understood? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states plainly that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” Yet governments routinely ignore Scripture—why is this? The bottom line is that God needs to play a bigger part in government—not less. The separation of Church and State is actually a problem because it frees society from having to come to terms with religion and religious truth. People are not taught what to think or how to live in a way that is pleasing to God, and government, ignoring God, allows all sorts of abuses as a result.

Indeed, there is a strong case to be made that the Bible can and should inform the decisions made by those in positions of power. After all, the Bible contains a great deal of wisdom on how to live justly and equitably. Furthermore, it provides guidance on how to love one\'s neighbor and care for the most vulnerable members of society. In a world that is often chaotic and uncertain, the Bible can offer a much-needed source of stability and guidance. For these reasons, it is vital that those who serve in government take the time to consult the Bible as they make decisions about the future of our nation. Politics and government should not be without religion and God, and the tradition is more on the side of being with God than without (McWilliams, 2021). I believe along with Booth (2019) that the Bible offers a lot in the way of good social teaching that could help inform public administration in a really positive way.