LANGUAGE OF FAITH AND THE 2004 DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTIONS, THE

Much has been written about what some people describe as the co-opting of religious language by the Bush administration to promote a conservative political agenda. Democrats, on the other hand, have been accused of being areligious or uncomfortable with the use of theological language in the political arena. I decided to do an unscientific survey of theological references made during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions to ascertain whether these perceptions are on target or not. The survey is unscientific because I did not watch or read accounts of every speech or comment made during the entire convention. They reflect the evening speeches as telecast by PBS.

There were remarkable similarities in the use of religious language in both conventions. The Christian hymn "Amazing Grace" was featured in each. Scripture was quoted in each. The end of many speeches was punctuated by "God bless you" and variations on "God bless America." From both sides of the political aisle came an appeal for prayer or a statement that we are praying in memory of September 11 or recent events. Words such as "hope," "love" and even "faith" often emerged in both conventions in secular as well as religious phrases.

During the first evening of the Democratic convention, there were precious few theological references except for a smattering of "God bless you's" at the end of speeches (Al Gore and Bill Clinton) and "God bless America (or the United States)" (Jimmy Carter and Al Gore). Jimmy Carter noted at one point that in a few months "God willing, I will enter the eighty-first year of my life...." After a few words in memory of September 11, "Amazing Grace" was played. The Rev. David Alston, an African American man who served alongside John Kerry on a Swift boat in Vietnam, recounted a harrowing firefight in which they were both wounded. Crediting Kerry for his leadership at that time, he said "I stand...before you only because Almighty God saw our boat safely through those rivers...[and gave] us...John Kerry."

On the first evening of the Republican National Convention, speeches yielded variations on "God bless you" or "God bless America" from Heather Wilson, Bernard Kerik, Zainab Al-Suwaij (in Arabic, "Peace be upon you"), and Debra Burlingame, Al-Suwaij spoke of dreaming of a day when Iraqis could "worship God in a way of our own choosing." John McCain referred to a "malevolent force...disputing God's care for every soul on earth." Deena Burnett recalled her husband's last words as "Pray Deena, just pray." Debra Burlingame appreciated the "pray for the families" messages posted around the city. Tara Stackpole asked the delegates to pause for a "moment of prayer in thanks and remembrance." This was followed by a minute of silent prayer. Then the Republicans listened to the singing of "Amazing Grace." The main speaker of the evening, former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani, thanked God for George Bush and Dick Cheney. He then offered a trifold benediction calling on God to bless "each one," "those in harm's way," and "America."

On the second evening of the Democratic convention, Teresa Heinz-Kerry spoke of freedom as a "sacred gift," and concluded with "God bless you." However, the rising star of the Democratic Party, the African American Barack Obama, drew on a number of slightly altered biblical and church phrases. After explaining that his unusual first name means "blessed" in the African language of his father, he noted that "I am my brother's keeper." Quoting from the Declaration of Independence he recited, "they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights." Rejecting the imposed stereotype that deems Republicans to be more religious than Democrats, he said, "We worship an awesome God in the blue states." (Blue states are Democratic states.) Obama continued peppering his speech with theological language such as "a belief in things not seen..."; "We have a righteous wind on our backs..."; "Hope" is "God's greatest gift to us"; and "God bless you." The only negative theological reference came from Ron Reagan, who in appealing for support for stem cell research said, "The theology of the few should [not] forestall the health and well-being of the many."

The second day of the Republican National Convention yielded a couple of variations on "God bless you" or "God bless America" from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Laura Bush. Priscilla Smith quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as saying that to serve "you only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love." Elizabeth Dole generated the largest number of theological references during the evening. She said, "We believe in...the divinity of every soul...the new life of a man and woman joined together under God." "We value the sacred life of every man, woman, and child." "We believe in the treasured life of faith." She continued quoting Jesus as saying, "I have come to give life and to give it in full" (John 10:10). She referred to those who have attempted to "strip the name of God from the Pledge of Allegiance." Quoting President Bush quoting the Bible, she recited, "Love your neighbor."