By Ken Camp / The Baptist Standard

This is an abbreviated version of the story. For the full story, click here.

“There’s a sweet, sweet spirit in this place,” the congregation sings on Sunday morning. And it’s often true—right up until somebody says something about politics.

Then battle lines form, and Christian soldiers rally around their cause or candidate.

It happens every election cycle, particularly in years when U.S. voters select a president. But seldom in recent decades have the presumptive presidential candidates of the two major political parties elicited such polarizing public responses from the Christian community. …

Brent Walker, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty in Washington, D.C., acknowledges Christians differ in their political views, but he insists they have a responsibility to speak truthfully, lovingly and respectfully.

“It’s OK to debate vigorously. That’s how a vital democracy works,” Walker said. “The real question is how we’re going to debate. It may be too much to expect all American citizens to live up to the highest plane here, but I don’t think it is too much to expect Christians and other people of faith to do so.

“We have an obligation to model how we conduct ourselves when tending to the affairs of our country—although we are sometimes the worst offenders.” …

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