Dr Paul Allen

Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, 2008 US presidential candidate. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The election is over, and I sense there's something of a gloomy spirit in many conservative corners of the country this morning. Analysts and pundits, and even the candidates themselves, billed this year's contest as a crossroads of great consequence.  They were right. As many Christians who see the confluence of our faith and the many issues of culture, we poured our hearts and souls into this year's election. We donated our time and gave of our treasure. We made phone calls. We helped to register and educate new voters . We prayed. And how could we not? The stakes were sky high. In casting a vote for President Obama or his challenger, Governor Mitt Romney , Americans were either affirming or rejecting a very specific governing philosophy. Of equal importance, we were also passing judgment on the respective candidate's ideology concerning some of the criti...

The 2012 U.S. election is over, and more than 100 million Americans participated in the great exercise of democracy — fulfilling the franchise of the vote. Even with some votes not yet counted and some issues as yet clarified, a general picture of the election is clearly in view, and the impact of this election will be both massive and enduring.  Several lessons emerge in the immediate aftermath of the election and Christians should consider them carefully.  First, we must recognize that President Barack Obama won a decisive and clear victory, surging to over 300 votes in the Electoral College before midnight. Against the expectations of many, the President held his 2008 coalition together. Voting intensity among younger Americans, African-Americans, Hispanics, and other crucial constituencies held firm. Once the election results started coming in, an Obama victory came quickly into view. Barack Obama avoided the ignominy of an electoral repudiation and may als...