Jim Wallis

In the moral gulf between Democrats and Republicans, Jim Wallis has discovered a political and religious foundation that has attracted millions of followers tired of choosing between parties. The way Wallis sees it, Christians should be driven by their commitment to helping people while being politically active. Wallis's political doctrine comes from moral and populist beliefs that often leave him at odds with elements of both major parties. He declared compassionate conservatism dead after President Bush threatened to veto the State Children's Health Insurance Program last year, and more recently called Mitt Romney a "Mormon on a weather vane" for changing his ideology so drastically during his presidential campaign, all while opposing select pillars of liberal politics such as abortion. With his latest book, The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith in Politics in a Post-Religious Right America, Wallis argues that history shows us that the greatest social changes were rooted in politics that came from socially conscious religious values. His fresh approach to politics certainly doesn't fit party hardliners, but it does fit those who see value on each side of the spectrum.
Thu., Feb. 21, noon, 2008