Tuesday March 6, 2007

The Faith of Condoleeza Rice

The Faith of Condoleeza Rice - Leslie Montgomery It is easy to be skeptical about the faith claims of politicians. It is rare for a politician to claim to be anything other than a Christian and yet so few of them show any real evidence of the faith they profess. Of course there are undoubtedly some who rise to power that truly are genuine Christians. In The Faith of Condoleeza Rice, Leslie Montgomery shows Condoleeza Rice to be one of these.

Though this is a book about a woman who has made her mark as a politician, it is not a book about politics. Rather, it is about the faith the of Condoleeza Rice and the legacy of faith that was passed down to her by her family. Growing up in a family of Presbyterians, many of whom were clergy, Rice seems to have always considered herself a believer. She was born into a remarkable family, the only child of parents who gave everything they had to give her everything she needed to be one of the most influential people in the world. As the book traces Rice’s life, it also traces the history of racial tension and reconciliation in the United States. Rice was born into the geographic and chronological heart of the Civil Rights Movement. While her parents kept her largely sheltered from the strife surrounding them, she certainly did notice the world changing around her.

I was intrigued by the intellectual nature of Rice’s faith. While in many ways she has a simple faith and says she has never doubted the tenets of her faith, at the same time her faith has become remarkably developed in her mind as she has reflected on the Bible. The parts of the book in which the author discusses the particulars of Rice’s faith, and especially those that are drawn directly from interviews with her, make for fascinating reading. While the book attempts to portray Rice as a spiritual hero I am not so sure that the author succeeds at this. She certainly appears to be a Christian, but to consider her some kind of a spiritual giant would seem to be overstating it. After all. Rice’s faith, while certainly driving and motivating her, is not what she is known for. Her faith is an important part of who she is, but it is something she must necessarily keep in the background much of the time.

The book moves quite quickly and, thankfully, unlike many biographies, does not dwell upon things like the books Rice has written. While they are mentioned, the author (rightly, no doubt) assumes that readers will have no interest in knowing just what Rice had to say about Germany Unified and Europe Transformed: A Study in Statecraft. It is well-written, fast-moving, and is certainly an enjoyable read.

So while I would not be likely to read this book as an attempt to peer in the life of a spiritual hero, I would gladly recommend it as an interesting glimpse into the life of a woman who is extraordinarily gifted and who has not risen to a position of great responsibility and great authority despite her faith, but, it would seem, because of her faith.

Comments (28) »

1. Donna
March 6, 2007
8:54 AM

The faith of Condelleza?? Is this a joke? The woman who believes we and Muslim’s worship the same God (at least in public that is her statement, right along with her boss…and is not BEFORE MEN the place that it matters)? The woman who believes in baby murder?

UNBELIEVABLE!!

2. Ralph
March 6, 2007
10:23 AM

I agree with Donna. I am skeptical of any politician’s faith claims. Anyone who argues that Muslims and Christians worship the same God is either profoundly ignorant or intentionally deceptive. Jesus Christ is Lord and the Son of the living God. Muslims reject this truth. Mohammed is not a prophet of YHVH. If faith does not inform one’s views or change one’s life, then what value does it have?

3. Alex Chediak
March 6, 2007
10:24 AM

I am grateful for the positive influence of Christianity in the life and work of Dr. Rice. While I have no grounds for making anything but a charitable judgment on the authenticity of her evangelical faith, I find her support of abortion rights to be both disturbing and totally inconsistent with biblical Christianity. Very disappointing for someone of her stature and visibility not to see the clear implications of her faith regarding the value of human life in the womb.

4. Travis Seitler
March 6, 2007
10:56 AM

I suppose I’m skeptical—primarily because the Bush administration (of which Rice is a part) regularly panders to the “Religious Right” to garner their unquestioning support, and this book is coming out (Amazon says the release date is March 7th) at a time when that administration is desperate for support.

