"New York Times" bestseller "God's Politics" struck a chord with Americans disenchanted with how the Right had co-opted all talk about integrat... read full description
reviews
Dec 16, 2009
Katey
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Will the real progressive religious left please stand up? I cannot consider Jim Wallis a true religious progressive when he won't stand up for women's rights and lgbtq people. He wants to say that abortion and gay marriage are "moral issues" and that responding to poverty is the "real" heart of the gospel. What he fails to recognize is that abortion is an economic justice issue. Poor women are 3 times as likely to have an abortion, and because of the Hyde amendment and lack o
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Dec 04, 2007
Stephanie "Jedigal"
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Not a Christian myself, I was nevertheless attracted by the title. Having long been fed up by my perception over the years of the increased failure by politicians to make moral decisions when legislating, my "to be read" shelves are becoming populated with political commentary. This is one of the first I chose to read.
The main thrust of the book is that
-- Christ advocated the use of government to address social issues, such as poverty;
-- the Religious Right h More...
The main thrust of the book is that
-- Christ advocated the use of government to address social issues, such as poverty;
-- the Religious Right h More...
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Jan 03, 2008
Gilee
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This was one of the great disappointments of my late 20's. This book.
The beginning was intriguing...what? you mean to tell me that there's others out there like me? who believe that Jesus was a radical and we Christians should be helping the poor? and that these fringe issues the Religious Right gets into are really vehicles to control the masses and rarely actually advocate for Biblically-based directives? that, in fact, if you get down to the main platforms of Christianity, no one in ou More...
The beginning was intriguing...what? you mean to tell me that there's others out there like me? who believe that Jesus was a radical and we Christians should be helping the poor? and that these fringe issues the Religious Right gets into are really vehicles to control the masses and rarely actually advocate for Biblically-based directives? that, in fact, if you get down to the main platforms of Christianity, no one in ou More...
Dec 27, 2007
Corrielle
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While I am very glad that I read this book, God’s Politics isn’t perfect by any means. It is sometimes repetitive, and I think that there are areas in which Mr. Wallis glosses over incredibly complicated and thorny issues with too much ease for my liking. However, it did what I needed it to. I think I was already in a place where I was ready to hear a lot of what the author had to say, though.
First of all, this book suggests that people of faith should in no way feel obligated to giv More...
First of all, this book suggests that people of faith should in no way feel obligated to giv More...
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Jun 19, 2007
Focused on the 2004 presidential election, God’s Politics is a sweeping commentary on the two-party American political system. Jim Wallis believes that American leaders have a vision problem: a basic lack of vision. Therefore, Wallis recommends adopting a vision of justice borrowed from the pages of the Old Testament prophets. He believes, as I do, that our political system spends too much time, energy, and money on partisan bickering, acknowledging that every important social movement in Americ
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Feb 16, 2009
Lainie
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I wish I'd read this book years ago. It says so well some of the things that have bounced around my brain for years.
Let me start with a little background on the reader (me) because of course I can only see the book through my own particular lenses. I grew up in a very politically conservative and fairly religiously conservative Christian home. By college (if not before) I knew I didn't quite agree with all I'd been taught. I was very involved with a Southern Baptist group on camp More...
Let me start with a little background on the reader (me) because of course I can only see the book through my own particular lenses. I grew up in a very politically conservative and fairly religiously conservative Christian home. By college (if not before) I knew I didn't quite agree with all I'd been taught. I was very involved with a Southern Baptist group on camp More...
Feb 09, 2009
Jon
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Wallis makes a fantastic argument, though the book could be a bit more concise. I agree with his basic premise, that God isn't interested in selective morality, in choosing left or right in politics, that He's interested instead in all moral choices, from war and poverty to sexuality and abortion.
His stance is fresh and appealing, but I have just one complaint. He too frequently lampoons Republicans for being greedy money grubbers. Again, I agree with his words on how much God is con More...
