Categories: uncategorized
Date: 13 May 2005 21:40:39
Well I've finally ploughed through the 374 pages of God's Politics (Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It)
Before I start the review, what does GOP stand for when referring to US Republicans? It was the only reference in the book that I couldn't understand, specifically.
Ok, well it's not one of those books you read because you want to disengage and just chill out. Rather it's one of those books which ideally will take a 2nd and 3rd reading with a pencil in hand.
It's a book which covers a variety of areas, which together, outline the concerns and areas for rethinking, not only in America, but also in the UK and (I suspect a number of other "industrialised" countries). It explicitly mixes religion and politics (ok, bearing in mind the title that's stating the obvious).
You move through issues around war and peace & the Iraq war in particular, economic policy, child care issues, foreign policy, debt relief, trade issues, the value of human life in relation to abortion and capital punishment, racial problems, the place of family, and moral debates inside and outside the church about relationships and the media.
At this point you may see there is a thread that follows through these things, and that is the point. Jim Wallis the author shows that policy areas which at first may seem unconnected are fully interconnected and our response should be interconnected.
It's a book which refocuses on hope and realism and in places dancing. It goes beyond the apparently ideological divisions of religious and secular right and moves on into a different place.
It's the only book on American political solutions I know where you will find Greenbelt mentioned in it, asfar as I am aware.
It doesn't always make comfortable reading, but then truly challenging ideas shouldn't be.
From a personal view I found it refreshing that it actually addressed the whole picture, rather than part of it. As a single parent it was a book which realistically described the situation that the majority of us are in: trying to juggle a limited budget, long working hours and child care issues whilst doing our best to be good parents who are there for our children and provide appropriate role models. Issues which the majority of parents face, but which are often intensified for those in lone parenting situations. It did this in a way which did not fall into the usual problem of describing us as the "other" who are unlikely to be part of the audience, but rather treating us with respect whilst recognising that this is not the ideal and affirming in most cases two married parents is the best situation.
So all in all, as expected, a very good book.