I can understand someone being misled on the abortion issue, but like Donna and Ralph I seriously question the faith claims of someone who blurs the line between YHVH and “Allah.”

I think you’ve been punk’d, Tim. And I was more than a little shocked that Crossway would publish a book like this. (Especially since they’ve made such a clear stance against egalitarianism in the past, it’s weird to see them now publishing a book which sounds like it essentially promotes a possible female Presidential contender.)

5. Alex Chediak
March 6, 2007
11:00 AM

Please note that she has never ran for public office (and has said that she has no intentions to do so).

6. John Kilpatrick
March 6, 2007
6:07 PM

I’m somewhat confused here.
The Muslims worship God wrongly, right?
Not only so, they give him the wrong name.
Christians worship God as the Father, through Christ, in Spirit and in Truth.
Pseudo-Christians worship God wrongly because they don’t worship him in Spirit and in Truth.
I think that we’re together so far but this is where I get lost with the thinking some of you have been expressing. Please bear with me as I try to work this out.
Although the Pseudo-Christian worships God wrongly he still worships the same God because there is only one God. You see where I’m going here, I trust. The Muslim must worship the same God as I do if there is only one God. To say otherwise is to say to the Muslim that you believe in more than one god and that your god is better than his god.
If to say that the Muslim worships another god means that there are more gods than one, surely to say that the Muslim worships another god is to deny the faith because to say that there is more than one God is to deny the faith? I don’t know why you’d want to do that to score a political point?

7. John Kilpatrick
March 6, 2007
6:08 PM

8. Armen
March 6, 2007
6:23 PM

John - To be honest, I think that anyone who doesn’t worship God aright (in Spirit and in truth), isn’t worshipping God at all. Their ‘worship’ is idolatry, whether it’s muslims, pseudo Christians, or any other cult or religion.

I may be wrong though.

9. Jim Swindle
March 6, 2007
10:01 PM

I’d agree with John. To say that we worship the same God is NOT to say that we understand hiim in the same way, nor to say that Islam is sufficient for knowing him. If a Muslim believes in the creator of the universe, the God of Abraham, the eternal, all-knowing God, I would not want him to renounce that God. I’d want him to know the rest of the truth about that God, as revealed in Jesus the Christ.

I guess that makes me a non-Christian by some people’s definition, but I must hold to truth as I see it.

Meanwhile, I’m not making any pronouncements about Ms. Rice’s spiritual condition. I don’t know her, and have not read the book about her, but appreciate having the opportunity to read the review of the book.

10. Alex Moore
March 6, 2007
10:02 PM

You know, I think there’s a book or two floating around out there about the faith of George W. Bush. Did you ever happen to review that one?

11. section9
March 6, 2007
10:43 PM

Dr. Rice is a diplomat. To bring her faith into question simply because she does not venture into the Islamic World in Crusader garb, sword in hand, singing “Onward Christian Soldiers” appears to be the contention of some commenters here. I have no doubt that Rice truly believes that one must achieve Heaven through faith in Jesus Christ the Righteous as our Lord and Savior.

One does not, however, deal diplomatically with the representatives of over a billion adherents of the Islamic faith, wrongheaded death cult that it is, by calling them apostates. Leave that to Jesus and Pope Benedict.

12. afrikaner
March 7, 2007
6:34 AM

I’m not aware of some of the claims of previous respondents have wrt Condaleeza Rice’s theology……. and in many ways it is irrelevant. But I wish she had a better ‘hair do’. Seriously what we see here is a battle between the forces of evil and the sovereign God of the universe. He will have His day - I’m not sure who is who is on who’s side when we see the conflicts raging around us. God will use seemingly idiots like George Bush or sexually immoral people like Bill C for His own purposes. The forces of Islam will not prevail against the church - nations might be brought low - including USA and it’s co-combatants - including my own country Australia. We might see the church once again under persecution directly in the west. So be it - God will always remain faithful. I’m not depending on George W, Condaleeza Rice, John Howard or Tony Blair - all seem to claim some sort of ‘Christian’ stand….. no I will depend on God, the Sovereign judge of the universe. Pray for these people - yes we are commanded to …. rely on them or raise them up as some sort of bastion of the ‘faith’ - no. Christ is the bastion whom I turn to and may God use whatever means or people available to bring about His purposes. Jesus has already broken into the strongman’s house and he is bound. The strongman may turn around and try to hurt the Bridegroom’s bride - but to no avail.

