Bob Jones on the Separation of Church and State

Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, is a fundamentalist Christian college, which until only recently prohibited interracial dating. Traditionally, Bob Jones University has been a mandatory campaign stop for Republican presidential candidates seeking to solidify their conservative credentials in this important, early primary state.

Bob Jones III, chair of the board of trustees at the university which bears his name, recently endorsed former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for president. The endorsement took many political observers by surprise. Most Christian fundamentalists scoff at the teachings of the Mormon Church, of which Romney is a member. In the past, Jones has called Mormonism “a cult.”

In defending his endorsement, Jones said, “I’m not voting for a preacher. I’m voting for a president. It boils down to who can best represent conservative American beliefs.”