Jim Wallis

The Reverend Jim Wallis (b. June 4 1948, Detroit, Michigan) is an evangelical Christian writer and political activist, best known as the founder and editor of "Sojourners Magazine" and of the Washington, D.C.-based Christian community of the same name.

Wallis actively eschews political labels, but his advocacy tends to focus on issues of peace and social justice, earning him his primary support from the religious left. Wallis is also known for his opposition to the religious right's fiscal and foreign policies. [cite news | last = Bates | first = Stephen | title = US right has hijacked religious vote, says evangelical | work = guardian.co.uk | location = London | date = February 16, 2006 | url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/feb/16/usa.religion | accessdate = 2006-10-10] Raised in a traditional evangelical Plymouth Brethren family, [cite journal | last = Mangu-Ward | first = Katherine | title = God's Democrat: the Church of Jim Wallis | journal = The Weekly Standard | publisher = News America Incorporated | location = Washington, DC | volume = 10 | issue = 28 | pages = 30–33 | date = April 11, 2005 | url = http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-131808823.html | format = Dead link|date=May 2008] as a young man Wallis became active in the civil rights movement. He graduated from Michigan State University, where he was President of Students for a Democratic Society and then went on to attend Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois where he joined with other young seminarians in establishing the community that eventually became Sojourners.

His books include "The Great Awakening. Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America" (2008), "" (2005), "Faith Works: How Faith Based Organizations Are Changing Lives, Neighborhoods, and America" (2000), "The Soul of Politics: Beyond "Religious Right" and "Secular Left" (1995) and "Call to Conversion" (1981, revised 2005).

His writings are regularly published as op-eds in major media outlets, and he teaches a course in religion and politics at Harvard University. He is also the convener of Call to Renewal, an interfaith effort to end poverty.

In discussing the 2004 American presidential elections, Wallis said "Jesus didn’t speak at all about homosexuality. There are about 12 verses in the Bible that touch on that question ... [t] here are thousands of verses on poverty. I don’t hear a lot of that conversation." [cite news | last = Lumsden | first = Michal | title = God's Politics: An Interview With Jim Wallis | work = MotherJones.com | publisher = Foundation for National Progress | location = San Francisco | date = March 10, 2005 | url = http://www.motherjones.com/news/qa/2005/03/gods_politics_jim_wallis.html | accessdate = 2006-10-10]

Wallis was invited by Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) to give the Democrats' weekly radio address on Saturday, December 2 2006. He spoke about the importance of moral leadership in Washington, and touched on a variety of social concerns. [cite web |url= http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/godspolitics/2006/12/jim-wallis-we-need-greater-moral.html |title= We Need Greater Moral Leadership |accessdaymonth= 29 Feb |accessyear= 2008 |last= Wallis |first= Jim |date= 2006-12-02 |work= God's Politics | publisher= Beliefnet] In February 2007 he wrote in "Time" about the post-Religious Right era and the resurgence of mainstream Christianity, with evangelicals "deserting the Religious Right in droves". [Wallis, Jim. [http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1590782,00.html "The Religious Right's Era Is Over] ," "Time.com", February 16, 2007]

Wallis is married to the Rev. Joy Carroll Wallis, upon whom the title character in "The Vicar of Dibley" was partially based.

He appeared on "The Daily Show" discussing faith and politics. [ [http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=special.display&item=050111_godspolitics Sojourners : Special Features ] ]

Minister and author for his work in advocating for peace and social justice in urban America and for his role as founder of Sojourners Magazine and the Call to Renewal. He was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience award in Sherborn, MA on June 2, 2000. [ [http://www.peaceabbey.org/awards/cocrecipientlist.html The Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Recipients List ] ]

ee also

*Progressive Christianity
*Red Letter Christians

References

External links

* [http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/godspolitics/ God's politics: a blog by Jim Wallis and friends]
* [http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=about_us.display_staff&staff=wallis Official biography from "Sojourners"]
* [http://www.premier.tv/?void=83489 Interview with Jim at Premier.tv]
* [http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=286366987 Jim Wallis Talk from an Off The Map Live Event]