His stance is fresh and appealing, but I have just one complaint. He too frequently lampoons Republicans for being greedy money grubbers. Again, I agree with his words on how much God is con More...
Aug 10, 2010
Amanda
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I truly enjoyed this book when I read it. Although I agree with other reviewer's that Wallis has a tendency to oversimplify complex social and political issues, I also feel that politicians and media like to over-complicate those some issues, so perhaps some simplification is in order.
What stuck with me most from this book were Wallis' many examples of how a shared vision could create common ground for Dems and Reps to truly work together to create workable solutions to real problem More...
What stuck with me most from this book were Wallis' many examples of how a shared vision could create common ground for Dems and Reps to truly work together to create workable solutions to real problem More...
Apr 16, 2010
Terri
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Most people say they want to vote their values. The problem is that few of us can vote all our values. The Religious Right claims to be the values people emphasizing sexual morality, anti-abortion (not really pro-life considering their positions on gun control, war, deadly toxins in the environment, etc), public expressions of state sponsored faith. Meanwhile the "secular" left has taken control of concern for the poor, health care, environmental issues, social justice, etc.
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Jan 09, 2010
Robin
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I had had my eye on this book since it came out, but finally read it in my ethics class in 2008. Like Traveling Mercies, this book was a revelation.
For many years, I knew that I had certain gut feelings and instincts about how God works, but wasn't really sure on the biblical support for those feelings. Things like erring on the side of love, not hating people, supporting the poor, being anti-war. It feels stupid now to write those things, and I'm not expressing exactly what my in More...
For many years, I knew that I had certain gut feelings and instincts about how God works, but wasn't really sure on the biblical support for those feelings. Things like erring on the side of love, not hating people, supporting the poor, being anti-war. It feels stupid now to write those things, and I'm not expressing exactly what my in More...
Nov 29, 2008
Shaun
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This book presents a great array of topics centered around American politics from foreign policy to historical topics such as slavery. Foreign policy includes a discussion of Israel and acknowledging that they are not a perfect country, just like we are not a perfect country. Jim Wallis is very experienced in the political world and makes his best effort to be pro-God rather than pro-Right or pro-left. The research in the book is well laid out. Rather than just present differences he has with p
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Aug 10, 2011
Danny
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I gotta be honest...this book bugged the crap out of me. Probably the biggest issue was that a subtitle of the book talks about how God isn't a Republican or a Democrat, but by the end of the book it doesn't live up to that ideal. According to Wallis (even though I think he'll deny it), God is undoubtedly a Democrat. A lot of his political analysis have no substance and do not look into the issue deeply enough. I was deeply distrubed by the fact that I thought this book divided Christians fu
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Jul 25, 2010
Johnny
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I appreciate Jim Wallis and what he is doing in American politics. I'm not necessarily a big fan of giving religion a bigger voice in the political scene, but I do think we need more voices of faith. I hope Wallis is motivated by his faith and not just his religion.
I liked what he had to say in the book about poverty. Good stuff that we all need to be thinking about and acting on.
I found the book to be somewhat repetitive and full of press statements, group statements, chart More...
I liked what he had to say in the book about poverty. Good stuff that we all need to be thinking about and acting on.
I found the book to be somewhat repetitive and full of press statements, group statements, chart More...
