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In 2024, white Christian nationalism continues to threaten our democracy and our freedoms—including our freedoms to vote, to practice our diverse religions, to live in safety, to protect and care for our families, and to live in a welcoming country. There is no one more critical for the struggle against white Christian nationalism than Christians committed to democracy, justice, and human dignity—Christians such as Reverend Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners, founding director of the Georgetown Center for Faith and Justice, and author of a new book: The False White Gospel (St. Martin's). Join us this week on the Just Politics podcast as Wallis takes us through how white Christian nationalism is entirely un-Christian—and how the notion of neighbor, as Jesus taught in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, is not limited to a certain race, religion, or country of origin (neither white, nor Christian, nor nationalist!) Rather, the question of “Who is my neighbor?” is best answered by looking at who among us is most marginalized, other-ed, and in need. Luckily, everyone in this country—not only people of faith—has the power to spark conversations in their communities about our core values and how they can be distorted and weaponized by powerful interests who try (and fail) to use religion to divide us. Additional Resources More on Jim Wallis https://sojo.net/biography/jim-wallis NETWORK's White Supremacy and American Christianity series https://networklobby.org/actions-to-take-to-after-watching-white-supremacy-in-christianity/ Sojourners, A Call to Civic Discipleship https://sojo.net/civicdiscipleship The False White Gospel https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250291899/thefalsewhitegospel
Author, Activist and the Executive Director of The Center for Faith & Justice, Reverend Jim Wallis, in his office at Georgetown University talks deeply about discipleship and our lives as servants of Christ.00:00 - 00:50 Chapter 1 : Opening 00:51 - 09:23 Chapter 2 : Economics and Theology 09:24 - 10:55 Chapter 3 : Male, Pale, Straight, Stale!10:56 - 16:49 Chapter 4 : Jim's Story, Teenager to Today16:50 - 19:21 Chapter 5 : The False White Gospel19:22 - 25:33 Chapter 6 : Proximity25:34 - 27:39 Chapter 7 : PUBLIC Discipleship27:40 - 29:59 Chapter 8 : A False Gospel: How Christians Got "There"30:00 - 32:24 Chapter 9 : Power32:25 - 35:40 Chapter 10: Writing This Book....Anger?35:41 - 42:02 Chapter 11: Missing: Public Discipleship42:03 - 46:58 Chapter 12: Who's Side Are You On?46:59 - 50:16 Chapter 13: The "Why"50:17 - 52:07 Chapter 14: What Do Nationalists Want?52:08 - 52:53 Chapter 15: Wrap up#discipleship #christianleadership #christianpodcast #disciples #justiceJoin us at The Disciple Dilemma for videos, blogs and more conversation about the "hack" facing Western discipleship!
In this week's Soul of the Nation, Reverend Jim Wallis engages in a profound conversation with author and Senior Scholar Matthew Taylor about his upcoming book, "THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy." Together, they delve into the intricate world of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), exploring its "prophets" and the controversial 7 Mountains Mandate of dominion theology.Matthew Taylor sheds light on the complexities surrounding the NAR movement and its potential impact on democratic principles. The discussion spans the influence of key figures such as Mike Johnson and the broader implications of a movement that intertwines faith and politics.Join us as Rev. Jim Wallis and Matthew Taylor navigate through the theological landscape, examining the intersections of religion, power, and democracy. Gain insights into the challenges posed by movements like NAR and how they shape the narrative of our contemporary political climate. This episode is a compelling exploration of the delicate balance between faith and democracy, raising crucial questions about the future of our society.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Many Christian churches of all denominations have been dealing with progressives infiltrating their congregations. This has been made as apparent as ever by Reverend Jim Wallis' and Charlotte Clymer's recent comments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Reverend Jim Wallis is long-time strong advocate for peace and justice. He is also an American theologian, writer, teacher and political activist. He is best known as the founder and editor of Sojourners magazine and as the founder of the Washington, D.C.-based Christian community of the same name. Now Wallis is the Director of the Center on Faith and Justice and inaugural chair in Faith and Justice at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. And as such he is very concerned, as Bill is, about the dangerous rise of White Chirstian Nationalism. His podcast is Soul of the Nation and can be found here. The seminar Bill referenced, White Christian Nationalism: What it is, and how it threatens our democracy can be watched here. Today Bill peoudly highlights the great work of his wife Carol and her wonderful scarves. Carol is a talented weaver working with chenille and bamboo. If you are looking for a unique holiday gift, head on over to CarolPressScarves.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ralph welcomes Reverend Jim Wallis, the Leader of the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown University, who calls out Republicans on gun safety and identifies white churches as a threat to democracy. Plus, our resident constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, speculates on why Trump and Pence have not been subpoenaed to appear before the January 6th committee.
