BBC Radio 4 2016-10-31

Good morning. 'From ghoulies and ghosties and long leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord, deliver us!' On this Halloween, a number will be tempted to add politicians to that prayer of deliverance as yet another story from the US Presidential campaign emerges - with renewed controversy about Hilary Clinton's emails and the propriety of the FBI investigation into them.

But the campaign for Donald Trump has also been a catalogue of horror stories of alleged groping and tax avoidance.

Recently at the University of Notre Dame, the Archbishop of Philadelphia said that over the last 50 years, 'the major parties have never, at the same time, offered two such deeply flawed presidential candidates.' Yet despite the flaws, he warned that we shouldn't be tempted by the 'luxury of cynicism', noting that there are still many politicians who work for the common good.

It's tempting to see all politicians on both sides of the Atlantic inhabiting a murky House of Cards. Indeed there are some religious thinkers from different faith communities who therefore argue that a theocracy is preferable to democracy.

My Christian understanding doesn't follow this direction. As humans are created in the image of God we exercise rational judgment and have the capacity for justice and compassion. Yet we are also fallen creatures, flawed by selfishness and greed. The basis for democratic government is rooted in this created nature and the responsibility that God gives us to choose the common good and to limit evil. This is much more grounded than optimistic philosophies which expect perfect political leaders. In The Republic, Plato proposes a state where enlightened philosopher-kings would lead. Now there's a clear case for those trained in science, social science and the humanities, and those who have the political skills to lead, but none of these leaders will be perfect. Thus in the 5th century, Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo in northern Africa created a complex moral map for society that offers space for loyalty, love, and care, as well being realistic about the possible corruption and hypocrisy of political leaders. He also reflected a hope, which he saw in Jesus, that people can change by encountering the love of God.

This kind of understanding of democracy therefore needs to be protected by the integrity of law enforcement and the judiciary, and needs transparency, humility and honesty in public life. It also needs a commitment by all of us to work for the common good, however imperfect we or our leaders might be. Otherwise the luxury of cynicism may take even greater hold.