I recently interviewed Jarrod Manning, the Associate Pastor of Ministry at Grace Bible Church of Brazosport.
Jarrod studied at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and I found common ground in our understanding of Christianity and government.
Q: What kind of political system do you believe is good?
A: I think a democratic republic is the best form of government, especially considering that people are sinful. The constitution, when people understand what it says and believe it, is the best tool we have for establishing a good society, this side of the fall.
Q: What errors do you see in our current political system?
A: The Bible never calls the government to steal what I have and give it to someone else. The government does a lot of redistributing of wealth. It doesn’t do this well. Since LBJ there are more people in poverty, not less. What does help, is when private organizations get involved.
Q: Should the government be passing laws to regulate the economy?
A: I’m always going to err on side of less government. There is a role for government. But what we see today is very far from that role.
Q: Any examples?
A: Obamacare.
Q: Should the government legislate morality?
A: It’s impossible not to. Legislation comes from a worldview about what is right and wrong. The question is over which parts of morality the government should or should not legislate. When we read the Bible it’s important to separate what it is commanding Christians vs. what it is saying about how the government should be set up.
Thanks for reading! Would you like to share your own ideas on life, reason, or faith? Please contact me at cody@codylibolt.com about interviews. It’s a great way to connect with others and enter the conversation.