MARC record from Internet Archive

LEADER: 02744cam 22003014a 4500
001 167501304
008 070824s2008 kyu b 001 0 eng
020 $a9780664231736 (alk. paper)
020 $a066423173X (alk. paper)
040 $aDLC$cDLC$dGUL$dMARCIVE
043 $an-us---
049 $astack
050 00 $aBR526$b.B46 2008
100 1 $aBerlinerblau, Jacques.
245 10 $aThumpin' it :$bthe use and abuse of the Bible in today's presidential politics /$cJacques Berlinerblau.
250 $a1st ed.
260 $aLouisville, Ky. :$bWestminster John Knox Press,$cc2008.
300 $ax, 190 p. ;$c22 cm.
520 1 $a"In this book, author Jacques Berlinerblau looks at how the left, right, and everyone in between have used and misused the Bible to advance their political causes and careers." ""The Bible's 'raw power' is surging into American politics with an intensity perhaps not equaled since the nineteenth century," Berlinerblau writes in his introduction. Politicians, especially those seeking the presidency, know the importance of having "a good Scripture game." And no longer do Republicans alone have a grip on this; Democrats have also begun quoting Scripture, employing religious advisers, and telling their own faith stories in an effort to court the religious vote." "Berlinerblau looks at the recent history of how Scripture has influenced public policy, including debates about the environment, abortion, stem cell research, and foreign policy. Berlinerblau also pays close attention to how recent U.S. presidents have employed the Bible, and he examines how each of the major candidates in the 2008 presidential elections is using and often misusing the Bible in his or her race for the White House." "He concludes that politicians would do well to invoke Scripture with caution, because too often it can be used to argue both sides of a position. "It is an abuse of the Bible to claim that the answer to highly nuanced and complex modern problems simply sits on its pages ... It is a cynical business, politics is. It becomes no less so when public servants and interest groups get it into their heads that God himself provided proof-texts for their policy initiatives two thousand years ago.""--BOOK JACKET.
504 $aIncludes bibliographical references (p. 143-179) and indexes.
630 00 $aBible$xUse.
650 0 $aChristianity and politics$zUnited States.
650 0 $aEvangelicalism$xPolitical aspects$zUnited States.
650 0 $aPresidents$xReligious life$zUnited States.
907 $a.b10412694
999 $astack$b1$c100927$dm$ep$f-$g0
991 $bstack
949 $g1$i30700010360542$j0$lstack$nPAPERBACK Gift from Dean Areen, 9/27/2010$og$p$0.00$q-$r-$s-$t0$u1$v0$w1$x0$y.i9885559$z100927