Clinton, Obama Discuss Faith and Politics at Compassion Forum

GRANTHAM, Pennsylvania -- On Sunday, April 13, Messiah College hosted the Compassion Forum, a discussion focused on faith and moral issues. The college and Forum hosted Democratic Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Each candidate discussed their personal views on issues ranging from abortion to climate control.

According to a statement from Messiah College President Kim Phipps found in the Forum's official program schedule, the Compassion Forum represents "an unprecedented opportunity for the faith community to hear from leading presidential candidates about issues of compassion, reconciliation, and social justice." Leaders from faith groups ranging from Islam to Judaism attended the forum to address key issues regarding faith and politics.

Senator Clinton's opportunity to answer these tough, and sometimes personal, questions came first (the result of an unseen coin toss). The first question addressed to the New York Senator focused on her opponent's recent remarks about the "bitterness" of small town voters. While Senator Clinton stated more than once that such statements sounded "elitist and out of touch," she also stated a number of times that she would "leave it to Senator Obama to speak for himself."

The next question dealt with past statements of having personally feeling the Holy Spirit in her life. The Forum moderators asked her to provide specific examples of this sensed presence of the Holy Spirit. Clinton came short of outright refusing to give such examples. She attributed her lack of response to the question to a number of factors, including her "personal reserve." She said that giving a specific example of God's presence would "trivialize [her] lifetime sense of God's presence in [her] life."

A question resulting in a mixture of shock and laughter from the audience asked Senator Clinton why she thought God allows innocent people to suffer.

"I don't know," Clinton said in response. "I can't wait to ask him."

The answer was met with laughter and applause. Clinton continued with her response, adding, "What that means to me is that in the face of suffering God calls us [to respond]. It's very existence is a call to action. Maybe the Lord is just waiting for us to respond to his call . . . We've got to do more to respond to that call."

Another question resulted in laughter from the audience: "Do you [Senator Clinton] believe God wants you to be President?" Clinton's response, again, was met with even more laughter.

"I could be glib and say, 'Well, we'll find out,'" Clinton said. After the laughter died down, she continued, "I don't presume anything about God."

Senator Obama followed Clinton to the hot seat. The first question, again, addressed the Illinois Senator's remarks regarding small town voters. Obama admitted his words "may have been clumsy, which happens surprisingly often on a presidential campaign." He added that what he meant was that the bitterness came from the idea that the government is not listening to these small town voters. He went on to say that the negative remarks aimed at him after his mistake reflected the sometimes ugly game played in politics.

"We try to tear each other down instead of lifting the country up," Obama said.

One of the questions addressed to Senator Obama asked if he believed that "God intervenes in history and rewards or punishes people or nations in real time for their behavior."

"What I believe is that God intervenes, but that his plans are a little too mysterious for me to grasp," Obama replied. And so what I try to do is, as best I can, be an instrument of his will, to act in what I think is accordance to the precepts of my faith."

A question resulting in audience laughter asked Senator Obama what his response would be if his daughters ever asked if God really created the world in six days.

"You know, I'm trying to remember if we had this conversation," Obama said, earning a laugh from the audience. "What I've said to them is that I believe that God created the universe and that the six days in the Bible may not be six days as we understand it . . . [The] story that the Bible tells about God creating this magnificent Earth on which we live . . . is essentially true. That is fundamentally true. Now, whether it happened exactly as we might understand it reading [the Bible], that . . . I don't presume to know."

Before moving on to another question, Obama asked to make another point related to this question. "I do believe in evolution," he said. "I don't think that is incompatible with Christian faith." He went on to say that the more he learned about the world and science the more he is amazed at the "mystery of this planet and this universe." Senator Obama said this engagement of faith and science strengthens his faith.

Toward the latter part of his talk, a question was raised regarding Jeremiah Wright and how Wright helped bring Obama to God. Obama recounted his coming to the Trinity United Church of Christ, the way Wright's sermons spoke to the social gospel, and how this attracted him to the church. He went on to address the recent negative examination of some of Wright's words-which Obama referred to as "Reverend Wright's greatest hits, so to speak"-as a "distortion of who [Wright] is and what the church has been about."

"I think that all of us who have been part of a faith community know that the church is a body of believers, and it brings in the imperfections of us, men and women," Obama said. "And, you know, pastors are imperfect. Certainly the membership is imperfect. I, as somebody who is sitting in the pews as a sinner, am imperfect. And, you know, that doesn't detract from . . . what the church is supposed to be about, which is to worship God and spread the Good News."

Both Democratic Presidential candidates addressed the issues of abortion, health care, and religions influence in public life. Both addressed the issue of life beginning at conception in terms of their beliefs that the potential for life begins at conception. Both also acknowledged the moral dimension of the abortion issue, and spoke to the need to work more at preventing unwanted pregnancies, especially among teenagers. They each talked a bit about their health care initiatives, tying these thoughts to thoughts of the issue of poverty in America. Each also addressed the importance of allowing all voices, including those representing differing religious and faith views, to be audible in the public square to foster democratic dialogues between all people.

Sources:
Quotes from President Kim Phipps-- The Compassion Forum official program bulletin
Questions and quotes from Forum participants-- Direct from the Forum (first-person)