On God’s Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn’t Learned About Serving the Common Good

Christian activist and writer Wallis (God’s Politics), president and CEO of Sojourners, a faith-based activist community headquartered in Washington D.C., which runs a magazine of the same name, draws on inspiration from Abraham Lincoln to reflect on the common good outside of political labels. Instead of money, power, and prestige, people of faith should be concerned about the biblical “least of these,” following the lead of the so-called Matthew 25 Christians, who focus on social justice. Wallis understands compassion as the doorway to justice for everyone around the world, and while he is poetic, a few notions—like postcandidate advocacy—lack the clear definition and conviction that defines much of the book. The volume is divided into two parts; the first delves into Wallis’s sources of inspiration for his thesis, which range from The Chronicles of Narnia to the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan. In the second part, Wallis writes about prioritizing his family life as an example of engaging in more intentional community at home to gradually improve current political and social ills. Agent: Kathryn Helmers, Creative Trust. (Feb.)