Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness

Serpents and Doves provides Christians with a vision for political engagement that is governed by the uniquely Christian task of pointing to and glorifying God. To do so, the book considers questions such as: Why is it important to keep the Church and state distinct? Can the United States be described as "Christian"? How might Christians make political decisions? Isn't there a difference between using the Bible to reinforce a political point and reading the Bible for the purposes of transformation? These and many other questions guide readers through biblical texts and Christian thinking about the authority of the Triune God, the Church's unique role in the world, and the interaction between Christians and the governing authorities in the United States. Serpents and Doves does not argue that Christians should not participate in the politics of the United States. Instead, it calls Christians to put the politics of the day in proper perspective by recognizing the political nature of worship, discipleship, and the proclamation that Jesus is Lord.