Hailing from the United Kingdom, Jack was born in the coastal town of Brighton, but having spent over 10 years living in London, now considers himself a true resident of the greatest city in the world (in Jack’s mind, there is no argument about this). He spent six years at a boarding school that looked suspiciously like Hogwarts, before relocating to the University of Surrey for four years, where he studied International Politics, developing a passion for social justice in his town and overseas. Spending 6 weeks in Rwanda in 2008 ignited a passion for God’s heart for the poor and marginalised and he spent his third year at university working full time for Tearfund, a UK-based Christian international development charity. He graduated this summer and is so glad that Sojourners has given him the opportunity to have an adventure in Washington, D.C. this year!
Brought up in a theatrical family (his parents started a touring theatre company when he was 6 months old), Jack has always been encouraged to be creative and loves to act, sing and play the guitar. He is also a big fan of football (and will do his best not to start calling it ‘soccer’), although it is highly likely that you won’t have heard of the team he supports, as they are pretty awful. No, seriously, they are truly terrible. He also enjoys running, reading (although he is better at starting books than finishing them) and snowball fights.
Posts By This Author
Doing Nothing is Not an Option -- United to End Genocide
Last weekend, I had the privilege of spending some time at the End Genocide Action Summit, which brought people from all over the world to Washington, D.C., to learn about and fight against genocide, particularly the ongoing genocide being waged by Omar al-Bashir against the people of Darfur, Sudan.
Faith Without Borders
As Christians are we not obligated to help those who area most in need? Should we only focus on those in our own country who need our help, or does God's command us to ignore borders?
How might the words of the biblical prophet Isaiah resonate with us today, when he says: "If you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
"Courageous": A Sermon Wrapped in a Movie
This was not so much a movie as a (very long) sermon. In fact, it's a sermon that actually culminates in a sermon, as Kendrick's character spells out what he has learned in a message delivered to his church congregation.
Despite its well-meaning intentions, Courageous fails to say anything new about fatherhood, family, faith or anything else, for that matter. The few funny or moving scenes are surrounded by clunky acting, overly-moralistic dialogue and a plot that is trying to be three movies in one -- and none of them terribly believable.
We Must Continue to Stand with Pastor Nadarkhani
The news cycle often moves so quickly that very often big news stories are forgotten within a day, sometimes even more quickly.
I prayerfully hope that this is not and will not be the case with the story of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, the Iranian Christian leader who has been sentenced to death for refusing to recant his religious beliefs and convert to Islam.
Arrested in 2009 on a charge of apostasy, he has spent two years in jail, with his wife also being jailed on similar charges last year.
WARNING: No Compassion. Proceed with Caution.
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Where is the compassion in our economy and our politics? It says much of the economic system that Sojourners even needs to campaign for a "moral budget." How do we, as Christians, challenge structures that allow billions of dollars to be wasted via tax loopholes while 1 in 6 Americans live in poverty?
Will we, as Sachs hopes,
#OccupySesameStreet
#OccupyWallStreet (the New York-based protest against social and economic inequality, corporate greed, and the influence of corporate money and lobbyists on government) has moved to a new location, a street where the air is far sweeter than on Wall Street.
Won't you tell me how to get, how to get ... there?
That's right, folks, the occupation has taken over Sesame Street.
Jon Stewart on 'the Poors': Fridges & Microwaves & TVs, Oh My!
Did you know 98 percent of poor households in the U.S. (those with an income of about $22,000 or less for a family of four) own a STOVE or OVEN? Or that 84 percent of poor households have AIR CONDITIONING?
Shocking! An outrage!
At least that's what some of our colleagues in the media appear to believe, as Jon Stewart documents in the following "Daily Show" report: