How good is the good book?

Responding to Jed Bartlet's West Wing tirade

Fri 1 Nov 2019

What’s so good about ‘The Good Book’?

A clip from the popular ‘The West Wing’ television show in which President Bartlet humiliates a female radio show host, calling her out for self-righteous judgementalism has had well over 1 million views on You Tube. David Robertson notes this to be the number one clip sent to him by his atheist friends, to call into question his Christian faith.

President Bartlet extensively quotes the Old Testament laws in Exodus and Leviticus, particularly as they relate to food and sexuality. How would you respond to Jed Bartlet’s tirade? Should people who have had gay sex be put to death? Should slavery be sanctioned in today’s society? Does touching the skin of a dead pig make you unclean?

David Robertson, Stephen McAlpine and Ed Shaw discuss a proper understanding of 'The Good Book'.

With

David Robertson

David Robertson is an experienced presenter and debater on the place of the Christian faith in the public sphere, a prolific blogger at The Wee Flea and he was the minister at St Peter's Free Church in Dundee, Scotland for 27 years. Having come to Australia in 2019 to work with City Bible Forum, David now is employed by the Anglican Diocese of Sydney to help churches think about how they engage with their culture to communicate the good news of Jesus.

Stephen McAlpine

Stephen writes and speaks on issues of culture, social trends and religious beliefs. He has worked as a church pastor for three decades and has been a national communicator for City Bible Forum. Originally from Belfast in Northern Ireland, he's now based in Australia, and is currently doing a locum in Christchurch. He is married to Jill who is a Clinical Psychologist. His latest book, Being the Bad Guys, was 2021 Australian Christian Book of the Year.

Ed Shaw

Ed Shaw is the pastor of Emmanuel City Centre in Bristol, England, and part of the editorial team at Living Out. He loves his family and friends, church and city, gin and tonic, and music and books. He is the author of Same-Sex Attraction and the Church: The Surprising Plausibility of the Celibate Life (IVP).

How good is the good book?

Responding to Jed Bartlet's West Wing tirade

Contributors