Cynthia McFadden of ABC’s Nightline landed the first “exit interview” with President Bush about his faith. Those evangelicals still enamored of him or liberals convinced Bush is a fundamentalist, will be disappointed to hear he departed from orthodox Christian theology repeatedly.
–“I’m not a literalist” about the Bible, he said.
–He believes faith in God is compatible with evolution. “I think the creation of the world is so mysterious it requires something as large as an almighty, and I don’t think it’s incompatible with the scientific proof that there is evolution.” Many evangelicals would heartily disagree with the idea that there’s “scientific proof” for evolution.
–Asked if he prays to the same God as those with different beliefs, Bush said, “I do,” adding,”I do believe there is an Almighty that is broad and big enough and loving enough that can encompass a lot of people.” Last time he made a similar comment evangelicals gently suggested he keep to his day job of Presidenting and stay away from theology. Ted Haggard, the since-disgraced head of the National Association of Evangelicals, explained that while the Christian God advocated peace, “The Muslim god appears to value the opposite…. They seem to be very different personalities.”
However, he did articulate the modern evangelical line on salvation through grace – that faith, not good deeds will earn you a place in heaven. “There is a God who is full of grace and that nothing you can do to earn his love,” he said. It make sense to do good deeds anyway, Bush said, “His love is a gift and that in order to draw closer to God and in order to express your appreciation for that love is why you change your behavior. ”
Watch the interview here.