Moral Values, Politics and the Faith Factor

As President Bush begins his second presidential term on January 20, he is expected to continue to frame his approach to governance and political decisions within the context of his faith and to infuse the political process with his personal set of values. Bush’s re-election was boosted by the overwhelming support he received from evangelical Christians and from those who ranked “moral values’ as the determining factor in how they cast their ballots.

At this briefing, panelists will discuss whether common ground can be found on the role of religion in public life during the president’s second term and beyond. Jim Wallis, founder and editor of Sojourners magazine, will discuss his new book, God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It (HarperSanFrancisco, 2005), in which he says that the political right has hijacked the language of faith for its political agenda. He argues that the left has largely ignored faith by separating moral discourse and personal ethics from public policy. Participants will take questions from the audience.

This event is made possible by HarperSanFrancisco.