Reverend Jim Wallis, Chair in Faith and Justice at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy and Founder of Sojourners, reports on how dozens of faith organizations continue to advocate together for making the Child Tax Credit permanent, among other provisions in the proposed Build Back Better legislation. “We came together across many of our theological and political boundaries in the faith community to support the Child Tax Credit and the other critical factors in this human infrastructure bill.” Wallis and his fellow faith leaders are fighting for the most vulnerable Americans. “Unfortunately, it continues to be true that when the government wants to tighten its belt, it tightens the belt around the necks of the poor. And when they want to be fiscally responsible, they do it on the backs of the lowest income families and children. And that's just not wrong. That's sinful… The Bible says that kings and rulers - those who rule - will be defined and will be judged by how they treat the poor and vulnerable.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this hour of the "CBS News MLK Special," hosted by CBS News Political Contributor Jamal Simmons, Paul Woodhull's exclusive interview with Dr. Clayborne Carson, Director of the MLK Institute at Stanford University. The interview was recorded in real time as the insurrectionists were storming the Capitol. Reverend Jim Wallis, founder and ambassador of the social justice organization Sojourners, speaks with Bishop Michael Curry, the head of the Episcopal Church about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King's beloved community. And Jamal Simmons looks back on how the world found out about Dr. King's assassination from Walter Cronkite on the CBS Evening News. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
We must also reject the illusory safety of silence. We must speak out, even though it may seem implicit in who we are. We must say out loud that every form and manifestation of racism is unacceptable. And for those who don't think that that's the business of an anti hunger organization, we must also say out loud, it's the business of all human beings. Share Our Strength Co-Founder and Chairman Billy Shore As people mobilize across the country to confront racism in all of its manifestations today, we are sharing a curated episode that revolves around our painful legacy of racism in America and how we can overcome it. Guests that include:MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Dr. Joe Marshall, Chef Tanya Holland, social justice champion Reverend Jim Wallis, thought leader and businessman Robert Lewis, Jr., Brandeis University’s Ira Jackson, and Grantmakers In Health (GIH) President and CEO Faith Mitchell These leaders speak powerfully and thoughtfully about our shameful past, our difficult present, and a more hopeful and just future. Check out the original episodes by following the links below. “I remember we were angry and my mom was like, ‘You win with love. If you're locked up or arrested, you can't do anything in life.’ … So I made a commitment in my life that I was going to be part of shifting this narrative of folks who are poorer and black and brown communities in a different way.” – Robert Lewis, Jr. (March 6, 2019) http://addpassionandstir.com/flipping-the-script-rewriting-the-story-of-urban-youth/ “I would accompany 37 yellow school buses along with the police commissioner every morning [in 1972] from Bayside up to a Dorchester Heights and South Boston High School, where those black kids would be greeted by an angry mob that was yelling the ‘n’ word at them and throwing bananas and occasionally bricks at the windows. That's how violent and ugly it was.” – Ira Jackson (December 12, 2018) http://addpassionandstir.com/leading-a-city-back-from-despair-the-community-leaders-who-rebuilt-boston/ “It's just, ‘you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it.’ And even when you show you can, the real believers are the ones of us who were actually doing it. So we're always fighting that… I always say being black in America is like you start in this hole and you're continually climbing out of this hole.” – Dr. Joe Marshall (October 18, 2016) http://addpassionandstir.com/gang-violence-prevention-and-cure/ “For me, what I notice about racism – what I find most painful - is when people have low expectations of you and they don't expect you to be intelligent or ambitious or resourceful. And that's hard. You know, that judgement is a big hurdle. What can you do about that?” – Chef Tanya Holland (October 18, 2016) http://addpassionandstir.com/gang-violence-prevention-and-cure/ “My questions took me to the city [Detroit] - a white kid going to black churches for the first time and taking jobs alongside young men just like me, but they were black and I was white. I realized that we were all born in Detroit but had been raised in different countries… My worldview, as they say, has been changed by being places I was never supposed to be.” – Reverend Jim Wallis (May 17, 2019) http://addpassionandstir.com/racial-injustice-the-soul-of-america-is-at-stake-part-1/ “There are many Americans who not only don't know about disparities, but in general think that we have the best medical care in the world because that's what we've been told. In fact, among developed countries, we're near the bottom… One of the reasons we're near the bottom is that we have big differences in things like mortality and morbidity once you get past the surface and look at the details of the American population.” – Faith Mitchell (May 16, 2018) http://addpassionandstir.com/bringing-the-love-equity-in-healthcare/
As the nation tries to slow the advance of the Coronavirus Pandemic, we are all engaged in responsible social distancing. In this first episode of the Sunday Sermon in a Pandemic Podcast, Bishop Michael Curry and the Reverend Jim Wallis discuss making connections to faith and worship, spirituality and justice, in the digital and social media age.
