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Steven Waldman

In a recent email, Family Research Council referred to Jim Wallis and Rich Cizik as “left-leaning ‘evangelicals'” Note the quote marks around the word “evangelical.” They’ve been trying to drum Wallis out of the evangelical ranks for years but questioning whether Cizik is really evangelical seems a bit tougher. He has, after all, the vice…

I’m struck by how many analysts are saying that if McCain loses, it was absolutely inevitable, a result of the financial meltdown. I don’t buy it. The meltdown certainly made it harder, along with the weak economy that pre-dated the stock market drop. But there was a path for McCain — and it involved not…

The Republican Jewish Coalition has sent out this astonishing flier in Pennsylvania. The key line: “History has shown that a naive and weak foreign policy has resulted in tragic outcomes for the Jewish people.” Note that in small type, under the picture of Obama, it says, “Barack Obama speaking in Germany.” Gee. Of all the…

The most important speech Barack Obama gave on faith came before he launched his presidential campaign. On June 26, 2006, he spoke at Jim Wallis’s Call to Renewal conference, laying out a critique not only of the Religious Right but of the secular left. He argued that while Democrats should support separation of church and…

The Book of Leviticus argues that any financial bailout should include the ability for homeowners to renegotiate their mortgages. Well, not in exactly those words but David Abramowitz in In Character magazine explains that Old Testament economics was radically redistributionist and forgiving of debt: “The biblical Jubilee addressed the relationship between economic prosperity and human…

Today’s ABCNews poll reports that Obama is splitting the white Catholic vote, 50%-49% — his best showing with this group since July. Bush won this group by 13% points. He’s also running even among non-evangelical Mainline Protestants. Bush won that group by 11%

Religious progressives have really increased the volume on their argument that a Democratic approach could reduce abortions, even though Democrats are pro-choice. (See Doug Kmiec; Matthew25, and a new coalition called RealAbortionSolutions.org.) What’s this really about? When i speak to folks in progressive religious world, it’s clear they don’t actually think they’re going to fully…

At the American Academy of Religion conference, I met Michelle Rosenthal, a professor at University of Haifa in Israel.Two interesting things:–When it comes to perceptions of the U.S. election, the economy is trumping foreign policy even in Israel. Israelis who had concerns about Obama not being pro-Israel enough are increasingly focusing on how the American…

The L.A. Times reports that part of Brit Hume’s reason for leaving TV is to deepen his religious practice: As he prepares to anchor his last presidential campaign, Hume said he’s eager to immerse himself in a more spiritual life after dwelling for so long in the secular. The anchor described himself as a “nominal…

I’m attending the American Academy of Religion, the conference of religion professors, for a few days. Just heard a talk from Dwight Hopkins, who is both a professor at the University of Chicago Divinity School and a member of the United Church of Christ formerly pastored by Jeremiah Wright. He also studied under James Cone,…
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