The Sarah Palin controversy continues to rage on among complimentarians (there’s virtually no debate among mainstream evangelicals).  There are articles flying everywhere on one side of the issue or the other.  I find it quite fascinating and stimulating.  However, I must say I also find it a bit disappointing.  I’m beginning to feel like a man who broke wind in an elevator.  It seems EVERYBODY in the Evangelical world feels the need to defend the Palin pick and rally the troops behind Senator McCain (my apologies to those who were offended by my use of Mr. and Mrs. when referring to the Senator and the Governor... I meant no disrespect).  The only problem is the reasoning behind the support. 

First, let me make a few points of clarification.  I haven’t even addressed the “women as Civil Magistrates” issue in my blogs.  My point --which appears to be falling on deaf ears-- goes to the tendency among Evangelicals to play party politics and ignore significant issues in the name of winning.  Moreover, I don’t have a dog in this fight.  I am not voting for McCain or Obama.  I decided on the third party route long ago.  In fact, this was the first time I didn’t vote in the Republican primary.  I couldn’t because I was signing and promoting a petition in our state to get a third party candidate on the ballot. 

That being said, I worry about the line of reasoning Evangelicals have employed to answer the criticism of the Left.  I was on CNN yesterday where the host could barely contain her glee as she pointed to the fact that Evangelicals who do not allow women to preach in their pulpits are supporting a woman for the second-highest office in the land.  Her question to me was, “do you think this will cause Evangelicals to rethink their position?”  While Feminism is rampant in Evangelical circles (my counterpart on the show, one of Charisma Magazine’s “30 Emerging Voices” that will lead the church in the next decade, vehemently argued the Feminist position), I am worried about Complimentarians whom I believe have made a potentially fatal error.

Complimentarians have basically argued in support of Governor Palin’s candidacy on the basis of the following:  1) there is no specific New Testament injunction against female magistrates.  2) we have old testament examples of women as magistrates.  and 3) she is not running for pastor-in-chief; therefore, we cannot hold her (or Senator McCain) to 1 Timothy 3/Titus 1 standards.   Taking their line of reasoning, what would stop evangelicals from supporting, say, a polygamist candidate?  Ridiculous?  Lets see.

No Specific New Testament Injunction

The New Testament does not forbid polygamists from serving as magistrates.  Based on the reasoning being employed by Evangelicals to support the Palin candidacy there would have to be specific New Testament injunctions against polygamist magistrates for us to disqualify a polygamist.  Since there are virtually no specific injunctions of any kind about the qualifications of magistrates, one would be hard pressed to stand toe-to-toe against a future Governor from Utah who happened to have multiple spouses.

Old Testament Examples

Not only does polygamy meet the ‘no specific injunction’ test, it also meets the ‘we’ve got Old Testament examples’ test.  Deborah looks like a pretty weak example when you stack her up against polygamist leaders like David and Solomon.  Certainly these Old Testament examples of Kings trumps some minor judge. 

Not Running for Pastor-in-Chief

The closest thing we have in the New Testament to an injunction against polygamy is Paul’s teaching on ‘husband of one wife’ in Timothy and Titus.  However, since those passages address the role of pastor (remember, McCain/Palin is not a pastor-in-chief ticket) we cannot apply this standard to the presidential race.  Hence, the groundwork has been laid for future Evangelical support of a polygamist candidate.  By the way, there’s also no clear injunction against magistrates who practice bestiality, incest, and a whole host of other abominations.

Sure, this is somewhat tounge-in-cheek.  However, let the point be clear.  We need to be careful how far we go to get the “right candidate” in office.  The Culture War will not end on November 4th, no matter who wins.  Or am I the only one who remembers that George W. Bush was supposed to be a political savior too?