In this very special episode of The Soul of the Nation, the Reverend Jim Wallis speaks with Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician, public health leader, and a passionate advocate for patient-centered health care reform. Dr. Wen shares urgent advice for sustaining and protecting our body, as well as our mind and soul, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In this very special episode of The Soul of the Nation, the Reverend Jim Wallis sits down with the Reverend Adam Taylor, Sojourners' Executive Director, to discuss the role of the Church in politics in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.Dr. King famously said, "The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority. If the church does not participate actively in the struggle for peace and for economic and racial justice, it will forfeit the loyalty of millions and cause men everywhere to say that it has atrophied its will. But if the church will free itself from the shackles of a deadening status quo, and, recovering its great historic mission, will speak and act fearlessly and insistently in terms of justice and peace, it will enkindle the imagination of mankind and fire the souls of men, imbuing them with a glowing and ardent love for truth, justice, and peace. Men far and near will know the church as a great fellowship of love that provides light and bread for lonely travelers at midnight."
Reverend Jim Wallis shares his thoughts and his blessings this Christmas Season.
The third installment in our series of curated episodes revolves around our painful legacy of racism in America and how we can overcome it. Guests that include MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Dr. Joe Marshall; Chef Tanya Holland; social justice champion Reverend Jim Wallis; thought leader and businessman Robert Lewis, Jr.; Chief of Staff to former Boston Mayor Kevin White, Ira Jackson; and Grantmakers In Health (GIH) President and CEO Faith Mitchell speak powerfully and thoughtfully about our shameful past, our difficult present, and a more hopeful and just future. Check out the original episodes by following the links below. “I remember we were angry and my mom was like, ‘You win with love. If you're locked up or arrested, you can't do anything in life.’ … So I made a commitment in my life that I was going to be part of shifting this narrative of folks who are poorer and black and brown communities in a different way.” – Robert Lewis, Jr. (March 6, 2019) http://addpassionandstir.com/flipping-the-script-rewriting-the-story-of-urban-youth/ “I would accompany 37 yellow school buses along with the police commissioner every morning [in 1972] from Bayside up to a Dorchester Heights and South Boston High School, where those black kids would be greeted by an angry mob that was yelling the ‘n’ word at them and throwing bananas and occasionally bricks at the windows. That's how violent and ugly it was.” – Ira Jackson (December 12, 2018) http://addpassionandstir.com/leading-a-city-back-from-despair-the-community-leaders-who-rebuilt-boston/ “It's just, ‘you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it.’ And even when you show you can, the real believers are the ones of us who were actually doing it. So we're always fighting that… I always say being black in America is like you start in this hole and you're continually climbing out of this hole.” – Dr. Joe Marshall (October 18, 2016) http://addpassionandstir.com/gang-violence-prevention-and-cure/ “For me, what I notice about racism – what I find most painful - is when people have low expectations of you and they don't expect you to be intelligent or ambitious or resourceful. And that's hard. You know, that judgement is a big hurdle. What can you do about that?” – Chef Tanya Holland (October 18, 2016) http://addpassionandstir.com/gang-violence-prevention-and-cure/ “My questions took me to the city [Detroit] - a white kid going to black churches for the first time and taking jobs alongside young men just like me, but they were black and I was white. I realized that we were all born in Detroit but had been raised in different countries… My worldview, as they say, has been changed by being places I was never supposed to be.” – Reverend Jim Wallis (May 17, 2019) http://addpassionandstir.com/racial-injustice-the-soul-of-america-is-at-stake-part-1/ “There are many Americans who not only don't know about disparities, but in general think that we have the best medical care in the world because that's what we've been told. In fact, among developed countries, we're near the bottom… One of the reasons we're near the bottom is that we have big differences in things like mortality and morbidity once you get past the surface and look at the details of the American population.” – Faith Mitchell (May 16, 2018) http://addpassionandstir.com/bringing-the-love-equity-in-healthcare/