Feb 05, 2009
God's Politics has struck a chord with contemporary Americans who, according to bestseller lists, are buying Wallis's book in droves. Regardless of how critics feel about the author's religious beliefs (evangelical Christian) and political leanings (traditional on family values; progressive on issues like poverty and social justice), they are hard-pressed to argue with his central tenets: God belongs to no single political party and true faith transcends political categorization. Wallis writes t
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Nov 19, 2011
Mike
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Wallis reexamines the culture wars through the eyes of someone who believes that The Bible teaches that we, as a society (and not just as individuals), have a mandate to take care of the poor and needy among us. While Wallis is certainly critical of those on the left who would dismiss religion or religious thought, he reserves his strongest judgments for conservative Christians who would like to dismantle the modern welfare state. As a Baptist and a liberal, I found his arguments comforting, e
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Sep 22, 2010
Rob
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Wallis urges Christians and political leaders to address poverty, stressing Jesus' emphasis on helping the poor, the afflicted, and the needy. Criticizing both the left and the right for their moral failures, he writes against war spending, single-issue voting, and the violation of the sacredness of human life (abortion, in particular) and writes in favor of funding for education and assistance programs, civil rights of all Americans (including gay domestic partnerships, though it's unclear whet
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Mar 22, 2010
Jeff
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I give this a perfect rating for its importance, but would give it 4-stars for its need of an editor (it is very repetitive). This is the one book that I wish everyone would read on the topic of Christianity and politics in the U.S. today. So, if you are someone whose religious perspective, whether atheist or Christian or whatever, plays a major role in their political thinking, you should read this book. For all of you who love sentiments like...
"There was only one real Christian More...
"There was only one real Christian More...
Aug 25, 2009
Karen
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I really like the balanced approach that Wallis takes to discussing a Christian's role in politics. Though it's a bit too dependent on his experiences alone, he does an excellent job of dispelling the myth that God is a Republican.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was his description of the most successful Christian political movements--they didn't start at the top but at the very bottom, serving those who were disenfranchised, forgotten, and marginalized (the civil rig More...
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was his description of the most successful Christian political movements--they didn't start at the top but at the very bottom, serving those who were disenfranchised, forgotten, and marginalized (the civil rig More...
Jul 21, 2009
Berryblndgirl
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I think Jim Wallis is right on about a lot of the political arguments he presents in this book. However, I think he is amazingly unrealistic about how much of his agenda could realistically be accomplished. Maybe I am just too cynical from my time in Washington, but I don't think there is as much support for the ideas he presents as he seems to think.
The thing I really disliked about this book, though, is that much of it seems to be aimed at puffing up Jim Wallis and Sojourners. It's More...
The thing I really disliked about this book, though, is that much of it seems to be aimed at puffing up Jim Wallis and Sojourners. It's More...
Dec 13, 2009
Jon
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Jesus called us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and be of service in other simple ways to 'the least of these'. This was the essence of the greater part of his message to us and is central to us learning and showing that we love God as He loves us.
This book, published after the 2004 election, throws cold water in the face of the meanness of the political right and the vacuousness of the political left with regard to how they treat religion in their campaigns More...
This book, published after the 2004 election, throws cold water in the face of the meanness of the political right and the vacuousness of the political left with regard to how they treat religion in their campaigns More...
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Feb 05, 2009
Chris
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Evangelical Leftism on steroids. The liberal plea for a generic set of "moral principles" ends up being as much a farce as the Religious Right's plea for "traditional moral values." Wallis rightly sees many of the problems with Evangelical Rightism's insistence on personal salvation, pro-life, etc., at the expense of other important social issues like poverty and third-world debt relief. But his solutions to these problems end up being as utopian statist as are those of hi
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Jul 27, 2011
Very interesting book, as a Catholic Conservative it gave me a lot to think about. It's a little dated, I purchased this after the '04 election cycle when it was first published, but it's sat in my book queue for some time. I found myself alternately nodding in agreement with the author, and shaking my head in disapproval on some of his statements. But we have a lot more common ground than I had expected. One thing is for sure, if the Democratic Party could ever figure out the Religion thing, an
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May 22, 2010
Lindsey
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I'm going to try not to be too critical because I really like his intentions. Overall, he has some really great things to say to get you to rethink positions you take on issues in a less "traditional" way. If he's going to talk about God's politics, though, I think he should use some Biblical backup in more than just general, vague ways or not use verses that are so open to interpretaion of practical application to support his unique perspective. It was a little disappointing because I
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Aug 03, 2010
Lisa
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I just re-read this book hearing a fresh batch of rhetoric from a local politico who is doing "God's work".
