Understanding the Two Great Commandments

Last updated on: May 9, 2013 at 6:20 am by Faithful Democrats

Understanding the Two Great Commandments 2013-05-09T06:20:51-06:00 Faithful Democrats

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In the dark days after the ’04 election, I was struck by how many liberal Democrats were asking how Christians could possibly turn out in such large numbers to vote for a Republican party that stands in such stark opposition to so many clearly Christian principles like feeding and housing the poor, protecting God’s creation, and choosing peace over violence.

Some Democrats answer that question by writing off those who voted for Bush as “hateful, close-minded bigots” beyond hope of ever being won over to the Democratic side. There may be some of those types out there, but I believe most faith voters (yes, even “evangelicals”) are open to a
Democratic message. Our issues aren’t the problem. Rather, the reason Dems have had such problems winning over swing Christian voters is that we have failed to understand Two Great Commandments.

To put that diagnosis into context, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is asked what is the greatest of the commandments. He answers by quoting Torah and says that the first and most important commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And the second is like it, to love your neighbor as yourself.”

There is no question that Democrats are the Party of the Second Great Commandment. Our support for welfare, social security, universal health care, public education, affordable housing, and the like embodies what this commandment is all about. The reason we lose the Christian vote, however, is because we often seem to ignore the importance of the first and primary great commandment: to love God. Without the first, the second fails as a basis for an appeal to many moderate and conservative Christians.

Without question, on most issues the Democrats champion positions much more in line with the teachings of the Bible, and in particular the teachings of Jesus and the prophets, than do the Republicans. But as Luther taught us, works without faith are meaningless. And we have to realize that Dems will need to be able to at least pass a sniff test on the first great commandment and not be seen as against God before faith voters will give us credit for our many accomplishments on the second.

So where does that leave us as a Party? Should we scrap our traditional policy positions and begin madly searching for new public places that the Republicans haven’t thought of yet where we can stick the Ten Commandments? As St. Paul would say, “Let it not be so!” As a Party, we will need to make some changes to what we do and what we say. But there are a number of ways for us to get credit on the “First Great Commandment” without alienating our more secular brethren and while remaining true to (and one might even say, returning to) the core of what it means to be a Democrat. That is what this blog is all about, and I for one am looking forward to the discussion over the next few months…

Campaign Blog

Previous Post

August 20, 2006

Evangelicals and Iraq

Next Post

August 21, 2006 Donate

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category About Us About Us Action Center Advertise Ask a Theologian Ask a Theologian Blogs Books Campaign Blog Candidate Spotlights Commentary Donate Facebook Featured Writers Fellows Fellows From the Pulpit General Information Hillary Clinton Interfaith Blog Latest Media Center Media Center Media Center MyBlog MyBlog News Newsflash Newsflashes Our Team Reader Blogs RSS Sermon of the Week Shop Social Networking Static Items Support Talking Points Test blogs The Basics Theology Uncategorized YouTube

Select a Month November 2020 October 2020 February 2020 August 2019 July 2018 July 2017 March 2017 February 2017 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 January 2006 August 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book of the Bible contains the story of Balaam’s talking donkey?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Exodus 1 Samuel Judges Numbers