The Raven Foundation and the First Congregational Church of Wilmette invited the Rev. Dr. Ken Vaux to discuss the 2008 Presidential Campaign and its connection between religion and politics. The discussion took place on Wednesday, November 12 from 8:00-9:30 pm during a Theology on Tap adult education forum at First Congregational Church.
Dr. Vaux is professor of theology and ethics at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. He was a spiritual campaign advisor to the Barak Obama Presidential Campaign and has written a booklet called Theology of the Presidential Candidates: Clinton, McCain and Obama.
The evening began with Dr. Vaux discussing his personal background with Barak Obama. For many years Dr. Vaux and Obama were neighbors in the Hyde Park community of Chicago. Obama and Dr. Vaux’s son, Bert Vaux, worked together at the University of Chicago.
At the beginning of 2008, Dr. Vaux joined the Obama campaign as a spiritual advisor. During the campaign Dr. Vaux traveled to Pennsylvania and Iowa to talk with groups about Obama’s message. In each state he discussed his booklet with a group of pastors, and then led them in registering people to vote.
Dr. Vaux helped the Obama campaign during the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy. He asserts that Wright’s preaching was biblically (more to the point, prophetically) orthodox. Thus, Dr. Vaux suggested Obama support Wright, but politically astute advisors recognized that supporting Wright would have quickly ended Obama’s presidential bid. Against Dr. Vaux’s advice, Obama severed ties with Wright and his church, Trinity UCC of Chicago.
Although Dr. Vaux supported Obama’s presidential campaign, he pointed out that the job of voters is not done. He quoted Cornell West, Professor of African American Studies and Religion at Princeton University, saying to Obama, “Today I am your strongest advocate. When you’re elected, I become your strongest critic.” This shows the complicated relationship between religion and politics. The role of religious people is to point politicians toward a faithful response to national and world crises. Only then will we have the change we hope for.