Two Bethel faculty members co-wrote the cover story of the June 2008 issue of Christianity Today. Dan Taylor, professor of English at the College of Arts & Sciences, and Mark McCloskey, professor of ministry leadership at the seminary, collaborated on “How to Pick a President: Why Virtue Trumps Policy.” The authors maintain that political candidates, and leaders in general, should be judged by their character, not their competence. “Competence without virtue is poisonous,” they write. “It simply makes one more effective at doing wrong.” They suggest that leaders be judged by the classical virtues embraced by the ancient Greeks and Romans, including prudence (practical wisdom), justice (fairness), fortitude (courage), and temperance (moderation). They then add the three basic virtues of the Judeo-Christian tradition: faith, hope, and love. Taylor and McCloskey present a compelling case for using such standards to gauge the leadership potential of any political candidate, particularly those aspiring to be President. When we are making the all-important choice of someone to lead our country, they conclude, “…he or she needs to be virtuous. Because, over time, nations flourish only to the degree that their collective virtue sustains.”