Customer Reviews

Progressive & Religious: How Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist Leaders are Moving Beyond the Culture Wars and Transforming American Public Life

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It's gratifying to think of how much has changed since 2004, when publicly applied religion seemed to belong solely to conservatives. In this expertly researched and written book, Robert P. Jones beautifully chronicles how religious progressives are re-asserting themselves in the public square and showing an idealistic face of faith that seemed all but lost in the Bush years.

Submitted by:
Tom Krattenmaker
Religion writer and commentator
Member, USA Today Board of Contributors
Author of ONWARD CHRISTIAN ATHLETES (coming Spring 09)

When people usually think about the mixing of religion and politics, they jump to the idea of the Christian Right, which is one of the most vocal religious groups (if you can call it a group) involved in politics. They also have a huge outreach. For instance, Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs sends out ten monthly magazines to a combined 2.3 million subscribers. James Dobson, the founder of the organization, maintains several other organizations as well that had a combined revenue of $162 million in 2005.

Who would think, then, that there was a religious left, then, with this strong influence of the religious right? Robert P. Jones looked into the phenomenon of religious organizations actually leaning to the left, or simply working towards progress. He outlines many of these organizations, and the religions they belong to, in his book Progressive and Religious.

In this book, he recounts his interviews with many religious leaders that are working towards progress. He recounts how many of them have had issues with the left's insistence that religion be left behind or be kept hidden as the reason of participating in progress. He explains how each of the major religious traditions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism) looks at social progress on the large scale, often because of their religious teachings. After all, he says, Martin Luther King, Jr "was first of all Rev. King, a Baptist minister who skillfully wove biblical lines about "justice rolling down like waters" and "righteousness as a mighty stream" into a new American dream that moved huge segments of our nation to action."

It is certainly an interesting book to read. I know I learned to see many of the similarities between the religious because of their mutual desire to better the world. It also shows how many religious individuals are getting involved in politics because of this desire.

However, the way the book is set up makes it rather difficult to read through quickly. Jones jumps around from interview to interview, offering a small bit of dry commentary between. While its fairly easy to get the basic idea of the test while skimming through it, it is also very easy for your mind to wander while reading it (at least, it was for me). The writing is not very engaging, and only interest in the various religions kept me reading the book.

I give it 3.5 of 5 stars.

Book provides a welcome counterpoint to religious extremism and religious nihilism.
Book suggests there is growing influence by spiritual progessives. Analysis is both quantiative and qualitaive.
I see his assessment as both realistic (ie not rose colored) and hopeful.
I found the chapter deevoted to progressive Islam in USA to be very insightful.
There were also nuggets of learning on chapters focused on Judaism and Christianity (my faith tradition).
BRAVO!

I did not find this book an enjoyable read - perhaps my own fault, but it read too much like a very long magazine article. I am afraid I returned the book. Still, I do want to congratulate the author for dealing with an important and difficult subject.