A Different Way to Do Faith in the Public Square

An important reminder from Joe Biden.

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First, before I get to the heart of this newsletter, I want to thank you. I want to thank those who’ve become members of The Dispatch—by joining us, you make our work possible. But I also want to thank those who’ve signed up for the free portions of our work. By reading and—crucially—by sharing our articles, podcasts, and free newsletters, you’ve put us front and center in the national conversation. You’ve helped us succeed beyond our wildest early expectations. 

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Now, on to the Sunday French Press. 

This Wednesday evening I was doing my dreary professional due diligence—watching yet another Democratic townhall on CNN—when a moment with Joe Biden suddenly cut through the noise. Regardless of your politics, it’s impossible not to have deep compassion for Biden. His first wife, Neilia, and his young daughter Naomi died in a car accident in 1972. His oldest son, Beau, died of brain cancer in 2015. He’s buried a wife and two children. It’s almost too much for a man to bear. 

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  1. Avatar photo
    D.K. Morris

    Hello David. I enjoy reading your articles during my train commute in DC. You've mentioned the Church of Christ a couple of times in your writings for The Dispatch. Doesn't seem like you have much good to say about your experiences in the church. In this article you mention acapella music as if it were a bad thing - or backwards thinking as some outside the Church of Christ believe. However, acapella music is not only beautiful, but for a very long time was the primary form of music in the church. As you roll your eyes reading this comment, I invite you to visit Laurel Church of Christ in Laurel MD. No, there wont be any instruments, but I think you'll find some differences compared to the congregations you were raised in/around. It may even make for a good article. I wish you continued success and inspiration for your work. I truly enjoy your writings.

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    Julie from Texas

    You've mentioned a few times having been raised in the "churches of Christ" and then given information about that denomination. However, there are variations beyond what you've described.

    I'm a lifelong member of the Church of Christ (notice the capital "C" in church that we've always used), the congregations I've attended better fit into the label of evangelical than fundamentalist, and acapella music is now largely considered a faith tradition rather than a biblical command. Given how much you and The Dispatch do to represent truth accurately, it might be worthwhile for you to engage with some of us other Church of Christers, who don't match either what you experience growing up or what still exists in the fundamentalist congregations within our larger Christian denomination, so that you can better characterize the whole. Thanks!

    And I love what you write. Keep it up!

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    Visibly

    I am a lefty by any American standard, but a moderate or moderate conservative by my country’s standard. I have just become a subscriber to the Dispatch. It is the one news site that actually discuss views based on rational thinking. And where we can agree to disagree.

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  4. Bruce Kuhn

    A golden moment for Joe: seems like a good guy. Reminds me of scene from Our Brand is Crisis (2015)--also not insincere. I voted for Obama (twice) for those reasons--and still think that he, too, is a good guy. But I won't vote for a weak leader again. Listened to the clip twice...I got the hope & purpose part--and felt the empathy for his loss, of course. Faith in....?

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    Jasonn

    “I disagree with Biden on many things, but when I saw him open up like he did, I felt a sense of conviction. I spent two decades in the heart of the conservative pro-life and religious liberty movements, and I wondered—by word and deed, did I present myself to the public as conservative first, or Christian first?

    “If secondary considerations (even if sincerely motivated by my faith) become my primary message, I present a stumbling block to the Gospel. And this applies not just to public figures. How do people know our faith? What is the dominant form of expression of our faith? If it’s through our policies or our political engagement, I fear we’ve gone awry. Do I want people to think they have to be pro-life before they can believe in Christ? Or that a particular view of religious liberty is somehow a mandatory part of joining Team Jesus?”

    Well said, and helpful to keep in mind as we brace for the rest of this election year . . . thank you once again David (you’re killing it since moving to The Dispatch!) Keep on…

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    John D. Wright

    We love you too David! Glad to be a subscriber.

    I think we all need to step back and realize people understand policy differently. A policy can be bad but its advocate is not necessarily evil. Once when I lost my job and was out of work for a month, a liberal friend of mine gave me (game me! without expectation of repayment) ten thousand dollars. Despite the fact I think many of his policy positions advocate for what would be evil outcomes, I do not think he is an evil person.

