There were some milestones made by Senator Warnock's re-election in the Georgia senate runoff election December 6th. He already was the first black man to serve as a Senator from Georgia, and he became the first black senator from Georgia to be re-elected to the senate where he will now serve a full six-year term. His re-election meant that President Biden becomes the first sitting President since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934 not to have an incumbent senator from his party lose a mid-term election. His election, and re-election, along with that of Senator Jon Ossoff, also in a runoff in 2021, is a signal that population growth in Georgia has diminished the Republican dominance of state politics and it is in the process of becoming more politically progressive.
Why I Think an Ordained Baptist Minister is the Perfect Choice for the United States Senate
Senator Warnock is a Baptist pastor and theologian who is the pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King was also pastor. Ebenezer is a predominantly African-American congregation affiliated with the Progressive National Baptist Convention, a denomination made up of mostly African American congregations which hold what I describe as "pure Baptist" theology. This includes belief in "a free church in a free state," or total separation of church and state and complete religious liberty. It also includes determination of church doctrine based on the Protestant Bible, interpreted within the context of the historical background of its authorship, rather than the more literalist approach of more conservative, fundamentalist Baptists, and conservative Evangelicals, who claim the high ground morally because of their opposition to abortion, but who now carry the heavy baggage of Trump's dishonesty, lies, betraying the country, his whole worldly lifestyle of moral depravity, slapping Evangelicals in the face, and the white supremacist, Anti-Semitic racism that goes along with their support of Republicans.
Senator Warnock is the pastor of a church whose name is associated with civil rights and which, as a congregation, has helped more people protect their civil rights, and is pro-active in preventing abortion, not by advocating for criminalization of it, but by actually helping women who see it as their only choice find a way out on which they can depend. That's quite a contrast to Republicans, who want to make criminals out of the women who are mostly making their decision based on dire circumstances and feeling they have no other choice. And it makes those who supported Walker because of his alleged "anti-abortion" position hypocrites.
The combination of Senator Warnock's preaching and writing, and the ministry work of the Ebenezer Baptist Church of which he is pastor are perfect for service as a United States Senator. Regardless of one's perspective and opinion about Christianity, it is the virtues and values of the faith on which the Senator relies to provide the leadership and representation required of a legislative leader. The meekness, humility, desire for doing right, having a good perspective of strengths and weaknesses, and being a peacemaker, which are all visible in Senator Warnock's life and ministry, are assets in leadership. Integrity, honesty and compassion are, believe it or not, core values of the Christian gospel and it is refreshing to see these values practiced by a member of the Senate, instead of what we usually see from politicians.
A Senator Who Represents All of His Constituents
I do not see Senator Warnock as a Baptist minister who seeks to impose the Christian gospel by the use of his authority or position. It is at the core of his identity, and his life is a reflection of his faith, but not in a way that imposes it on others or lays out the expectation that in order to gain his favor, one must share his doctrine and theology. Silence from prominent Republicans when it comes to overt displays of racism by white supremacists and Anti-Semites is in contrast to Senator Warnock, who won among one of the nation's most ethnically, racially and culturally diverse electorates. I've never heard any criticism of the Senator with regard to any kind of demonstration of racial or ethnic bigotry. He is a strong advocate for equal justice for all. And I think the fact that he has been the top vote getter in four straight elections in just two years is a massive affirmation.
His record in the senate speaks for itself. There's no evidence that he is using this position to further some political career. He's still the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church and he has brought that congregation's historic advocacy for social justice right into the United States Congress where it belongs. And that's on behalf of all Georgians, and by extension, all Americans.
Thank You, Georgia Voters!
You've still got some work to do within your state legislature and state government, but you have given us Senator Raphael Warnock, and Senator Jon Ossoff, patriotic Americans who come from racial and ethnic backgrounds that are part of the very essence of this nation. Our country isn't centered on a racial or ethnic identity, it is centered on a set of ideals that are aimed at setting people free and helping them live that way. Their election is a smackdown of those who are trying to push racism in the form of white supremacy, Christian nationalism and Anti-Semitism back up to the top of our politics.
Georgia voters, at least in these two elections, have said "NO!" to that. Thank you!
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