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Liked It “This book looks at politics and our culture from the perspective of more mainstream Christianity. It focus on how our beliefs and the teaching in the Bible should be leading us. It is a very easy read and lead to some very good discussions in the group I read it with. It challenges you to...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “This is the only book I have started and not finished in the last 4 years. Disliked it intensely.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“This is the only book I have started and not finished in the last 4 years. Disliked it intensely.”
Neil R wrote this review Saturday, October 10 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“This book looks at politics and our culture from the perspective of more mainstream Christianity. It focus on how our beliefs and the teaching in the Bible should be leading us. It is a very easy read and lead to some very good discussions in the group I read it with. It challenges you to rethink some of the decisions you make in your life.”
Karen N wrote this review Sunday, August 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Painful. Verbose and self-promoting (as Jessica said!) I could not finish it.”
Quinn S wrote this review Friday, July 10 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Outdated and self promoting.”
Jessica R wrote this review Monday, May 25 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Religion and politics seem to be highly polarised in America. Anyone who has spoken at length with American Christians will be familiar with the way that all too often political thought seems to seep into the Christian dialogue, and from the perspective of an outsider, it seems that these notions are frequently unchallenged, and often at odds with the message of the gospel.
Stephen K wrote this review Wednesday, April 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This book is then a timely call to Christians to re-evaluate their unchallenged assumptions, and to realise that so much of politics is anti Christian, that they do the church a dis-service in not taking a stand against it. The book has practical ideas of how to make a stand, and is a wake up call for anyone who thinks God would vote for a certain political party!
There is less here for non Americans. The context of the book is clearly America and its politics, and an outsider would be wrong to read this book to feel smug about their own politics. In the UK religion is much less polarised, but the policies of the parties are no more moral for this. Non US readers should read the book with humility, wondering how the lessons and ideas here can be applied in their own context.”
“Good, but becomes a bit repetitive after a while. Perhaps because for me, he's preaching to the choir. I was just relieved to see a new Christian Middle/Left emerging.”
Michael S wrote this review Friday, December 26 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I agreed with most of what Jim Wallis had to say in this book, although I didn't always appreciate his characterization of "the left" as running away from religion. The reason for that is that I could be considered a member of "the left" but yet I am a faithful church going Christian. I just don't like to beat others over the head with it. So, I don't agree that "the left doesn't get it". Although I do agree the left doesn't articulate it.
BookSnake wrote this review Friday, November 14 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
That is a fairly minor objection though. Like I said, I do agree with the author's points. What I found frustrating though is how little the book offered in terms of what to do about it. Yes, yes, yes, I agree, agree, agree. Now what? Tell me what to do to change the dialogue, to reclaim Christianity on behalf of sincere Christians who want to fight poverty, improve health care, protect and preserve all life (not just the unborn), and establish civil institutions that encourage individuals to form lifelong commitments to one another. How can those of us who want those things and are willing to pay taxes to pay for them make themselves heard? This book did not even try to answer those questions. So, in that respect it was kind of empty, unsatisfying, a let down.
There was plenty of description of this or that special service that Jim Wallis led or participated in that was invariably standing room only, or this or that open letter written to various leaders, but obviously none of that had any effect on anything, because here we are worse off than ever and the vitriol from the right (such as during our recent election) is just as wrong as ever.
I did what I could - I voted for "That One" but what else can I do? Jim Wallis, tell me!”
“So there is an alternative for evangelicals in this country and not just having to march lock and step with the right wing of the Republican Party? The church should not be associated with any single party, and the writings of Jim Wallis give a fresh look into this matter.”
iggyviola wrote this review Tuesday, July 29 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Timely with the election coming up, though I had a hard time getting through the earlier chapters because of the repetitiveness. Once he started to talk about more specific topics, like poverty, AIDS, and homosexuality, and how they related to Scripture and to current political viewpoints, I found it much more interesting.”
Jen M wrote this review Saturday, July 19 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I can't help reading this thinking that he has a very big ego... and his takes on the church are "blessing" homosexual unions is a little heretical for my taste. But his takes on the poor are very worthwhile. I think that Gregory Boyd's "Myth of a Christian Nation" better explains what a Christian's role in politics should be... We are in the world, but not of it.”
David B wrote this review Monday, June 30 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
