Join Books.org — it's free

Political Theory & Ideology, General Christianity, Church & State, Religion around the World
God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It by Jim Wallis β€” book cover

God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It

by Jim Wallis
Available on Bookshop Write a review

Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.

Log in to track your reading progress.

Overview

"Since when did believing in God and having moral values make you pro-war, pro-rich, and pro-Republican? And since when did promoting and pursuing a progressive social agenda with a concern for economic security, health care, and educational opportunity mean you had to put faith in God aside?" God's Politics offers a clarion call to make both our religious communities and our government more accountable to key values of the prophetic religious tradition - that is, make them pro-justice, pro-peace, pro-environment, pro-equality, pro-consistent ethic of life (beyond single-issue voting), and pro-family (without making scapegoats of single mothers or gays and lesbians). Our biblical faith and religious traditions simply do not allow us as a nation to continue to ignore the poor and marginalized, deny racial justice, tolerate the ravages of war, or turn away from the human rights of those made in the image of God. These are the values of love and justice, reconciliation, and community that Jesus taught and that are at the core of what many of us believe, Christian or not. In the tradition of prophets such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Dorothy Day, and Desmond Tutu, Wallis inspires us to hold our political leaders and policies accountable by integrating our deepest moral convictions into our nation's public life.

Synopsis

New York Times bestseller God's Politics struck a chord with Americans disenchanted with how the Right had co-opted all talk about integrating religious values into our politics, and with the Left, who were mute on the subject. Jim Wallis argues that America's separation of church and state does not require banishing moral and religious values from the public square. God's Politics offers a vision for how to convert spiritual values into real social change and has started a grassroots movement to hold our political leaders accountable by incorporating our deepest convictions about war, poverty, racism, abortion, capital punishment, and other moral issues into our nation's public life. Who can change the political wind? Only we can.

The Washington Post - Steven Waldman

t's Wallis's critique of the secular left as well as the religious right that makes this such an important book. After toiling as an anti-poverty crusader and magazine editor for many years, Wallis hit his stride in the 2004 campaign by challenging the religious conservative monopoly on political God-talk. Now there is a debate over the nature and role of the religious left, and God's Politics is a seminal contribution to the timely discussion.

About the Author, Jim Wallis

Jim Wallis is the author of the New York Times bestseller God's Politics, which electrified Americans disenchanted with how the Right had co-opted all talk about integrating religious values into our politics by offering an alternative voice. Wallis is a leading figure at the crossroads of religion and politics in America today, the author of eight books, and the founder of Sojourners, a global faith and justice network. He is a public theologian, an internationally renowned speaker and preacher, a faith-based activist, husband, and father to two young boys, and a Little League baseball coach.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

From Barnes & Noble

In this thoughtful book, Sojourners editor Jim Wallis exhorts both political parties to seek out common ground in the values debate -- a polarizing issue exploited by the right and ignored by the left. Wallis scores beaucoup points for fair-mindedness. A professed liberal Christian, he does more than castigate the neocons for hijacking religion; he also warns Democrats that they must "get religion" if they want their message to resonate with voters.

Steven Waldman

t's Wallis's critique of the secular left as well as the religious right that makes this such an important book. After toiling as an anti-poverty crusader and magazine editor for many years, Wallis hit his stride in the 2004 campaign by challenging the religious conservative monopoly on political God-talk. Now there is a debate over the nature and role of the religious left, and God's Politics is a seminal contribution to the timely discussion.
β€” The Washington Post

Lead singer of U2

How far should we go to understand each other’s points of view? Maybe the distance grace covered on the cross.

Bill Moyers

Jim Wallis is an inspiration to meΒ– for his witness of faith and his engagement with politics.

Archbishop

Jim Wallis is compelling, provocative, and inspirational, with faith that can move mountains and can certainly move people and communities.

E.J. Dionne

Wallis at his usual passionate and brilliant self: he will move you to examine your conscience and search your soul.

Cornel West

Jim Wallis is the major prophetic evangelical Christian voice in the country.

Book Details

Published
January 1, 2005
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Pages
416
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780060558284

More by Jim Wallis

Similar books