Middle Church: Reclaiming the Moral Values of the Faithful Majority from the Religious Right [Hardcover]

Bob Edgar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 5, 2006

With issues like abortion, gay marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, and "intelligent design" dominating election campaigns, it often seems that the far religious right has defined the social agenda in American public life. In Middle Church, the Rev. Bob Edgar vigorously refutes the idea that the right wing has a monopoly on matters of faith and values. On the contrary, he says, by focusing on "personal piety" issues such as gay rights and abortion, the extreme right views morality too narrowly-and ignores more important issues such as poverty, the environment, health care, and war and peace.

"Middle Church" is the vast majority of American faithful to whom these larger social issues matter, and in this book Bob Edgar urges a national political agenda that addresses these vital concerns. Passionate and thought provoking, Middle Church is a call for Americans of all faiths to join together on the moral issues that matter most.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Part politics and part religion, this book is a red-hot challenge to "middle of the road" Christians, Jews and Muslims in America. Edgar wants them to wake up and wrest national attention away from a Christian Coalition agenda that focuses on hot-button issues like homosexuality and abortion in favor of wide-ranging issues of poverty, peace and saving the environment. Edgar, former congressman (D-PA) and now general secretary of the National Council of Churches, fears that the religious right, "a version of faith so at odds with mine, so contrary to the central teachings of Christianity, Judaism and Islam that it condones poverty, condemns peace and contributes to the despoiling of God's creation," is prevailing. He calls on the "middle church," people of faith who are centrists, somewhat deferential and largely silent, to return to the central message of Jesus' ministry—the imperative to love one's neighbor—and judge public policy by that measuring stick. Weaving homespun storytelling with a persuasive plea, Edgar makes a strong case both against the current political agenda of the religious right and for a national policy that truly reflects the best values of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. (Sept. 5)
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Review

"Middle Church is a stirring call to American believers who resent their spiritual beliefs being co-opted for a political agenda contrary to their faith. Bob Edgar reminds us that faith belongs in the public realm -- not to advocate war, privilege, and environmental degradation, but to promote peace, the eradication of poverty, and the preservation of our fragile planet."

-- President Jimmy Carter --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743289498
• ISBN-13: 978-0743289498
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,829,644 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Powerful Wake-up Call!, October 27, 2006

By 

Sharon Shaw Elrod "Author of 'Shar's Story'" (Montalba, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Middle Church: Reclaiming the Moral Values of the Faithful Majority from the Religious Right (Hardcover)

Bob Edgar's book addresses Middle Church, Middle Mosque and Middle Synagogue and challenges the faithful majority of us to speak out, vote and truly follow the leaders of our faiths. With our collective lack of understanding and complacency, we've allowed the conservative religious right to steal from us. And then, once stolen, the values have been remolded, reframed and reissued as 'authentic' and the 'true' meaning of the Bible, the Talmud and the Koran. That's all hogwash! Those wonderful books talk about our responsibility for stewardship and preservation of Planet Earth; our responsibility to protect and defend widows and children from the ravages of poverty; and God's requirement that all his children live in peace with one another and treat each other like we want to be treated. The religious right created hot buttons, like homosexuality and abortion, and try to place their origins in the Bible, Talmud and Koran. Sorry. Those books just don't talk about the religious right's claims. Those books DO talk about peace (as in loving one's neighbor), poverty and preservation of our planet. Everyone in Middle America needs to read this book, and understand we must face-off with the religious right. They can't steal from us if we refuse to allow it!
Sharon Shaw Elrod

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Politics and Piety: Peace, Poverty, and Pollution Prevention, December 21, 2006

By 

J. R. Hanson (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Middle Church: Reclaiming the Moral Values of the Faithful Majority from the Religious Right (Hardcover)

Bob Edgar makes a compelling argument that people of faith in the middle of the road churches, synagogues, and mosques have the power to make important changes to our body politic. By sitting back and not acting, the members of these bodies have not prevented war, poverty, or pollution. Edgar's treatise is a call to action for this important group. He draws well on his experiences as a local pastor, campus chaplain, Member of Congress, Seminary President, and head of the National Council of Churches. Unlike many books by Members of Congress or seminary presidents, it is readable and inspiring, not just a "look at what I did or look at how much I know" book. I am giving my pastor and many of my church friends copies as Christmas gifts. Edgar is prompting us all to do a better job of being "church". If only he had not titled it: Middle Church.

5.0 out of 5 stars Describing the Role of Spirituality in Current Issue Debates, October 15, 2009

By 

LEON L CZIKOWSKY (Harrisburg, Pa USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Middle Church: Reclaiming the Moral Values of the Faithful Majority from the Religious Right (Paperback)

The author observes that many people do not see their spiritual values as being connected to political issues. Thus they do not vocalize their values during political discussions. This allows the Religious Right to receive most of the attention. Thus, the views of the Religious Right are overrepresented as the views of the religious communities.

Edgar observes the Bible mentions peace or poverty over 2,000 times, homosexuality twice, and makes no mention of abortion. He wonders how the Religious Right then places emphasis when speaking on behalf of the religious community that homosexuality and abortion are their main concerns.

Edgar, a minister who admits that church can be boring, believes God speaks to everyone in a manner that can be heard. He believes that "if we listen, we can hear the divine in the words of people like Martin Luther King, Gandhi, or William Sloane Coffin." He states that America is divided into "two churches", one that brings faith through love, and the other from the Religious Right that brings faith through fear. While Jesus taught people to love their neighbors, he fears that some politicians have co-opted the Religious Right movement for their own political goals which are not the goals of love that Jesus taught.

Edgar sees global warming as fulfillment of Revelation in how the world can be destroyed. He is proud that he wrote the Community Right to Know Law regarding informing people of toxic chemicals stored in the neighborhoods when Edgar was a member of Congress.

Edgar objects to those who used the name of Jesus to support the war in Iraq. He states Jesus would reject a preemptive, and not defensive, war where many innocent civilians are killed. He also sadly notes no Western country ever admitted that genocide was happening while it was happening. Edgar argues that Jesus, as well as other religions, all teach that "there is nothing more realistic than hope."