Jim Wallis and the progressive shift within the evangelical community just got a little shout-out on a Daily Kos diary-which is great:
... this conservative Christian college is showing signs of a real shift in perspective. Being overtly Christian is no longer linked to Republican policies. In fact a real re-alignment is, I think, taking place.
So what does this mean?
First, it is important for liberals to be open to the "conservative" Christians -- their political alignment may not be conservative or Republican, but rather may be very progressive, idealistic. This is a time for openness, for creating new alliances, new linkages.
But almost more fascinating were the reader comments. Compared with the criticism from our more conservative reader comments on this site (that claim Jim is pro-abortion, etc.), these snippets are a fascinating journey through the looking glass to a place where people think Jim is too conservative:
... So when he calls for a "post-religious right," let's bear in mind that he is not a progressive. For example, he is anti-choice ....
... When we look to Jim Wallis as a progressive leader (when he is in fact a conservative) we disempower ourselves ....
... we should simply learn to recognize that he is a leader of the religious right ....
... Wallis is a flaming anti-abortion zealot ...
What would be really fun is to get their commenters and our commenters in a room together, and let them have a moderated debate about which side is "right"-or rather, correct.
Personally, I think it only helps our credibility when criticism from both Left and Right is equally vociferous, and demonstrates that we're more interested in finding new -- and more nuanced -- positions and common ground rather than adhering to ideological litmus tests from either side. Jim and Sojourners simply don't fit those tired categories, no matter how hard our critics try to mash us into them. It's also nice to know that we have friends on all sides as well.
Ryan Rodrick Beiler is the Web editor for Sojourners.
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