Presidential Lecture Series: Navigating Major Policies with Guest Speaker Tim Goeglein

Photo by Harold Mendoza on Unsplash

The King’s College welcomed Tim Goeglein, Vice President of Executive and Government Relations at Focus on the Family and King’s Senior Fellow, to kick start the annual Presidential Lecture Series on Tuesday, Oct. 6. 

Goeglein served as President George W. Bush’s special assistant from 2001-2008 and the Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. His message, “The Sacred and the Secular: Navigating Major Policies Inside the Beltway,” focused on what he believed were the three most pressing issues facing the nation: Title IX, judicial nominations and marriage. 

Goeglein opened his lecture by stating why campus debates are vital to the soul of America and its future. 

“The college experience should be encouraged to both engage and to debate with stability and mutual respect a variety of ideas,” said Goeglein. “In times of crises, stability, magnanimity and grace in public discourse will help us meet the next generation of change-makers.”

Goeglein referenced the diversity of political thought at the 1787 Constitutional Convention, where, with “prayer and debate,” the Founding Fathers created a theory of government that was in alignment with Judeo-Christian precepts.  

The first issue Goeglein examined was Title IX, a 1972 legislative act stating that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” 

When Congress drafted Title IX, the definitions of “man” and “woman” were clear to every voter. Today, however, there is an ongoing debate concerning Title IX that Goeglein believes will have far-reaching ramifications on America’s future.   

“The purpose is to change the meaning of the word sex to sexual orientation and gender identification,” said Goeglein. “The ramifications of the changing of any title by the executive branch without the full weight of the legislative branch, most constitutionalists would argue that it is unconstitutional.” 

The dangerous aspect of this contention, according to Goeglein, is that change to a foundational piece of legislation will not be decided by the people’s votes or by new legislation, but instead by decree.

“If in the U.S. Senate you have a mere 51 votes, then the majority rules,” said Goeglein. “It was very clear in the founding debates and the Constitution that we were not a democracy, but a constitutional republic.”  

Goeglein then discussed the process, impact and current state of judicial nominations. He  remarked on the change in Supreme Court nominations over the last 15 years, where previous 2/3 Senate vote for judicial confirmation reduced to  a “mere majority” of 51 votes. 

Goeglein analyzed the definitional battle of marriage in America and its repercussions on religious freedom. Goeglein mentioned that the Senate would cast the most significant vote in U.S. history regarding the definition of marriage on Nov. 14. The Senate's vote will impact religious liberties, especially that of Christians in America, as it has for past cases. 

In the business plan for her company, 303 Creative, Lorie Smith, an evangelical Christian website designer based in Colorado, stated that the founding of her business, rooted in Christianity, would be unable to serve same-sex couples. However, Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act reads that it is unlawful for any person to withhold or deny any good, service, or accommodation based on race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation or marital status. 

The same occurred to Christian Colorado baker Jack Phillips, who refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding in 2012. Although Phillips won his Supreme Court case in 2018, it was based on the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which acted with anti-religious bias to enforce its equality legislation against Phillips—not based on freedom of expression or religion. 

For these reasons, Goeglein believes the midterm elections this November are crucial for the future of America and the safeguarding of her traditional values. Democrats currently have a thin majority in Congress. Without the Constitutional tool that prevents any major piece of legislation from passing the Senate without 60 votes, same-sex marriage would become federal law. 

“In the history of the US, across three branches, we have never faced threats to our religious liberty more than now,” saind Goeglein.

Still, Goeglein is confident and hopeful that America’s best days are ahead. “The basis of our hope is faith,’ said Goeglein. “God has never been more sovereign than He is today.” 

Goeglein encouraged young Christians to engage in local, state and federal campaigns, as well as joining internships in Washington D.C. and New York City, to provide much-needed experience and make tremendous differences in American politics and government. “In politics, nothing moves unless it is pushed,” said Goeglein. “If we as Christians are not at the table, we are on the menu.” 

Goeglein stressed America’s need for God by quoting Patrick Henry: “It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains.” 

Rehannah Tejiram is a Freshman at The King’s College studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics