Why do so many assume that the Fundamentalists of America have it right?  Why do we take their interpretation of Christianity or Judaism as the "correct" one, even the only one?  Why should we allow them to define the debate?

For the reality is this. Far too often, those claiming to be "bible believing" Evangelicals or Fundamentalists have consistently misread the Bible.  They did it in the nineteenth century, on issues like slavery, workers' conditions, and child labor: they do it still.  If you want to argue for an extreme Right agenda based on Might is Right,  or that Rich people are inherently "more deserving," so be it.  But do not misread the Bible.  Do not claim your misreading is the only valid interpretation of Christianity.  It is not, and it never has been.

Not content with bringing contraception back into public debate, an issue apparently settled decades ago, on Saturday Sen. Rick Santorum claimed that Pres. Obama's adenda is based on "some phony theology."  Robert Gibbs hit back, saying that Santorum had "crossed a line."

Can we take Santorum seriously:  does anybody really believe that the Bible - Old & New Testaments - actually supports the rich against the poor? What of a passage like Isaiah 10:1-3?

• Rick Santorum's Political and Biblical Mistake by Paul Brandeis Raushenbush.  Huffington Post, 19 Feb 2012

His grasp of biblical teaching is flawed, to put it mildly.  He just does not get it.  In fact, to steal Gov. Romney's word from another context, Rick Santorum is "severely" wrong! 

I am a person of faith.  I have good friends who are agnostic - and who wonder how I can still believe. So be it: I love them still.  How do I see the Bible?  I see the Bible as a religious foundation-text, but also an historically-conditioned text.  It is a text with lofty ideals - and feet of clay.  As Judaism and Christianity have always believed (prior to the Fundamentalists of 1905 onwards, at least), the Bible is the Word of God, and the word of men.  Both.  And, like any text, the Bible must be interpreted. So, it is not surprising:

Skeptics will say, Get rid of the Bible - obviously it has nothing of value to say today.  Fundamentalists are partly to blame for that skepticsm - they fail to recognize the credibility gap they have, and they ignore a history of biblical misuse.  Nor have they made any attempt to bring biblical interpretation into the 21st century.  Many ignore biblical discoveries, scholarship, & recent manuscripts.  Many still use the 1611 King James version: they are locked into a 19th century bubble.

But we must interpret the Bible in its historical context, with great care, always aware of our own point-of-view, and of our own blind spots. We need to recongize the breadth of the spiritual tradition, and the diversity of a world-wide Church.

Sen. Rick Santorum indeed has made a grave mistake. In misreading the Bible, he has damaged his own political agenda - and that of the GOP.   He fails to understand that America was founded, in part, on religious liberty: freedom for religion but also freedom from religion.  Having rejected European bishops in 1776, why would we allow them a veto now?  And  why particularly on contraception, when apparently 98% of those in the pew have already rejected the validity of their teaching?

But there is another mistake.  By misusing the Scriptures in this way, Santorum is also damaging the credibility of the Judeo-Christian biblical tradition, a tradition that he claims to care about.  I have no doubt that the Bible will survive.  Whether Santorum's campaign will, is another matter.