Originally written during the Bush/Kerry campaign, God's Politics tackles the paradox of religion in politics. Wallis isn't impressed by the handling of religion by either the 'right' or the 'left', and he ponders how so many politicians who co-opt God for their campaigns can completely forgo the vast majority of the Bible (you know - all those tedious bits dealing wi More...
Originally written during the Bush/Kerry campaign, God's Politics tackles the paradox of religion in politics. Wallis isn't impressed by the handling of religion by either the 'right' or the 'left', and he ponders how so many politicians who co-opt God for their campaigns can completely forgo the vast majority of the Bible (you know - all those tedious bits dealing wi More...
Jan 29, 2010
Allison
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Overall, this book was a good experience. I think it could have been boiled down to slightly less words since he is often reiterating points he has already made, but I'm glad I waded through the whole thing. Wallis gives a thought-provoking analysis of current policy trends as a D.C. insider, and parts were definitely news to me. I disagree with some of his stands, but he gave adequate and respectful argument to get me thinking. On other points, I was ready to say, "Amen!" It was
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Jan 16, 2010
Danny
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you'll see why after reading this book that it is difficult to label yourself fully republican or fully democrat in the sense that there are so many values, neither party embodies the "perfect" party.
I found myself challenging some of my long held opinions. Jim Wallis was raised Evangelical but dont be fooled by his upbringing since his views are refreshingly liberal. He holds onto his traditional values he was raised with but challenges some of the beliefs from both sides.
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I found myself challenging some of my long held opinions. Jim Wallis was raised Evangelical but dont be fooled by his upbringing since his views are refreshingly liberal. He holds onto his traditional values he was raised with but challenges some of the beliefs from both sides.
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Sep 25, 2011
Eric
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God's Politics by Jim Wallis is just what the title suggests: It goes back through time and recalls how God has voted over the ages, speaks about the issues God has supported and even gone door-to-door canvassing for, and even documents God's ill-fated run for president in the 1960 election.
Actually, it is just a conversation about how people of faith in the United States can engage in politics and policy making without selling their souls to the republicans or the democrats.
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Actually, it is just a conversation about how people of faith in the United States can engage in politics and policy making without selling their souls to the republicans or the democrats.
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Nov 13, 2010
Mish
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This is a book that I need to re read as I read it some years ago now. However, at the time I was inspired by Wallis' intelligent insight. Wallis evaluates the American political system to reveal how a politics of fear and threat can co-opt Christianity to conservative politics. Equally he highlights how inane policies from the left become when they ignore faith. As someone who desires to see spiritual integrity and an advocacy for social justice issues at the forefront of politics, this book
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Jul 02, 2010
Wallis’ “new vision for faith and politics in America” was the selection of my parents’ Sunday School class five years ago. I was sort of a member of the class, but I gave up on the book after thirty pages. It’s been on my TBR list ever since, especially since the class had such interesting conversations and reactions to Wallis’ thoughts.
The book — subtitled “Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It” — asks why believing in God and having moral values makes you pro-war More...
The book — subtitled “Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It” — asks why believing in God and having moral values makes you pro-war More...
May 07, 2009
Matt
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This was a pretty meaty book to get through, and I don't think that has everything to do with an abundance of unique content. This book probably could have been cut down a bit.
That being said, I think I generally enjoyed the book and the challenges that Jim Wallis gives. I loved the call to a new kind of approach to politics, and it helped me to understand my own misgivings about the whole political process. At times, I feel negatively about American politics, and this book helped More...
That being said, I think I generally enjoyed the book and the challenges that Jim Wallis gives. I loved the call to a new kind of approach to politics, and it helped me to understand my own misgivings about the whole political process. At times, I feel negatively about American politics, and this book helped More...
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