the race to the White House is now well under way.  通往白宫的角逐正在顺利展开。

　　For most of us outside the United States, the battle for power is as inscrutable as a test match is to the average American. 对于我们这些局外人而言，权力的斗争就像美国民众眼中的国际橄榄球锦标赛一样难以预料。

　　In the coming months the party machines will meander across America's consciousness.  在以后的数月里，各政党组织将成为美国人时刻关注的对象。

　　For a whole litany of reasons, presidential politics is an Olympian spectacle like no other,  由于种种原因，和其他政治活动不同，总统竞选是威严庄重的，

　　not least because religious belief is an indispensable political accessory for presidents. 不仅仅因为宗教信仰是总统的一件不可缺少的政治附属品。

　　America definitely does do God.  美国确实信奉上帝。

　　But for the first time the nation finds itself in something of an understated dilemma:  然而，这个国家头一次发现自已陷入一个进退两难的境地：

　　America has an African-American incumbent whose Christian credentials continue to be challenged,  非洲裔美国人很难拿到基督教证明，

　　and a Mormon whose faith has been marginalised by mainstream America. 摩门教徒被主流宗教信仰排挤。

　　In the next three months the entire world will be drawn into the events of this campaign, which will have consequences for the whole world. 在接下来的三个月内，这场大选将吸引全世界的目光，其结果会造成世界性的影响。

　　And rightly, we will hope that political substance will trump platitudes and costly, negative adverts. 而且，我们希望这次选举不再充斥着陈词滥调以及昂贵且毫无作用的广告。

　　But there will be many like myself, people of faith,  不过，有许多人和我一样是虔诚的教徒，

　　who are anxious to see what the relationship between the God talk and campaigning looks like in the months ahead. 急切地想一睹未来几个月里上帝箴言会如何对大选产生影响。

　　"Thou shalt keep things positive during presidential campaigns" would have been a very helpful bible verse.  “总统大选时，你应保持积极”如果圣经有这样一句话应该会很有帮助。

　　But in its absence Christians have a lot of other options to work with. 但正因没有这句话，基督教徒们则有了许多其他选择。

　　Whatever things are lovely think on these. Do not repay evil for evil. Do not bear false witness. Speak the truth in love. The list is endless. “不管事物是否美好，你都应该面对。”“不可以恶报恶。”“不可作假证。”“用爱心说实话。”诸如此类，举不胜举。

　　I'll be the first to admit that in the heat of political battle such ideas can turn out to be simplistic  我承认，在政治斗争中，这样的思想太过单纯，

　　and a little hard to bolt onto our strategic plans when the stakes are high. 当赌注太高的时候，这些想法很难和政治决策脱离干系。

　　But these are religious ideas for religious people. 但这些是宗教信徒的宗教思想。

　　A so-called "fact-free environment" is a dangerous place to be. 所谓的“无事实环境”是十分危险的。

　　And if our politics is to deliver substance over rhetoric it will need powerful and enduring values as much as effective policies. 如果我们的政见不是夸夸其谈，而是传递实质内容，那么强有力的价值观和有效的政策措施同等重要。

　　All of us who believe that faith should inform public duty  所有认为必须把社会责任赋予信仰的人

　　must transcribe these lofty aspirations into the realities of a competitive world for the common good.  都必须把雄心壮志转化成现实，在竞争激烈的社会中为大众谋福祉。

　　That, after all, is the whole point of a living faith. 这才是活着的信仰的全部含义。