13. Travis Seitler
March 7, 2007
7:49 AM

“Although the Pseudo-Christian worships God wrongly he still worships the same God because there is only one God.”

There comes a point where you’re worshiping idols and demons instead.

“Pray for these people - yes we are commanded to …. rely on them or raise them up as some sort of bastion of the ‘faith’ - no.”

I’m with you there. And again: I believe books like this are written because it’s a long proven method of getting a large number of Christians on “her side” simply because she’s a Christian. It’s that whole discernment thing Tim’s been talking about: lots of Christians lack it, so when they see a book (and a review) like this, it makes them more likely to unquestioningly support the subject. And that’s exactly what this administration is desperate for right now.

I’m simply saying the timing of this book’s release seems very politically motivated.

14. donsands
March 7, 2007
9:46 AM

Jesus Christ, the risen Savior and Lord of the universe, has testified that He is God. Also that God the Father is God. And the Holy Spirit is God.

There are many jesus’ preached out there. Many gods as well.
But there’s only One God, and One Jesus.

All born again Christains worship the Triune God of Scripture, the One true God. All other gods are false. Anyone who acknowledges any other god, but the Triune God is an unbeliever, and must repent, and turn to the One true Savior and God, Jesus Christ.
They need to bow the knee to Christ, and fall before the Cross for the forgiveness of sin. This is the charge of our Lord:

“Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit:
Teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you”.

“But you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.”

As far as Condoleeza Rice not being pro-life is very disturbing to me.
I’d like to know more on this issue.

15. christopher
March 7, 2007
1:52 PM

i find the comments suggesting that Dr. Rice cannot be a Christian because of her views on abortion policy to be quite interesting. So much for sola fide. i guess the cry of the Neo-Constantinian Reformation is “solo abortio!” Hmmm…i think the Reformers would be confused.

16. donsands
March 7, 2007
2:14 PM

christopher,

I didn’t see anyone judge her. I didn’t. I don’t even know her views on abortion.

However, if one thinks you can kill babies in a mother’s womb, then that has to make one think that that person may not be born again.
Of course, we know there are those who are pro-life that are not Christians as well.

Abortion takes a human life and kills it brutally. It’s a henious sin. And we as Christains need to speak up for the unborn.

I supose this is way off topic. And maybe needs to be deleted.

17. Jeremy Pierce
March 7, 2007
2:24 PM

The Bible is very clear that someone can be in one sense worshiping God and in another sense not worshiping God. In I Kings 17 such statements appear in very close quarters to each other. The peoples transplanted into the northern kingdom by Assyria after its collapse worship YHWH but do so wrongly by also worshiping other gods. They make a huge mistake about what God is like by acting as if it’s ok to worship him among other gods. But the text says that they were worshiping him. Then it proceeds to say that they weren’t really worshiping him, because they weren’t following the dictated procedures for worshiping him, including especially the command against idolatry.

Something similar goes on with Islam. Muslims believe some very wrong things about God. But it’s not as if there’s some other divine being that they’re believing these things about. The being they have false beliefs about is the being who created the universe, who spoke to Abraham and promised him to be the father of many nations. He’s also the being who sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and who is one with that same Jesus in the Trinity. It’s just that Muslims don’t acknowledge the latter truths while affirming the former ones. They thus have false beliefs about the God they worship, and their false beliefs are such that they’re not truly worshiping him. But in some sense they are worshiping the same God. They just worship him in a way that has utterly no value.

