The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a Post-Religious Right America

What will it take to solve the biggest issues of our time: extreme and needless poverty, global warming and environmental degradation, terrorism and the endless cycle of violence, racism, human trafficking, health care and education, and other pressing problems? While Washington offers only the politics of blame and fear, Jim Wallis, the man who changed the conversation about faith and politics, has traveled the country and found a nation hungry for a politics of solutions and hope. He shows us that a revival is happening, as people of faith and moral conviction seek common ground for change. Wallis also reminds us that religious faith was a driving force behind our greatest national reforms, such as the abolition of slavery and the civil rights movement. These great awakenings happened periodically at crucial times in our nation's history to propel us toward the common good. The time is ripe for another movement that will transform this country. With The Great Awakening , Wallis helps us rediscover our moral center and provides both the needed inspiration and a concrete plan to hold politics accountable and find solutions to our greatest challenges. Publishers Weekly Recognizing that America's faithful have subverted their evangelical Christian ideology into a conservative political ideology, Wallis reminds readers that to follow the spirit of Christianity truly does mean to go beyond the simple two-party system and understand the greater principles of the faith. Wallis assesses the wide range of movements and new ideas emerging from Christians and what this new reckoning within their hearts and minds means for the political realm. With tools and goals that help listeners achieve spirituality over ideology, Wallis reveals the common ground upon which faith in America can be rebuilt and opened to a larger group of discontented believers. At a slow, deliberate pace, Wallis narrates with an elderly but genuinely sincere voice. A few voice shifts hint at poor sound editing, but the clarity and crisp voice of Wallis still shines through. However, his tone can be a bit droll, and it seems to move forward with almost languid reluctance. He performs a few vocal impersonations quite well, but often in doing so, only reinforces his overall weak performance in the straight narration. Simultaneous release with the HarperOne hardcover (Reviews, Dec. 10, 2007). (Feb.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Revival time : when faith changes politics -- Changes in the air : the new agenda -- How to change the world, and why : rules of engagement -- The moral center : politics for the common good -- Inclusion and opportunity : the welcome table -- Stewardship and renewal : the earth is the lord's -- Equality and diversity : the race to unity -- Life and dignity : critical choices -- Family and community : the false choice -- Nonviolent realism : resolving our conflicts -- Integrity and accountability : doing the right thing and the question of -- Leadership -- What's acceptable, what's possible : notes to the next generation CONTENTS......Page 6 FOREWORD......Page 8 INTRODUCTION......Page 10 REVIVAL TIME......Page 20 CHANGES IN THE AIR......Page 40 HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD, AND WHY......Page 62 THE MORAL CENTER......Page 88 INCLUSION AND OPPORTUNITY......Page 112 STEWARDSHIP AND RENEWAL......Page 144 EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY......Page 166 LIFE AND DIGNITY......Page 198 FAMILY AND COMMUNITY......Page 226 NONVIOLENT REALISM......Page 244 INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY......Page 276 WHAT S ACCEPTABLE, WHAT'S POSSIBLE......Page 292 EPILOGUE......Page 308 APPENDIX......Page 320 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 326 NOTES......Page 330 INDEX......Page 340 Religious faith was a driving force behind our greatest national reforms, such as the abolition of slavery and the civil rights movement. These "great awakenings" happened periodically at crucial times in our nation's history to propel us toward the common good. The time is ripe for another movement that will transform this country. With The Great Awakening, Wallis [rediscovers] our moral center and provides both the needed inspiration and a concrete plan to hold politics accountable and find solutions to our greatest challenges.--From publisher description In this post-Religious Right era, the bestselling author of Gods Politics revives our hope in a politics that reflects our highest common values and offers a roadmap for solving our biggest social problems.