▁expl ores ▁more ▁fundamental ▁issues , ▁such ▁as ▁alleg iance ▁and ▁faith . ▁ ▁American ▁activ ist ▁David ▁Sw anson ▁wrote ▁a ▁three - part ▁review ▁of ▁Jesus ▁for ▁President ▁in ▁Christian ity ▁Today , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁writes ▁that ▁the ▁popular ity ▁of ▁the ▁book ▁is ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁" pro ph etic ▁ze al ▁and ▁pr ank ster ' s ▁wit ". ▁Sw anson ▁arg ues ▁that ▁" Cla ib or ne ▁and ▁Haw ▁make ▁a ▁comp elling ▁case ▁that ▁the ▁church ▁in ▁America ▁has ▁become ▁much ▁too ▁co zy ▁with ▁the ▁state ", ▁a ▁case ▁that ▁Sw anson ▁finds ▁to ▁align ▁with ▁his ▁own ▁personal ▁observations . ▁While ▁agree ing ▁that ▁the ▁g ospel ▁should ▁take ▁preced ence ▁over ▁sec ular ▁affairs , ▁Jordan ▁Hy ld en ▁of ▁Christian ity ▁Today ▁ ▁writes ▁that ▁Cla ib or ne ▁and ▁Haw ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁too ▁great ▁a ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁sec ular ▁politics . ▁Hy ld en ▁writes ▁that ▁he ▁fav ors ▁the ▁arguments ▁of ▁Paul ▁the ▁Apost le ▁and ▁Martin ▁Luther , ▁who ▁Hy ld en ▁claims ▁all ▁reason ▁that ▁Christians ▁should ▁eng age ▁with ▁government ▁because ▁God ▁works ▁through ▁such ▁institutions ▁prov ident ial ly . ▁ ▁Joan ▁Bra une ▁of ▁America , ▁a ▁Jes uit ▁magazine , ▁writes ▁that ▁Jesus ▁for ▁President ▁implicitly ▁supports ▁Christian ▁an arch ism . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Mark ▁To ole y , ▁then ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Institute ▁on ▁Religion ▁and ▁Dem ocracy ' s ▁United ▁Method ist