Now there are people who are religious relativists, who claim that Islam is just as good a way to get to God as Christianity. I have not seen Condoleeza Rice or George W. Bush say anything of the sort. If they were saying that, then perhaps someone could make a case that their claims to Islam as worshiping the same God as Christianity might amount to something more worrisome. But I have seen no such evidence. As far as I can tell, the view they have taken is fully consistent with a full-blown evangelicalism (and is in fact true).

18. Brian @ voiceofthesheep
March 7, 2007
2:40 PM

It’s just that Muslims don’t acknowledge the latter truths while affirming the former ones.

Jeremy,
Jesus Himself was very clear that whoever rejects Him rejects the Father (the one true God)…whoever does not believe in Him, does not believe in the Father (the one true God).

In the same way that unregenerate Jews do not worship the one true God, Muslims likewise do not worship the one true God.

Just because one holds to monotheism does not equate to them worshiping or acknowledging Yahweh, the one true God.

19. Jeremy Pierce
March 7, 2007
3:15 PM

Brian, yes, that’s one half of the biblical tension in the way it speaks of this.

But the other side is that, in the same way unregenerate Jews do really succeed in referring to God when they use the word ‘God’, so too do Muslims. When they say they are worshiping God, it is God that they say they’re worshiping. They are not successful in worshiping God properly, and thus it counts as not worshiping him at all. They certainly do not know God. But it is God that they aren’t knowing and worshiping when they address God with their prayers.

20. Alex Chediak
March 7, 2007
3:54 PM

Christopher,

I did not say that she was not a Christian either. I was merely saying that her pro-choice position is inconsistent with true Christianity. So it is unfortunate, but that does not mean she is not truly saved. I would, however, want to inform her conscience.

Don Sands, I hope to review this book also, and perhaps comment more on her pro-choice position. I have not yet found much on this, but I haven’t really looked yet either.

Alex

21. Brian @ voiceofthesheep
March 7, 2007
4:19 PM

But the other side is that, in the same way unregenerate Jews do really succeed in referring to God when they use the word ‘God’, so too do Muslims.

Jeremy, I respectfully disagree with this statement. Just because they use the word ‘God’, or ‘Allah’, doesn’t mean they are referring to the one true God any more than other monotheistic religions that do not put their faith and trust in the work of Christ.

It is not that they are not successful in worshiping God properly…it is that they are not even addressing the one true God. Any ‘God’ absent the Son and the Holy Spirit cannot be the one true God, no matter how sincere the ‘worshiper’.

22. Brendt
March 7, 2007
5:15 PM

I bet this is the last time that Tim posts anything even mildly controversial right before leaving for a conference.

God grant him the patience when he sees this to be less frustrated than I.

23. Carmon Friedrich
March 7, 2007
5:43 PM

If Crossway is peddling a book touting the supposed Christianity of Ms. Rice, then it is perfectly legitimate for Christians to comment on the claims of her alleged faith.

Fact: When Bush appointed an open homosexual, Mark Dybul, to be the U.S. Global Aids Commissioner, at the swearing-in ceremony Ms. Rice introduced Dybul’s partner, Jason, and referred to Jason’s mother as Dybul’s “mother-in-law.”

Source: http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20061122-090144-1538r.htm

Fact: Ms. Rice considers herself “mildly” pro-choice and takes politically conservative but essentially ineffective stands on a couple of pro-life issues which affect only a minute number of abortions (against partial birth abortion, for parental notification).

Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20050311-115948-2015r.htm

and

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/07/01/MN61464.DTL

Fact: Ms. Rice prefers the religion of democracy to the faith of her fathers when it comes to her job. She enthused over the repressive Islamic Afghan consitution, which prescribes the death penalty for “apostasy” and says “no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam.”

