Video: Eugene Cho Interviews Jim Wallis

Truth matters. That's the message from yesterday's sermon I heard at church. It was based on the Good Shepherd. Jesus love us, unlike the hired men (government, liberals, conservatives, independents, etc). The Truth is that Jesus came to set us free from the consequences of sin.

I would like to know what Sojo does in its ministry to help people change from within. Jesus preached the message of love and salvation to thousands on the hillside. Only at the end of the day were they fed. Sojo thinks by the government throwing millions at problems it will change the way people think and act. Jesus never tried to coerce the government into His way of thinking.

Sometimes I wonder who is the object of worship here.

First, you presume that helping to change context does NOTHING to change people within. Is that true?

second, you also presume that 'Sojourners thinks by the government throwing miliions at problems it will change the way people thinkg and act," which presumes that there is no worldview change that Sojourners is looking for. On the contrary, I think Sojo is forwarding a radical change in the way we think about the way we live and believe, which I actually think is more in line with Scripture than what evangelicalism has often purported to be the gospel.

Third, part of this radical change to our common way of thinking about christianity means that we move in a way that create political change BECAUSE of Scriptural mandate. What of treatment of the poor? 1 in every 16 verses in the gospels, at 1 in 7 in Luke? Politics is NOT the base of Christian ethics and living, but it is a necessary part of it. Politics is not sufficient, but it is necessary. Otherwise, what are we living out when we say that Christianty is a new way to live? I'm not confident that the usual presentations of the gospel have often pushed Christianity to be more than a message to believe. It has to be a life that is lived; thus by definition, Christianity is not just a message to believe, it's a whole new way to live, which by definition is political in nature.

I think it's fair to say that politics in this country leaves much to be desired, but then the question is IF the gospel calls us to be God's people in the world, the question is not IF politics, but HOW do we do politics.

You are right that there are people who call themselves Democrats who are trying to subvert and co-opt Christianity. But it's not just Democrats and the Left, but many Republicans and the Right. To say they are not as much as part of the problem seems to me a bit suspicious. Both the Right AND the Left try to put a claim on Truth.

It seems to me that the call of the Christian is always to look at Scripture and see if people who calls themselves Christians are in line with the whole of Scripture, and I do mean ALL of it. Both sides of the normative American political spectrum have messed this up tremendously, and it's gonna take some careful pruning to make sure that what we subscribe to as the Truth isn't defined by either of these.

But again, just because a person self-identifies as a Democrat, doesn't mean that it's their defining characteristic. Don't presume that because people here may lean left politically, that they don't lean right THEOLOGICALLY. Trust me, there's a LOT of people who fit that profile.

Sojourners has chosen to move in a way that LOOKS like the social platform of the Democrat party, but let's be slow to entirely collapse the Sojourners platform as being swallowed whole by the Democratic machine. If you've been around Sojourners people, you'd be surprised to hear how grounded in Christ these people are.

And, we should keep them that way. I think these guys try hard not to fall into the normative political categories, but sometimes they do look the same. But I think they'll recognize where they agree with people, and where they will disagree, maybe fundamentally. And sometimes it does look a little much, but at least they're pushing on the political front (in the most Christian way possible). Can we say the same for ourselves?

But, if you're convinced that Sojourners is just too left ... what can I say?

Your Karl Rove tactics won't work here. Republicans think they have the answers. They don't.

The last eight years prove otherwise. Learn from them and report back.

First, you presume that helping to change context does NOTHING to change people within. Is that true?

second, you also presume that 'Sojourners thinks by the government throwing miliions at problems it will change the way people thinkg and act," which presumes that there is no worldview change that Sojourners is looking for. On the contrary, I think Sojo is forwarding a radical change in the way we think about the way we live and believe, which I actually think is more in line with Scripture than what evangelicalism has often purported to be the gospel.

Third, part of this radical change to our common way of thinking about christianity means that we move in a way that create political change BECAUSE of Scriptural mandate. What of treatment of the poor? 1 in every 16 verses in the gospels, at 1 in 7 in Luke? Politics is NOT the base of Christian ethics and living, but it is a necessary part of it. Politics is not sufficient, but it is necessary. Otherwise, what are we living out when we say that Christianty is a new way to live? I'm not confident that the usual presentations of the gospel have often pushed Christianity to be more than a message to believe. It has to be a life that is lived; thus by definition, Christianity is not just a message to believe, it's a whole new way to live, which by definition is political in nature.

I think it's fair to say that politics in this country leaves much to be desired, but then the question is IF the gospel calls us to be God's people in the world, the question is not IF politics, but HOW do we do politics.

You are right that there are people who call themselves Democrats who are trying to subvert and co-opt Christianity. But it's not just Democrats and the Left, but many Republicans and the Right. To say they are not as much as part of the problem seems to me a bit suspicious. Both the Right AND the Left try to put a claim on Truth.

It seems to me that the call of the Christian is always to look at Scripture and see if people who calls themselves Christians are in line with the whole of Scripture, and I do mean ALL of it. Both sides of the normative American political spectrum have messed this up tremendously, and it's gonna take some careful pruning to make sure that what we subscribe to as the Truth isn't defined by either of these.

But again, just because a person self-identifies as a Democrat, doesn't mean that it's their defining characteristic. Don't presume that because people here may lean left politically, that they don't lean right THEOLOGICALLY. Trust me, there's a LOT of people who fit that profile.

Sojourners has chosen to move in a way that LOOKS like the social platform of the Democrat party, but let's be slow to entirely collapse the Sojourners platform as being swallowed whole by the Democratic machine. If you've been around Sojourners people, you'd be surprised to hear how grounded in Christ these people are.

And, we should keep them that way. I think these guys try hard not to fall into the normative political categories, but sometimes they do look the same. But I think they'll recognize where they agree with people, and where they will disagree, maybe fundamentally. And sometimes it does look a little much, but at least they're pushing on the political front (in the most Christian way possible). Can we say the same for ourselves?

But, if you're convinced that Sojourners is just too left ... what can I say?

Your Karl Rove tactics won't work here. Republicans think they have the answers. They don't.

The last eight years prove otherwise. Learn from them and report back.

I've appreciated my interaction with aclockheart. He is atypical of so many of the bloggers here. yours typifies vitriol of so many on the Left and the Right. Take time to read my response that you missed below. Then perhaps we can have a real conversation. I know it's not enough just to vote for Obama, as I did; one has to live and breathe the Democratic platform.

You are one of the reasons that we cannot have an honest discussion of the issues in this country.