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

409 Pages·2005·3.01 MB·English

by  Jim Wallis

GOD'S
POLITICS
My the Right Gets It Wrong
and the Left Doesn't Get It
JIM WALLIS
•
HarperSanFrancisco
ADivMonojHarperCollin&Publisbm
Goo's POLITICS: fVhy the R(ght GelS It Wrollg <Iud Ihe L:fi Dorm'l UI II.
Copyright © 2005 byJim Wallis.All rights r..served. Printed in th.. United
St3tes ofAmerica. No parI ofthis book may be used or reproduced in any
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FIRST EDITION
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Wallis,Jim.
God'spolitics:why the right getsitwrongandleft doesn'tgetit!
JimWallis.- 1sted.
p. em.
Includesbibliographical references.
lSBN ~6-o558.28-8
I.Christianityandpolitics-UnitedStates, I.Title,
BR)26.W.z65 2005
261.7'0'J73-dCZ.z 2004060869
05 06 07 o.~ 09 RRD(H) 10 9 l\ 7 6
CONTENTS
Introduction:Why Can'tWeTalk about Religion and Politics? xiii
PART I
Changing theWind
1 Take Back the Faith 3
Co-opted by the Right, Dismissedby tlte Lefi
2.
2 A LackofVision
100 Narrow orNone atAll
3 IsThere aPolitics ofGod? 31
God Is Personal, hut Never Private
PART II
Moving Beyond the Politics of Complaint
4 Protest Is Good;AlternativesAre Better 43
lt1wtAre I11e For?
"' Contents
5 How ShouldYour Faith InfluenceYourPolitics? 56
Ki1lat's aReligiousVoler /0 Do?
6 Prophetic Politics 72
A New Option
PART III
Spiritual Values and International Relations
Men DidJesus Bt'£ome Pro-Hilr?
7 Be NotAfraid 87
A Moral Response to'TerroriSIII
8 Not aJustWar 108
The Mistake ofIraq
9 Dangerous Religion 137
Theology ofEmpire
TIlt'
10 BlessedAre the Peacemakers 159
Wil1l1ingWithoutHl,ir
11 Against Impossible Odds 172
PeMe in the Aliddfe East
12 Micah's Vision for National and Global Security 187
Cllre Causes, NotJust Symptoms
PART IV
Spiritual Values and EconomicJustice
Mten DidJesus Become Pro-Rirh?
13 The PoorYouWill Always Have withYou? 209
Mat Does the Bible Say about POI!erty?
14 Poor People AreTrapped-in the Debate about Poverty 221
Breakil1<1? the Lefi/Right Impasse
Confellts vii
15 Isaiah's Platform 241
Bud<~efsAreMoral Documenfs
16 Amos and Enron 259
rt1laf Scandalizes God?
17 TheTipping Point 270
Faith and Global Poverty
PART V
Spiritual Values and Social Issues
Men DidJesus Become a Selective Moralist?
18 AConsistent Ethic ofLife 297
Abortion and Capital Punishment
19 TruthTellingAbout Race 307
America's Original Sill
20 TheTiesThatBond 321
Family and CommunityValues
PART V1
Spiritual Values and Social Change
21 The Critical Choice 343
Hope versus Cynicism
Epilogue:We Are the OnesWe've BeenWaiting For 373
Notes 375

Without avision,the people perish.
-Proverbs 29:IS
Write the vision;make it plain upon tablets,so he may
run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its time; it
hastens to the end-it will not lie. Ifitseems slow,wait
for it;it will surely come,it will not delay.
-Habakkuk 2:2-3

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I have one ofthe bestjobs in the world because I get to know some ofthe
most faith-inspired people who are doing some of the most important
things anyv.'here.They care for the poor and vulnerable and challenge those
who neglectandoppress the marginalized;they often risk theirown security
by seeking to reduce our conflicts and end our wars;they reconcile divided
peoples, gangs, churches, and nations-they are healers, activists, service
providers,peacemakers,andjusticeseekers who actuallydo what most other
peoplejust believe in. I hear their stories, know their struggles, understand
their pains,and feel their hopes.Their visions and dreams always help shape
mine,and Igive them all great credit for helping to inspire this book.
Moreparticularly,Iwantto thank the remarkable staffs ofSojourners and
Call to Renewal (and both organizations' boards ofdirectors), the men and
women with whom I work to make a difference in this world. Everyday,
they influence the ways I think, speak,and act;this book was influenced by
them too.
Most especially, r want to thank my collaborator and friend, Duane
Shank, without whose feedback, editing, research, fact-checking, constant
dialogue,and consistently wise suggestions-thisbook would not have been
possible. He gets the biggest thanks for this book.
And without the patient,steady,andlovingsupport ofmy wife,joy Car
roll,and the creative partnership wehavefound together,the book couldnot
havebeenwritten in the midstofachallengingschedule.My two sons,Luke
xi