hstrickler
Registered: 04/05/06
Posts: 230
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Reply with quote | #1 |
I picked this book up in the airport last week and can not put it down. For those who are interested in faith and politics, it is one of the best books I have read. The full title is The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America. The whole notion that God is a republican is brought into question.
Jim Wallis says "So many people are fed up with both parties, deeply alienated by te corruption and hypocrisy that now dominates politics, yet are ready for serious public engagement on the issues that stir their deepest values and convictions. A common-good agenda, rooted in the moral center, could unite diverse people on the really big issues. I believe it is indeed possible to "find common ground by moving to higher ground" and actually make some progress on the most important questions of our time."
You may not agree with all he writes but it is thought provoking and very insightful.
Heidi Strickler
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Kathleen
Registered: 04/02/06
Posts: 323
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Reply with quote | #2 |
I haven't read this book but I do check in on the website http://www.sojourners.com Jim Wallis is either a contributor to the website, or is involved in the creation of the website. There is a lot of thought provoking discussion relating to what I was taught as a Christian, and what I now view to be a contradiction in terms as to what Christianity has morphed into. I will read his book, I also encourage others to check out the website.
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"If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children." ~Mahatma Gandhi
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Cecelia
Registered: 01/02/07
Posts: 270
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Reply with quote | #3 |
I too will search out that book.
As a Republican I don't think we own Christianity or anything else. As I broad brush Democrat behavior I think that is a broad brush of the party.
The title alone makes it a must read.
What is the nature of that website?
I feel the post modern move away from the common good should rule decisions mindset is at the core of many American public issues. Enlightened self interest is seeing one's wants in light of the common good.
Heidi, I appreciate your balanced and studied approach to local government.
I know you will continue to grow through your seat on Council and gracefully deal with injustice and subtle attacks such as those against our excellent
police force.
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sisterann
Registered: 02/15/09
Posts: 55
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Reply with quote | #4 |
To all you folks,
Sojourners has been a community based Christian fellowship
in Washington, D.C. for decades. Jim Wallis has been the
leader of that faith based community for as long. When the
all of the mainstream news media was selling the same spin on
every issue (foreign or domestic), Sojourners magazine
was doing original reporting (rather than taking the
talking points of the White House, Pentagon). Not only
that but they were leading the "green movement" before
there was a "green movement".Actually, the better issues of the magazine are the older ones. Maybe you can access them through archives online?
I don't always agree with the "new" Jim Wallis, especially
given his support of a politically limited view of Liberation Theology (the South/Central American and now African American Marxist reading of the New Testament), but I am pleased that after decades many Christians are hearing dialogue from multiple Christian perspectives. I sure hope that this dialogue does not polarize Christians as it has in past centuries, but rather that Chrisitians remember that God reveals truth in these multiple perspectives. Discussion should not deepen division?
May I also suggest The Politics of Jesus (Yoder) and John Irving's
A Prayer for Owen Meany ( a novel about faith that tests the
reader's faith).
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