God's Politics - Annotated by Jim Wallis (Paperback)

About the Book

A leading voice of Christians in this country offers a prophetic indictment against America's pursuit of individual spiritualities to the exclusion of any social responsibility for the common good, as well as the lack of political options for believers who want to link their personal ethics to social justice.

Book 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.

From the Back Cover

Jim Wallis finds the current conservative, liberal, and libertarian options out-of-step with the desires of most Americans untenable. Wallis offers a fourth option, "The Common Good," that would represent those who are traditional on issues of moral character, personal responsibility, sexual integrity, and family values (without scape-goating any group like single parents or homosexuals), while being very progressive on issues like poverty and racial justice. This option affirms good stewardship of the earth and its resources, supports gender equality, and looks first to peacemaking and conflict-resolution when it comes to foreign policy questions. At the spiritual heart of this option is linking one's personal ethics to social justice.

Review Quotes

How far should we go to understand each other's points of view? Maybe the distance grace covered on the cross. -- Bono, lead singer of U2

Jim Wallis is an inspiration to me- for his witness of faith and his engagement with politics. -- Bill Moyers

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

Wallis at his usual passionate and brilliant self: he will move you to examine your conscience and search your soul. -- E.J. Dionne, author of Stand Up Fight Back and Why Americans Hate Politics

Jim Wallis is the major prophetic evangelical Christian voice in the country. -- Cornel West, author of Race Matters and Democracy Matters

"Wallis provides a refreshing alternative voice to the polarizing rhetoric currently popular." -- Library Journal