How will we overcome systemic racial injustice in America? In this deeply personal conversation, Sojourners President and Founder Jim Wallis and James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schlow talk with Debbie and Billy Shore about poverty, equality and race relations in America. “Abraham Lincoln said that ‘leaders should appeal to our better angels’, but this president appeals to our worst demons and he calls them up and they’re right below the surface,” says Wallis about the prevalence of racism in America. Schlow learned the power of being open-minded at a young age. “My mother and my dad felt that an open house was an important component of the community. You’re not supposed to be building walls right now, you’re supposed to be opening doors,” he says. Wallis cites research that 75% of white Americans don’t have one significant relationship with a person of color and therefore do not know how much they may have in common with one another. “We’ve got to start having dinner together and hearing about our hopes and dreams for our kids. Right now, the soul of America is at stake,” he cautions. “In my company we’re not just here to take care of the guests, we’re here to take care of each other. When somebody has a crisis… our restaurant family comes to each other’s aid,” notes Schlow. Feel empowered by part 1 of a poignant conversation about the connections between our personal values and the social and political change we want to see in the world.
On June 14th, 350 Christian leaders, who work on the front lines of the battle for The Soul of the Nation, gathered in Washington DC to convene and create an opportunity for building relationships and cross-sector collaboration. Five of those leaders gathered together to lay bare the controversy of what it means to be an Evangelical.· The Reverend Jim Wallis, Founder and President of Sojourners· Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, President of Skinner Leadership Institute· Rev. Alexia Salvatierra, the founder of the Faith-Rooted Organizing UnNetwork.· Rev. Nikki Toyama-Szeto, Executive Director Evangelicals for Social Action· Rev. Wes Granberg Michaelson, the former General Secretary of the Reformed Church in America The question examined by this Dream Team of Christian Social Leaders was if the word Evangelical still means “Good News,” especially for the growing minority populations in America. Rev. Alexia Salvatierra: “In M25 (Matthew 25) we are constantly intentional in what we call justice in the process…In all of our processes and all of structures, we try to practice being the body of Christ…It's a profoundly biblical shift.” Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner: “We have an identity crisis in America…The Church of Christ is the body…We have so segmented ourselves that we have not clarified that those who are aligned with Christ are aligned with each other.” Rev. Nikki Toyama-Szeto: “The Church in America is actually going to precede [the] demographic shift. What our churches in our pews are going to look like, that's going to happen in our churches ten years before it happens along Main Street on America. The church could reimagine how we live our life together as familia.” Rev. Wes Granberg Michaelson: “We have to de-Americanize the Bible…The Gospel of Jesus Christ has a political and social and economic impact. It did then and does now…Romans 13 didn't mean we were justified in dropping Napalm on Vietnam … [It] doesn't justify us separating vulnerable families at the border. The Reverend Jim Wallis: “The parties…want to use us and abuse us and…that's true on both sides of the aisle…How do we evaluate our public life by proclaiming Jesus?” The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. — John 1:5
The Republican Party has embraced religious fundamentalism, a false version of Christianity that is antithetical to the teachings of Jesus Christ, while the Democratic Party has created an irrational and divisive secular fundamentalism often seeming to attack religion itself. These two forces have coalesced to force Christians into a state of political homelessness.The Reverend Jim Wallis says, "The GOP has disregarded the vast values of principled conservatism ... genuine family values, national security through global engagement, a commitment to opportunity for all, empathy for those in need, and the worth and equality of every person under the law."He adds, "The Democratic Party though has lost its connection to working class people, ordinary people...they don't appeal to the values of many of us Christians..."Despite being left in the cold, Christian and other religious voters have an opportunity to wield political clout that can abolish the false binary choice of Conservative or Liberal and bring our nation to a higher moral ground by instead choosing between what is right or wrong.
