Yet contemporary American politics is infused with religion — in particular, with Christianity. The president is sworn in on a Bible, and it’s almost unthinkable that she or he could be openly atheistic and claim that God is a fiction and morality comes from something other than the supernatural. Even more, Scripture is often used by politicians, pundits and everyday Americans to justify their political beliefs.
For example, Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., famously dismissed climate change in 2009 by citing verses in Genesis and Matthew and saying that “the Earth will end only when God declares it’s time to be over. Man will not destroy this Earth — this Earth will not be destroyed by a flood.”
Similarly, President Barack Obama referenced Exodus 23 in a speech about immigration, declaring that, “Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger — we were strangers once, too.” [...]
Both Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals — and even non-Christians, such as Bernie Sanders — have used the Bible to support their social, political and economic positions. But what does the Bible actually say about hot-button issues like climate change, immigration, gay marriage, abortion, taxes, women, family values and social welfare? [...]
I don’t think the Founding Fathers had a form of Christianity that we would immediately recognize today because of the presence of deism. For example, Thomas Jefferson’s attitude towards the Bible was that it needed to be edited [so he literally cut the Bible up]. [...]
I like your term “selective literalism.” In listening to people, including my own students, I’ve noticed a strange, almost contradiction: Many are selective metaphorical literalists. For example, they take a passage like the one in 2 Chronicles [7:14] that says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land,” and they take it literally and apply it to the U.S.
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