Miroslav Volf - Values When Voting

With the United States facing a presidential election this year, Miroslav Volf has been posting in Facebook some thoughts regarding issues that influence his decision as a voter. They are well worth reading and reflecting on as all too often votes are cast based on a single issue of benefit to voters (like student loan interest write offs) with little consideration given to a bigger picture.

He considers it important to know three things in regards to responsibly selecting a candidate for office.

1. Values the candidate stands for and there order of priority.
2. Ways and means by which these values will be implemented.
3. The capacity (ability and determination) of the candidate to contribute to the values being out worked.

Volf has 20 values which he intends to highlight and has already posted in regards to 7 of them. In regards to each value he 1) names the basic content of the value, 2) gives a brief rationale for holding it, 3) suggests some parameters of legitimate debate about it, and 4) identifies key questions for the candidate.

 

Volf is a world renowned theologian and writes from a Christian perspective. He acknowledges that whole books have been written on the values he is discussing and simply posts a couple of verses to flag the direction of his rationale rather than as a concise argument regarding each value.
Here are values 2, 5, and 7 as a teaser. You can find the others on his Facebook page and track the 13 he is yet to post on.

Value # 2: Concern for the Poor. The poor—above all those without adequate food or shelter—deserve our special concern.

Rationale: “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 23:22). “However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you.” (Deuteronomy 15:7).

Debate: There should be no debate whether fighting extreme poverty should be one of the top priorities of the government. That is a given. The debate should be about the following issues: How to generate a sense of solidarity with the poor among all citizens? In poverty alleviation, what is the proper role of governments and what of individuals, religious communities, and civic organizations? What macroeconomic conditions most favour lifting people out of poverty? What should the minimum wage be?

Questions: Is overcoming extreme poverty a priority for the candidate? What poverty reducing polices is the candidate prepared to fight for?no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you” (Deuteronomy 15:7).

Debate: There should be no debate whether fighting extreme poverty should be one of the top priorities of the government. That is a given. The debate should be about the following issues: How to generate a sense of solidarity with the poor among all citizens? In poverty alleviation, what is the proper role of governments and what of individuals, religious communities, and civic organizations? What macroeconomic conditions most favor lifting people out of poverty? What should the minimum wage be?

Question: Is overcoming extreme poverty a priority for the candidate? What poverty reducing policies is the candidate prepared to fight for?

Value # 5: Death should never be as punishment for a crime.

Rationale: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Since out of love Christ died for absolutely every human being (“the world”), no one should rob a human being of a chance to be transformed by God’s love and no one should put to death a human being who has been transformed by God’s love.

Debate: There is no debate on this one.

Questions: Will the candidate push to abolish capital punishment, and if so, how hard?

Value # 7: Given the world’s resources, no human being should go hungry; as individuals and nation we should be committed to complete eradication of hunger.

Rationale: “[The Lord] executes justice for the oppressed […] gives food to the hungry” (Psalm 146:7); “Then he [the Son of Man] will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink” (Matthew 25:41-42).

Debate: The debate should not be whether the eradication of world hunger out to be one of our top priorities, but what are the most effective ways to achieve that goal.

Questions: Is the candidate committed to the eradication of world hunger, and if so, what means will they use toward that goal? Is the candidate prepared to set aside a percentage of the Gross National Product for the eradication of hunger?l fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink” (Matthew 25:41-42).

Debate: The debate should not be whether the eradication of world hunger ought to be one of our top priorities, but what are most effective ways to achieve that goal.

Question to Ask: Is the candidate committed to the eradication of world hunger, and if so, what means will he use toward that goal? Is the candidate prepared to set aside a percentage of the Gross National Product for the eradication of hunger?

ave eternal life” (John 3:16). Since out of love Christ died for absolutely every human being (“the world”), no one should rob a human being of a chance to be transformed by God’s love and no one should put to death a human being who has been transformed by God’s love.

Debate: There is no debate on this one.

Question to Ask: Will the candidate push to abolish the capital punishment, and if so, how hard?

Most important are the values. As I identified each value, I thought it important to (1) name the basic content of the value, (2) give a brief rationale for holding it, (3) suggest some parameters of legitimate debate about it, and (4) identify key questions for the candidate.

Most important are the values. As I identified each value, I thought it important to (1) name the basic content of the value, (2) give a brief rationale for holding it, (3) suggest some parameters of legitimate debate about it, and (4) identify key questions for the candidate.

I write as a Christian theologian, from the perspective of my own understanding of the Christian faith. Whole books have been written on each of these values, explicating them and adjudicating complex debates about them. In giving rationale for a given value, I only take one or two verses from the Bible to back up my position, more to flag the direction in which giving a rationale would need to go than in fact strictly to offer a rationale. I have identified some 20 such values. In coming days I will post one a day.