Our regular columnist over at Out of Ur, Collin Hansen, has a really interesting examination of the presidential debate between McCain and Obama. Beyond the obvious difference between left and right, liberal and conservative, young and old–Hansen sees a distinct difference in worldview between Modernity (McCain) and Postmodernity (Obama). I definitely think he’s got a point, but I’m not convinced it’s simply a matter of Mo verses Pomo.

I still have yet to read a thoughtful article about how Obama’s diverse, multi-ethnic background has influenced his view of the world as well as his ability to engage people of differing views. For example, is his willingness to engage in diplomacy with America’s “enemies” a result of his liberal politics, his disdain for Bush’s foreign policy, or the outworking of…

I’ve already written about Obama’s poor performance at the Saddleback forum a few weeks ago. His campaign has been trying hard to win support among moderate evangelical voters, but his answers to Rick Warren’s abortion questions were very disappointing—doing nothing to change religious voters’ views of liberal Democrats despite Obama’s policy stance to reduce the number of abortions.

Now comes Governor Palin. The self-described bible believing conservative from Alaska. The hockey mom (pitbull in lipstick) has energized the evangelical base of the GOP and infused their lukewarm support for McCain with some religious zeal. Where does this leave Obama’s chances with evangelicals? Answer: right about where John Kerry’s were in 2004.

Steve Waldman posted this report on the CT Politics blog:

I asked Mark DeMoss, Christian PR mogul

…

I just watched the forum at Saddleback with the presidential candidates conducted by Rick Warren. My initial thoughts:   

1. Obama didn’t win over any evangelicals tonight. We already knew his answers on abortion and same sex unions wouldn’t be popular, but I thought he might have won some people with his candor or moderation. I don’t think it worked. He really should have focused more on reducing the number of abortions and how his policies are proven to do just that. A tough, straight answer like, “An Obama administration will save more unborn children than a McCain administration that continues Bush’s domestic agenda” would have been amazing. Obama could have made it clear that he wasn’t going to retreat the moral ground on the abortion issue. He didn’t. He…

A very interesting piece in The Wall Street Journal today about Bobby Jindal’s journey from the Hindu faith of his family to embracing Christianity as a teenager. Some have questioned the authenticity of Obama’s Christian faith saying it was a conversion of convienence- a community activist simply connecting with a powerful church to get political leverage. I don’t share that cynical view of Obama’s faith, but I understand why some might hold it.

Jindal’s story is different. His converstion began as a teenager- I assume his decision to follow Christ was not because this son of Indian immigrants living in Baton Rouge was plotting a political manuever to become governer and possibly vice president. Anyway, with faith…

Francis Wilkinson from the New York Times recalls an interview with John McCain two years ago in which the senator told the story about leading worship services for other POWs during captivity in Vietnam. The sermon McCain recounts gives clues to his ideas about God and government. From the article:

I was intrigued by a passage in which he described leading religious services in Hanoi for fellow prisoners of war. “Not because of my particular excess of religious zeal,” he explained, “but because I’d gone to that boarding school and, of course, to the [Naval] Academy,

…

Many people I know have an impression of Christianity based largely upon what they see while surfing the television—an impression that I do not fit and work hard to deconstruct. Televangelists are loud and energetic; I’m rarely the life of the party. Televangelists have big hair; I have no hair. Televangelists fly around in private jets; I ride a bike to work to save on gas.

My work to deconstruct the image of gold-gilded Christianity appears to be getting some help from the United States Senate. Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, is investigating possible financial shenanigans on the part of six widely known TV preachers. From Ted Olsen’s article at ChristianityToday.com:

“Recent articles and news reports regarding possible misuse of donations

…

You may think writing a sermon every week is challenging work, but imagine writing speeches everyday for the leader of the free world. That was Michael Gerson’s job for six years under President George W. Bush. Last night I attended a benefit dinner in Chicago where Gerson was the keynote speaker. Prior to the dinner I participated in a small roundtable discussion with Gerson about his time in the White House and his perception of current challenges—domestic and international—facing the country.Much of the conversation focused on Gerson’s responsibility in crafting the President’s response in the days following 9/11. Leading a nation in shock and grief is not easy, but simultaneously showing strength and resolve is a challenge few presidential speechwriters have faced. Gerson was almost universally praised for…