You can find a full text of Mitt Romney's much-touted "religion speech" if you follow this link over to Power Line.The speech was delivered at the George Bush Presidential Library with the senior George Bush in attendance, even introducing Romney. But don't make too much of that. There will be several other candidates, even Democrats, who will be making speeches there in the weeks ahead
Romney's speech touched on a few items everyone figured it would: the breakdown of the American family, the dangers of radical Islam, the example of JFK's Catholicism, and the general religious history of the country.
And as expected, Romney avoided the specifics about the weird and wacky foundations of Mormonism hoping that broad statements like the following will keep secular reporters at bay while pacifying Christian voters who rightly regard Mormonism as an unbiblical, unhistorical religion.
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. My church's beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history. These are not bases for criticism but rather a test of our tolerance. Religious tolerance would be a shallow principle indeed if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree.
There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths.
I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God. And in every faith I have come to know, there are features I wish were in my own: I love the profound ceremony of the Catholic Mass, the approachability of God in the prayers of the Evangelicals, the tenderness of spirit among the Pentecostals, the confident independence of the Lutherans, the ancient traditions of the Jews, unchanged through the ages, and the commitment to frequent prayer of the Muslims. As I travel across the country and see our towns and cities, I am always moved by the many houses of worship with their steeples, all pointing to heaven, reminding us of the source of life's blessings.
It is important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions. And where the affairs of our nation are concerned, it's usually a sound rule to focus on the latter – on the great moral principles that urge us all on a common course. Whether it was the cause of abolition, or civil rights, or the right to life itself, no movement of conscience can succeed in America that cannot speak to the convictions of religious people...
Paul Mirengoff, one of the potent Power Line trio, sums up Romney's performance with these perceptive comments:
There are three main points here. First, Romney will not allow authorities of his church, or of any other church, to exert influence on presidential decisions. Second, a president should not be expected to describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. Third, religion is a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the issues of the day, and our constitution was made for a moral and religious people.
There is, obviously, a tension between the second and third points. If religion is to be seriously considered in the context of the issues of the day, then it's conceivable that distinctive church doctrines are relevant.
Most of those whose votes Romney seeks will accept the line he seeks to draw between religious faith generally (relevant) and specific church doctrine (irrelevant). Our Founders certainly did, as Romney points out. However, Romney is giving the speech because there are more than a few such voters who are not inclined to accept that line.
The speech, which is eloquent and even moving in places, should help Romney with a some of these voters, but probably not many.
Chris Cillizza writing in the Washington Post observed, "A quick search through the text of Romney's speech -- 2,540 words -- just once did Romney utter the word "Mormon." ("I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it," he said.) If Romney is embracing rather than diminishing his faith, it seems as though he would mention it a time or two more, no?"
Also relevant here are the issues MSNBC presents:
But is Romney’s own faith a bigger problem for him than he might admit publicly? In last month’s NBC/WSJ poll, 50% said that voters in this country aren’t ready to elect a Mormon as president -- compared with 24% who said this of a woman, 27% of an African American, and 46% of a Hispanic. The poll also found that 33% of Republicans and 45% of evangelicals are uncomfortable or have reservations about Romney possibly being the country’s first Mormon president.
But as one of us has written, faith could be the least of his problems. “More than any other major candidate, [Romney's] path to the nomination is tied to an early state strategy… But lose both Iowa and New Hampshire? Suddenly his chances plummet.” Indeed, given the speech’s venue at Texas A&M University, is Romney in danger of being compared to the Aggie economics professor Phil Gramm? Gramm “wowed the Republican establishment in '95-96 with his great fundraising. He used that money to build what some thought would be a juggernaut organization in Iowa, New Hampshire and beyond. But the minute the spotlight came on, he melted.”