As the 2024 election approaches, so too does our inexorable march toward presidential debates. And while the yr’s first debate today takes place far earlier within the calendar than normal, that is removed from a traditional election.
Joe Biden, already the oldest president in American history, is facing criticism and questions on his readiness to steer and mental acuity. Donald Trump, also advanced in age, continues to spread unfounded accusations of electoral malfeasance in 2020 and, depending on the consequence, in 2024.
God’s individuals are called to like their neighbors and “seek the welfare of the town” (Jer. 29:7). One way we do that is to be told and engaged within the contemporary political process. This means researching candidates for office, considering the ways our voting affects not only ourselves and our families but in addition our neighbors and fellow residents, and, yes, at times tuning in to debates between candidates.
At their best, political debates highlight differences between candidates and provides voters a transparent alternative once they forged their votes. Debates provide platforms for candidates to share not only specific policy proposals but in addition a broader vision for his or her community, state, and nation. This is consistent with the political science idea of “responsible party government,” through which political parties articulate an agenda that voters can reasonably expect from them should they win an election. Debates, in theory, afford candidates the identical opportunities.
Unfortunately, debates often fail to achieve these goals. Instead of providing individuals with wealthy and substantive information to help their inevitable voting, debates are likely to devolve into scripted soundbites, attempts at “gotcha” moments, and unhelpful back-and-forth exchanges aimed toward tearing down opponents. Rather than offering a positive vision of governance, debates too often yield the worst of our political impulses and a limited, weakened understanding of what politics should be.
These dynamics, combined with a historically polarized electorate and the dynamics of yet one more Biden-Trump showdown, could mean this yr’s debates can be even less fruitful than normal. People who’re most enthusiastic about debates are likely to be essentially the most politically attentive, meaning they’ve probably made up their minds going right into a given debate. Not much could occur that would persuade them to change their evaluations of the candidates, particularly in an election like this one where the candidates have been in the general public eye for a long time. Political junkies see debates, warts and all, as vehicles for reinforcing the positives of their preferred candidate and the negatives of the opposition.
Others who’re exhausted by the political day-to-day could also be unlikely to tune in in any respect. Why would any person turned off by the conventional ebb and flow of politics and partisanship willingly spend a few hours experiencing the extremes of today’s political environment? Just as folks who relish every moment of those debates are unlikely to alter their minds due to what is alleged, those that don’t look ahead to a second is not going to either.
So do debates matter? Perhaps. Research shows that a really small group of individuals—around 1 in 10, it seems—goes into an election season sincerely questioning how they are going to vote, including for president.
Given that big elections are sometimes decided by small margins in key states, a swing of just a few percent here or there could possibly be the difference. Seen on this light, the moments we are going to remember from this yr’s debates might affect how things shake out in November in spite of everything.
So what are we to do as we approach yet one more season of political debates? Should we tune out entirely, rejecting the essence of those debates as sowing conflict and division in our relationships and communities? Should we begrudgingly listen, staying informed while maintaining a disengaged posture toward the method? Should we enthusiastically tune in, consuming all we are able to in regards to the debates and lending our comments and evaluations to social media and our neighbors?
One could be a faithful Christian and tune out from what amounts to spectacle and political theater. At the identical time, having fun with these spectacles isn’t indicative of a weak or immature faith. What matters is the posture and perspective we bring with us on this arena. Just as Paul clarified that eating meat offered to idols was a possible stumbling block for some yet not inherently sinful, so too could a political debate be a source of difficulty for some Christians but not others.
With this in mind, listed below are three suggestions for approaching the debates with a renewed mind (Rom. 12:2):
Know your tendencies and plan accordingly.
For those that are likely to approach politics in a combative way, in search of to win above all else, practice watching these debates with an emphasis on humility and a willingness to learn from perceived opponents. For those that are likely to approach politics cynically, considering the political world to be hopelessly corrupted, it would help to observe these debates with an eye fixed toward how our fallen politics could be an avenue for loving our neighbors.
Prioritize positivity.
Some of us could have a preferred candidate going into these debates and imagine that the opposite candidate is hopelessly lost when it comes to his goals for presidency. But this doesn’t require negativity or hostility toward the opposition. In watching these debates, attempt to discover something positive from the candidate you oppose—or, should you’re a “pox on each their houses” person, search for positive takeaways from each candidates. Neither Biden nor Trump is the personification of evil; each is a fallen one who is made in God’s image. We should treat them as such.
Practice discernment and seek truth.
Most residents shouldn’t need to carry the burden of fact-checking the a whole lot of claims coming out of those debates. But you may practice healthy skepticism within the spirit of biblical discernment when reading others’ treatments of the debates. Did Joe Biden really appear to be wearing an earpiece feeding him answers? Did Donald Trump really appear to be on stimulants or other drugs to spice up his energy?
Activists will often spread falsehoods to construct or fit narratives. Christians should take claims similar to these—particularly those seemingly designed to inflame partisan passions and appeal to “itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3)—with a grain of salt.
Ultimately, as we set out on what is going to likely be an arduous season of political contests and debates, we should always prepare ourselves in the identical way we should live in our fallen world: with the mind of Christ, embodying a spirit of discernment, graciousness, and love that may only come from him.
Daniel Bennett is an associate professor of political science at John Brown University and assistant director on the Center for Faith and Flourishing. He is the creator of Uneasy Citizenship: Embracing the Tension in Faith and Politics.