Source: http://www.nationalreview.com/mccarthy/mccarthy200603270613.asp

Fact: Jesus never allowed for any wiggle room about worshipping the same God for ecumencal or political purposes. With the fuzzy thinking on this one in modern times, I would think Christians would speak out *STRONGLY* on this, not make allowances based on weak professions which appear to be politically motivated (how can anyone not realize these days that the evangelical right is targeted for support in every election?)

Source: Too many verses to mention them all, but here are a couple…

John 8:39-47 (Jesus tells the monotheistic Jews who rejected Him that they were of their father the devil…”you do not belong to God”)
Matthew 12:30 (“He who is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters”)
I John 2:3-5 (“And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments”)

Christians of all people need to be discerning and guarding the truth…and holding each other accountable (assuming we have first removed the board from our own eyes) for how we live out our faith in *every* area of life, even politics. Please examine both actions and words of those who claim to have a faith that informs their political ambitions.

24. donsands
March 7, 2007
7:05 PM

Thanks Carmon for sharing those links, and your thoughts.

25. Wake
March 8, 2007
7:29 AM

Here’s a ‘fact’: All politicians today (elected or appointed) including those who may have started out as faithful Christians, will be forced to compromise on areas of true Christian beliefs if they are to maintain their position or move upward within politics. The choice is always (as it is for us in our lives when tempted by compromise) to serve God or self/evil/the world/the flesh/etc. and in today’s world where the majority is openly ungodly you will not get far on a platform that abides by Scripture, especially on abortion, homosexuality, and Israel.

I would never deny she’s a Christian as I don’t know her heart. That’s for God to know. What I can tell you is that these type of books are propaganda written to the “religious right” to try to sway them into more fully supporting a given political figure.

26. Susan
March 8, 2007
8:49 AM

I don’t think the discussion regarding true believers, “pseudo-Christians” and Muslims worshipping the same God is accurate.
In my understanding, the deity worshipped by Muslims is Allah, a moon god. I don’t have my reference materials handy to quote from them, but I have read that during the time of Muhammed, there were many gods in Arabia. The moon god (named Allah) was selected to be the “one god” above all. Hence, the crescent moon on minarets and Muslim nation flags.
Just because Islam touts “one god” and has some relationship to the Old Testament (which Muslims repeatedly use to denounce Jews) doesn’t mean they worship the same God as Jews and Christians.
Re: Condoleesa Rice, she has my respect, although I’m disappointed in her views on abortion. I’m more disappointed in Bush for pandering to Islamists than Rice. He’s the boss. She’s there to support him.

27. Alex Moore
March 8, 2007
3:38 PM

I would tend to agree with “Wake.”

Seems like we water down our faith when we’re caught with our pants down greasing the political machine of a particular party by lending credibility to their attempts at “rallying the base.”

The Republicans are quite aware that the Christians that gave them the executive and legislative branch (and, indirectly, the judicial) in the hopes that they would in turn do something about gay marriage and abortion are losing faith in the Republicans ability to get things done, so they’ve got to fly the “remember, we’re Christians too” banner in order to turn people out in ‘08.

It is a shame that the church is so willing to whore herself out to a political faction.

28. John Kilpatrick
March 8, 2007
6:16 PM

Susan,
I believe that you’re right about the origin of the name ‘Allah’ and the Muslims are quite wrong to use it for that very purpose, there is no moon god!
However just because there is no moon god or any other god besides the true God, if we say that Muslims worship another god we are saying that there are more gods than one. If you want Biblical precedent for the positive use of this argument look to Paul at Athens in Acts 17:23 and, while the ‘Christian’ politicians in Britain and America are not using the concept that there is only one God particularly positively so as to preach the gospel, they are right to say that there is only one God, are they not?
I do wish that we’d cut them a bit of slack in this, remembering that God in his sovereignty could very well have given us senior politicians who would either provoke a crisis by being honest about their atheism or would repeat the ‘one god’ mantra with bare-faced hypocrisy.
Isn’t it strange that at this very time our senior politicians do seem to be able to say that they believe without hypocrisy?