Religion, Elections, and the Public Justice Report

Second Quarter 2004

Editor's Watch

by James W. Skillen

This issue of the Public Justice Report focuses on religion. It offers background reflections on some of the important issues that voters should be thinking through as they prepare for the fall elections. The topic and the occasion of this issue present an excellent opportunity to say a few words about the editorial purpose of both the Report and the bi-weekly Capital Commentary, also published by the Center for Public Justice.

The Center for Public justice is a Christian organization. It is based on deep convictions about the calling of citizens and public officials to do what is just. Later this year, the Center plans to publish a number of "statements of principle" adopted by its trustees to clarify the Center's starting point on matters such as the task of government, the responsibility of citizens, and formulating policies on issues like education, welfare, and foreign affairs.

The purpose of the Report and the Capital Commentary, however, is not to publish only those essays that reiterate the Center's principled statements. The aim is to encourage serious, courteous, and respectful reflection and debate, especially but not only among Christians, about what makes for just government and responsible citizenship. There are many important concerns in the political arena that we address through articles and commentary by various writers, and on many of these issues the Center has not yet adopted a statement of principle. If, in our editorial judgment, an article or commentary contributes constructively to Christian reflection, we will publish it, knowing that not every reader will agree with it.

We, like many other Americans, wish we had the answers to all questions and could simply declare what is just and unjust in all situations. But that is not the case and never will be. Humans have been called by God to act justly, to govern wisely for the public good, and to be the kind of citizens who give as much attention to the welfare of their civic neighbors as they do to themselves. But what this means in any given policy area cannot be known ahead of time or from outside the arena of public responsibility. Moreover, we are all sinners, often blinded by selfishness and bad judgment.

For these and other reasons, even with the Center's statements of principle we will never claim that the Center is doing or speaking God's will. We claim no more than that we are trying to respond in obedience to God's call to do justice. And we fully expect and hope that others will respond by affirming or challenging the stances we take and the arguments we publish. That is the way to strengthen Christian civic responsibility.

Editorially speaking, this means that the Report and the Capital Commentary try to convey good arguments that manifest something of what we believe are solid principles. When it comes to many policy judgments about the war in Iraq or homosexual relations, about environmental well-being or sound economic policy, there will be differences of opinion, many of them quite strong. But that is precisely what should draw us into discussion. We cannot be responsible citizens if we do not learn how to debate. And we should not take particular policy judgments to be the kind of fixed commitments that compel us to quit talking with one another.

So we invite you to read, reflect on, and react to what you read in the Report and the commentaries. If the Center's publications can serve this purpose, then our editorial mission will be accomplished.