God’s Politics by Jim Wallis
As I am getting used to blogging and the time it can take (!) I haven’t got round to writing my thoughts today, and it’s almost gone. So I’m just posting a review of one of the books that I read over the summer
. It was a review that I originally wrote for my own records (with a little bit of polishing up) so it may come across as a little strident at times.
Whilst Jim Wallis certainly comes from the ‘left’ of the evangelical church (politically and I suspect theologically) he is seeking to issue a call for a Christian response to the political issues in US that transcends left and right. It is certainly good to hear another Christian voice from the US which is not Religious Right! The loudest voice is not necessarily saying the best things.
God’s Politics
He is a rather disparate and repetitive writer, not particularly an easy read but saying many worthwhile things that Christians need to listen to. I think he writes some excellent and challenging stuff on the ethics of war and on the treatment of the poor. However, he is very ‘religious’ and at times, too nebulous and vague in his ideas and values. He does at times remind me of some of the weak, wishy-washy types of Christians I have met too many times over the years, and yet on some things he is so strong and radical! Interestingly, his wife is ordained, was the model for the Vicar of Dibley and still advises on the scripts!!
Where I find I really agree with him is in his observation that polarisation (encouraged by the way we do politics and by the media) is one of our major problems. You have to be either right or left, Republican or Democrat, reactionary or liberal, into personal righteousness or social justice, but not both! Oh for a voice that speaks of a Kingdom vision that transcends all that!! That incorporates righteousness and justice, truth and grace and owes no allegiance to any political ideology or nationality.
I also agree with what he says about a lack of vision leading to a ‘politics of complaint and protest.’ Again, we see the need for Kingdom vision.
One of my main frustrations with him is that he is a religious man (albeit of the ‘radical’ and compassionate type) rather than a Kingdom man! His lack of biblical rigour especially comes over in his fudging over the gay marriage issue (he actually would be sympathetic to the ‘blessing’ of same sex unions!!) and he continually displays the inadequacy of the religious, ‘mixed church’ approach of the mainline denominations. Oh how we need to see a truly radical church arise that is full of grace and truth, not sympathy and weak theology.
However, he comes across as a warm and positive guy who is passionate about what he believes and is putting it into practice in all kinds of social activism. I certainly feel that he is worth listening to and is a welcome different voice from the raucous religious right that seems to be the only ‘Christian’ voice that our media picks up from the US.
September 6th, 2005 @ 10:54 pm
More and more I am convinced that if Christians can get the balance right between Obeying God’s word and being a voice in the political arena then they will affect the greatest change in the worldwide arena.
I think about the men alive today who are men of God who make a difference in the countries of the world by their affiliations with politicial powers, eg. Reinhard Bonnke, Benny Hinn, T D Jakes, Billy Graham, Yongi Cho, Ray McCauley, to name but a few. These guys actually influence decisions in countries and they are called upon to bring the wisdom of God.
But I don’t believe that you have to have a mighty signs & wonders ministry, or a church of a million members to be in these positions. You do have to think like these men, BIG!. I love the Gavin Whites of this world and Blair from Cardiff who have a bent towards this area and I am always encouraged in talking to them that they honestly believe that they can make a difference.
Wishy washy is what the world expects from christians in politics. we need real MEN & WOMEN, the Daniels, the Isaiahs, the Esthers the Queen of Sheba, those who have the anointing of the Holy Spirit who can herald a call to the nations of the world whether that be in Brussels, Capital Hill, or Westminster.
Stop! Hammer Time.
I got carried away there :~)
The prophet is a hearld of the plumb line, “The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ” and I pray so much for God to send harvesters into the political arena to reap the white harvest that is most evidently present in that field. C’Mon!!
Joe…
September 9th, 2005 @ 1:55 pm
I am a British man living in Grand Rapids Michigan and i am very interested in politics, and i have found that politics and Christianity don’t mix very well. That is why it is good to keep Church and state seperate, because only God can tell us what to do, even as we submit to the authority of the world because God put them all in place. I am not a fan of Bush jr. but i have heard some Christians say that is you don’t vote for Bush then you’re not a Christian. That sucks, i can’t even vote out here, and i probably would not have, i don’t know!! It’s all too political for me, and too me it is all Public relations and with that it is most insincere.
Peace T Lloyd i love your web page, and if you came to Grand Rapids i’d love too meet you. Maybe i’ll speak to our pastor Andrew Hughes about getting you over, he is another Brit like us!!
September 10th, 2005 @ 12:54 pm
Ben Boy!!!
Joe…
February 17th, 2006 @ 12:38 pm
[…] I receive regular emails from LICC (the London Insititue for Contemporary Christianity) whom I would recommend for some of their comment on current affairs and cultural issues. Mark Greene is especially good. I was pleased to see that they were recommedning a book that I reviewed on my blog back on 6th September 2005 called God’s Politics by Jim Wallis. He is presently on a tour of Uk to promote his book (including in Manchester but I unfortunatelky won’e be able to get there!). Although my review makes clear that I have some reservations, I think this writer and activist has something to say that needs to be heard. Fans of George Bush on the relgious right won’t like him, but he offers a genuine call away from the polarisation of left and right to a truly prophetic vision that makes a call for both personal righteousness and social justice. I’ve copied the content of email from LICC below: God’s Politics […]