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God’s
Politics: Yeah, the primary audience for “God’s Politics” might be Christians, or at least “people of faith.” My guess, however, is that anyone who believes she has “moral values” and finds herself frustrated with the polarized politick of the day will find something intriguing about the book. Having a Christian background will either leave you stinging from some of the criticisms, or cheering behind the call for a more consistent and prophetic approach to supposedly values-driven political propaganda. Propaganda is certainly what this book is not. The cover boasts the claim to address “Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It” and, indeed, Wallis pokes his finger through the chinks in both sides’ armor. He even makes a few jabs at the media. The beauty of this book is its message; but it is no work of art. I found myself wondering if Mr. Wallis’ reputation is so great that no one felt comfortable telling him his prose needed a good edit. Yet the God's Politics made it onto the New York Times’ Best Seller list for some time. So, please do read the book, and please do forgive the repetition, or skip over the soggy parts and keep going. Anyway, Mr. Wallace has a message for the liberal left: by taking a stiff stance on abortion rights, and making it downright uncomfortable to be a Christian and a Democrat, the left has alienated a large group of constituents who take poverty, the troubles of the working class, race issues, and concerns about war-making seriously. And for the religious right: protecting the rich at the expense of the poor, waging war with an attitude of empire building, and getting hung up on abortion and gay marriage while supporting capital punishment and ignoring the threat divorce poses to marriage, make for very bad theology. Mr. Wallace argues that far from needing a further separation of church and state, as some Democrats would have it, or establishing a government that only reflects the values of an extreme religious right, as some Republicans would have it, we need to have a healthy dialogue, running across party lines, that allows the public to put God into politics. What God does he intend to insert into politics? A God who cries for justice through the prophets of the Old Testament. This is the God who sounds quite like the Democrats on some issues, rather like the Republicans on others, and absolutely like neither at times. So let's look at the issues Mr. Wallace addresses: WAR: While acknowledging that Saddam Hussein is no doubt one of the world’s nastiest despots, Mr. Wallis argues that the just-war theory doesn't hold up in our dealings with Iraq. Church leaders worldwide, including leadership in American churches, have pleaded with the government to explore alternatives to war. Quoting the present administration, Mr. Wallace demonstrates how the language of empire has been used unashamedly in recent years. This American Empire has been compared to the Roman Empire, and is curiously, and unhealthily, mixed up with religious mission. While Mr. Wallace doesn't doubt the faith of individuals in this present administration, he questions the integrity of their theology. On the other hand, evil is real. And Mr. Wallace points out that it's not good enough to be peace-loving; one has to offer real and concrete alternatives to military solutions. He chastises those who would roll over in the face of terrorism, and prods pacifists to actively, intentionally, and realistically address the problem of evil. Mr. Wallace delineates solutions proposed by himself and other religious and political leaders from the US and Britain. MONEY: "When did Jesus become pro-rich?" asks Mr. Wallace. He tackles misguided notions about poverty, and says that the “critical difference between Jesus and his disciples and a middle-class church is precisely this: our lack of proximity to the poor.” When Jesus says that “the poor will always be with you,” He is referring to the natural relationship between the disciples and the poor – not a defeatist attitude that nothing can be done about poverty. Mr. Wallace adds, “Wealthy Christians talk about the poor, but have no friends who are poor. So they merely speculate on the reasons for their condition, often placing the blame on the poor themselves.’’ Mr. Wallace points out that the poor are trapped in the debate about poverty. Neither side, Republican or Democrat, is providing appropriate and thorough measures for combating poverty. One side fears promoting stability through the endorsement of a traditional family structure, but is willing to fight for a living wage for the poor working-class; the other touts the need for strong families, then promptly turns around and undermines the family with the refusal to raise the minimum wage to a living wage for the thousands of families trying to subsist on entry-level jobs. Both sides continue to lock heads in a debate that is nothing more practical than finger-pointing and blaming, says Mr. Wallace. And finally, basing his comments on the prophet Isaiah, Mr. Wallace declares: "Budgets are moral documents. They clearly reveal the priorities of a family, a church, an organization, or a nation." He goes on to document how the US government's budgets show little promise of enacting Isaiah's vision of economic justice. LIFE: On the issues of abortion and capital punishment, Mr. Wallace argues for a "consistent ethic of life." These controversial "life issues" are often selectively promoted. One side will fight for abortion rights and advocate for a moratorium on executions, while the other aims to abolish abortion while loudly arguing that killing is a good way to stop killing. Both sides need to come together on common ground, says Mr. Wallace. Instead of arguing about abortion, both sides could share the concern that too many abortions occur. Both sides could work together to prevent the number of abortions occurring. It's good for women to not find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy. That we can all agree on. So why can't the two sides take all the energy they spend on fighting one another, and put it towards it preventing unwanted pregnancies? As for capital punishment, Mr. Wallace provides moral and economic reasons why a Christian ethic that includes the conviction that all human life is sacred, cannot sensibly coexist with support of capital punishment. RACE: Mr. Wallace shares a statement he once made that provoked a flood of letters. "The United States of America was established as a white society, founded upon the genocide of another race, and then the enslavement of yet another." While he felt that he was simply stating a historical fact, many letter-writers either attacked the statement or praised it. The effect of slavery on the African-American community is still felt today. While there is no clear answer as to what to do about it, Mr. Wallace reminds readers that the United States has never apologized publicly for slavery. The US has made public apologies to Japanese-Americans for imprisoning them during the World War II and to native Hawaiians for helping overthrow the Kingdom of Hawaii a century ago. Other countries are not above apologizing. The prime minister of Britain apologized to the Irish for failing to relieve the potato famine; East Germany apologized for the Holocaust; and the Emperor of Japan apologized for atrocities in Korea. While an apology won’t change anything alone, apologizing is the first thing we teach our children to do when they have been wrong. It is a step toward reconciliation. Why, asks Mr. Wallace, can’t our government do the very thing we expect of our children? A short chapter on cultural values condemns the profligacy of smut and the damaging attitude of individualism on community. Mr. Wallace wraps up by posing a choice: we can either be full of hope or cynicism. Hope is faith that change can happen; it prompts us to take risks and get involved in making change. Cynicism is a retreat. It protects us from disappointment. It also protects us from making a commitment. Says Mr. Wallace, “The only difference between the cynics and the saints is the presence, power, and possibility of hope. And that, indeed, is a spiritual and religious issue…Hope is not a feeling; it is a decision.” |
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for further reading ___________
The following books,
movies, videos, etc. are a short list of recommendations regarding
issues raised about the criminal justice system, the prison system, and
other related issues. This list is not meant to be comprehensive.
Indeed, if you have a book, article, or video to recommend, we would
love to hear from you. Victims, their stories, and their role in the justice system The Prison System and the death penalty
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the middle east by rachael eggebeen The Middle East has a way of lodging itself into your heart. The people of the Middle East welcome you in and show you why they are proud to be who they are. While Dutch in heritage, I have found myself to be Palestinian at heart. I compiled this list from my own readings. Most of these books I own and have read. I agree with some of the authors, some are my academic idols, while others deserve to be on this list though I disagree with their thoughts and conclusions. They are well-written and thoroughly researched and may be used to spark discussion.
Click on the following topics for
recommendations. The Middle East in broad strokes Islam, Christianity, and Judaism Important thoughts on approaching these issues
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