I used to be saddened to listen to the information of the fairly sudden dying of Joseph Lieberman, a four-term senator from Connecticut (1989-2013) and the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee who made historical past as the primary Jewish candidate to grace the nationwide celebration. ticket.
Throughout that extremely contested presidential marketing campaign in 2000, then-Senator Lieberman emphasised his Jewish religion, stating that you simply can not perceive him as a candidate or as an individual with out understanding the really vital function his religion performed in all areas of his life. He described himself as an “observant” Jew (fairly than a strict, orthodox one). He noticed Jewish kosher dietary practices and strictly noticed the Jewish Sabbath.
Mr. Lieberman as soon as walked throughout Washington to the Capitol constructing on the Sabbath to cease a Republican thug with out violating strict guidelines towards prohibited Sabbath modes of transportation.
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Lieberman had a hard-earned and well-deserved repute as a great, respectable man who cherished his God, his spouse, and his nation.
Even though Yale legislation scholar Invoice Clinton was an amazing helper in Lieberman's first profitable run for public workplace in 1970, Lieberman was First a significant Democratic determine publicly denounced President Clinton's illicit sexual relationship with White Home intern Monica Lewinsky. Lieberman condemned President Clinton's conduct, admitting that whereas “I favored him,” “I actually felt that what he did was actually horrible. Senator Lieberman later reported that President Clinton instructed him, “I simply need you to know that there’s nothing in that speech that I disagree with.
As The New York Occasions headlined its March 28 obituary, Senator Lieberman was “A Image of Honesty…” Political scientists would name the Yale Regulation Faculty-educated senator a “centrist Democrat.” Whereas firmly inside the bounds of his celebration on reproductive rights, environmental points, and so forth., he was considerably hawkish on international coverage.
Maybe his finest good friend within the Senate was Republican Sen. John McCain, and McCain reportedly almost named Lieberman as his 2008 vice-presidential working mate earlier than selecting Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.
Senator Lieberman's thorough ethical integrity gained him the admiration of all with whom he got here involved.
Because the New Yorker stated in a 2002 profile, “He could also be a dead-end average in his politics, however he's an actual conservative in temperament and magnificence. … His world is an orderly place the place individuals wait in line, take turns and customarily behave themselves.”
I developed a cordial, pleasant relationship with the senator throughout my time as a public coverage advocate (1988-2013) in Washington, and whereas we definitely disagreed on essential social points, I admired his character and the best way he performed himself.
It exhibits that he loves America and that he understands the distinctiveness of our nice nation. He very kindly volunteered to put in writing the ahead in my e book,”Divided States of America. What liberals AND conservatives get improper about religion and politics.” (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007).
Once I learn his continuation in my e book, I used to be struck by the similarity of our imaginative and prescient of America. Right here was Senator Lieberman, the son of Nineteenth-century Jewish immigrants, raised in Connecticut, whose father owned a liquor retailer, and I, whose household first settled in Virginia within the 1730s, raised in Texas, the son of a Baptist welder . the identical imaginative and prescient for our exceptional nation.
In his movement, Senator Lieberman wrote the next:
“Dr. Land writes that our founding fathers didn’t got down to create a Christian nation, though nearly all of them had been Christians. However he additionally reminds us that they actually based their new nation on religion in God and meant it to be a rustic through which honor faith and freedom of faith will probably be protected.
Dr. Land is correct. The US is a faith-based establishment. You see it proper firstly in America's first doc, the Declaration of Independence, the place our founders stated they had been forming their new authorities to 'safe' the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that had been (and are) the “endowments” of our Creator.
I see American historical past as a path to securing these rights. It’s a path through which faith-based teams appropriately play very progressive roles. Abolitionist actions within the nineteenth century and the nice struggles for social welfare and civil rights within the twentieth century had been led by non secular leaders and their followers.
“Making an attempt to separate America and its individuals from their religion in God and the values it engenders is an unnatural and pointless act.”
In 2005 I had the distinction of being a visitor Meet the press with Senator Lieberman. Throughout the interview, Senator Lieberman stated the next:
“This can be a nation based by Christians, nearly all of its residents are Christians. However…these rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that we now have as a present from our Creator have been given to everybody. So this can be a nation that – most of them are Christians. I’ll inform you as a Jewish American that I consider in 5,765 years of Jewish historical past, there has by no means been a rustic aside from Israel at sure instances in its historical past that has given the Jews extra freedom…That’s the glory of this nation. and admittedly, the grace and reward of the Christians who based the nation. (Joseph Lieberman, Religion in America, op Meet the press20 March 2005).
This can be a superb heritage bequeathed to us by our forefathers, and it’s as much as us as People to guard it and move it on undiminished to our youngsters and our grandchildren.
PS I might be remiss if I didn’t specific my gratitude for Senator Lieberman's e book, The reward of relaxation, rediscovering the reward of the Sabbath (2012). As I instructed the senator on the time, it served this over-the-top Protestant work ethic addict and prompted me to cease and “odor the roses” extra usually. Thanks, Senator Lieberman, for the whole lot.
Dr. Richard Land, BA (Princeton, magna cum laude); D.Phil. (Oxford); Th.M (New Orleans Seminary). Dr. Land served as president of Southern Evangelical Seminary from July 2013 to July 2021. Upon his retirement, he was honored as president emeritus and continues to function an adjunct professor of theology and ethics. Dr. Land beforehand served as chairman of the Ethics and Spiritual Liberty Fee of the Southern Baptist Conference (1988-2013), the place he was additionally honored as president emeritus upon his retirement. Dr. Land has additionally served as govt editor and columnist for The Christian Put up since 2011.
Dr. Land explores many present and significant matters on his day by day radio present “Bringing Each Thought Captive” and in his weekly column for CP.