When the Values Voters welcomed Donald Trump, they embraced a man who is the "consummate worshiper of money, sex, and power." Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson labeled the standing ovations of Donald Trump and Steve Bannon at the Values Voter Summit idolatry. Listen to today's podcast to hear the challenge, the Reverend Jim Wallis has now laid down to Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council which hosts the Values Voter Summit each year.
Donald Trump, who has the unchecked power to launch nuclear weapons, is an "intellectual, emotional, and moral failure." A Catholic priest at Georgetown University once said, "To build and launch a nuclear weapon is a sin." but Donald Trump says he doesn't understand why the United States doess'nt use their nuclear arsenal. And when his alarming views are exposed by the media, he threatens to blow up the First Amendment. The Reverend Jim Wallis has a thoughtful and prayerful response.
October 15, 2013 | It is often said that racism is America's "original sin." In 2013, we mark 150 years since the Emancipation Proclamation and 50 years since the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King's momentous "I have a dream" speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Yet race remains salient in American public life. This was never more evident than in the impassioned reactions to the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida last spring and the acquittal of George Zimmerman. How is religion a force for racial reconciliation? How is religion involved in maintaining racial division? Does 11:00 on Sunday morning remain, as Dr. King lamented in a 1968 sermon at the Washington National Cathedral, "the most segregated hour in America?" As immigration and changing demographics have reshaped the religious landscape, how will Christians relate to their neighbors of other faiths? We will study important stories of shared history, theological similarities and differences, and aspirations for social justice that both Christians and Muslims share as communities of faith. Religious differences provide fertile ground for animosity and misunderstanding. Over the years, both Muslims and Christians have dealt with extremists who distort the character of true belief. Significant, intelligent dialogue and the development of authentic friendships across religious lines are key to deepening Christians' and Muslims' faith. Reverend Jim Wallis is a bestselling author, public theologian, and commentator on religion and public life, faith, and politics. Wallis is the president and founder of Sojourners, a progressive Christian grassroots movement that advocates spirituality and social change in America. He is editor-in-chief of Sojourners magazine and a prolific author. His latest book is On God's Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn't Learned about Serving the Common Good (2013). Other publications include Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street — A Moral Compass for the New Economy (2010) and The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a Post-Religious Right America (2008). Since 2010 Wallis has served as a research fellow and visiting professor in the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs.
October 22, 2013 | It is often said that racism is America's "original sin." In 2013, we mark 150 years since the Emancipation Proclamation and 50 years since the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King's momentous "I have a dream" speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Yet race remains salient in American public life. This was never more evident than in the impassioned reactions to the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida last spring and the acquittal of George Zimmerman. How is religion a force for racial reconciliation? How is religion involved in maintaining racial division? Does 11:00 on Sunday morning remain, as Dr. King lamented in a 1968 sermon at the Washington National Cathedral, "the most segregated hour in America?" As immigration and changing demographics have reshaped the religious landscape, how will Christians relate to their neighbors of other faiths? We will study important stories of shared history, theological similarities and differences, and aspirations for social justice that both Christians and Muslims share as communities of faith. Religious differences provide fertile ground for animosity and misunderstanding. Over the years, both Muslims and Christians have dealt with extremists who distort the character of true belief. Significant, intelligent dialogue and the development of authentic friendships across religious lines are key to deepening Christians' and Muslims' faith. Reverend Jim Wallis is a bestselling author, public theologian, and commentator on religion and public life, faith, and politics. Wallis is the president and founder of Sojourners, a progressive Christian grassroots movement that advocates spirituality and social change in America. He is editor-in-chief of Sojourners magazine and a prolific author. His latest book is On God's Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn't Learned about Serving the Common Good (2013). Other publications include Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street — A Moral Compass for the New Economy (2010) and The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a Post-Religious Right America (2008). Since 2010 Wallis has served as a research fellow and visiting professor in the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs.
Rick checks in with Reverend Jim Wallis and with "The Darwinian Tourist" to discover what they've learned from their travels to far away lands; hears how life is changing for nomadic sheep herders in Turkey; and celebrates cyclist Willie Weir's birthday in Portugal. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.