    I was listening to the Dispatch podcast this morning as I drove into work and heard your comments about using the term "the media". I think you are right. If we want to change "the media" we need to stop treating them as a monolithic entity because as such change will never come. Instead we need to all out individuals for their good and bad. That will bring about change.

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  7. Kevin Heine

    David, more excellent work, and I was hoping you’d weigh in on Biden’s statement of faith.

    I grew up in the Church, am a seminarian (who attend to formally learn about the foundations of my faith). I was channel surfing after the basketball game I was watching ended. By complete accident, I ended up watching one of the most powerful statements of faith I've ever witnessed, from a politician no less! In this time when many powerful voices from the Evangelical Community are embracing a Man who claims that he is both a Christian and that he has never felt the need to go to God for forgiveness, two beliefs which are completely incongruent. As KD notes in his response, politicians expressing faith can come across as disingenuous, or downright creepy. But Joe’s response to a question posed by a Pastor, who has experienced gut-wrenching personal tragedy, powerful, insightful and deeply touching.

    Again, thank you for bringing more attention to VP Biden's response, particularly in the context of your experience. Oh, and the reason the Church of Christ split from the Independent Christian Church was the ”evil” piano, an instrument used for entertainment in brothels and saloons couldn't be righteous!

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  8. Dylan Paul

    I credit Bill Buckley for sparking my adoration of Bach, beginning with the immense and glorious St. Matthew Passion. That's a little more up my alley than the Christian Rock, sorry David...

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    David Link

    I am a devoted reader, subscriber and podcast listener (subscribe to Advisory Opinions! Give them a five-star rating!), and am so happy to be getting your well developed thinking about religion and the public square.

    But in all I've seen and read from you so far, I haven't seen your thinking on gay people, themselves, and particularly the religious ones. Your support of Drag Queen Story Hour is what initially caught my attention, and your principled defense of the idea, under heavy fire, was heartening to behold.

    But for me as a gay man, there is a hole in my understanding of how homosexual men and women would, should, or could fit into your understanding of Christianity.

    I fully agree with your defense of the student group here (I remember reading about this conflict), and as with Catholic schools that fire gay men and lesbians, cannot possibly fault their right to their beliefs.

    But as I was reading your heartfelt piece, I couldn't see any thoughts, feelings or much understanding about the lesbian woman who was at the heart of the story. She was clearly not your focus, which is understandable, and I think she was ill-advised to have challenged the rejection of her desire to be a leader of TCF.

    But I'm sure you know many Christian churches and denominations welcome lesbians and gay men, love them as they believe Christ would have, and give them the community in which they, too, can practice their faith.

    I sincerely doubt you would utterly reject them, but I also don't have a sense (again from what I've seen, read and heard from you, which is only over the last year or so) of how you would deal with their love for Christ, or for a loving partner/husband/wife.

    Nobody, including you, must have a position on gay marriage, and it's fine with me if this is a subject you'd rather avoid. My father was that way for quite a while. But because I have such tremendous respect for you and your thinking, this is something I would value hearing your thoughts on.

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      David Link

      Also, could you get an editing function for posted comments? I accidentally sent this, and found some stuff I'd have liked to clarify. This happens to me way too often.

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        Dave in NOLA

        I am also a subscriber and a gay man (as well as another David!) I have read David French for several years now and my sense is that while his religious beliefs do not embrace homosexuality, he is very respectful of all people.

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          David Link

          I don’t think there is any reason to have the least doubt about that. But the thing I like best about David French — and actually the entire Dispatch staff — is their ability to, and even preference for being able to articulate the position of opposing voices and explain why they are wrong, misguided or outweighed. That is the best kind of discussion. I think the role of gays in Christianity is the only area where I haven’t seen that kind of thinking here. Not about political equality, but about their role (again, If any) as Christians. It’s certainly an active discussion within major Christian denominations and it seems like one I’d like to read in an environment like the French Press.

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    Tomas Nally

    David - unrelated but have you seen this WaPo piece on white suburban southern women:
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/02/29/mirandas-rebellion/

    I’d love to get your take here, as I suspect many of the themes may ring true for your community. They certainly do for mine.

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