Glenn Beck

Jim Wallis 5-01-2010

Glenn Beck picked a fight with the nation’s churches when he said that “social justice” is a “code word” for “communism” and “Nazism,” and that Christians should leave their churches if they preach, practice, or even have the phrase “social justice” on their Web sites. Contrary to Beck’s claim that “social justice is a perversion of the gospel,” he has now learned that Christians across the theological and political spectrum believe that social justice is central to the teachings of Jesus, and at the heart of biblical faith. Because Christians couldn’t “turn in” their pastors to “church authorities” as Beck suggested (the pope would have to turn himself in to ... himself), many have started turning themselves in to Glenn Beck as “social justice Christians”—50,000 at last count.

The news networks, the cable and radio talk shows, and even Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have reported or spoofed Beck’s attempt to discredit the whole concept of social justice, but all that seems to just make him angrier. What he doesn’t realize is that a commitment to social justice unites churches of different doctrinal and political beliefs; if Christians were to leave those churches, they would have to leave their Catholic churches, black churches, Latino churches, evangelical and Pentecostal churches, and mainline Protestant churches. Beck’s own Mormon Church’s theologians and leaders have made it clear that they too believe social justice is integral to their faith, and that they disagree with the famous talk show host and want it known that he doesn’t speak for them.
Most would agree that the term has sometimes been used to support ideologies of the Left and the Right, but a range of people from liberal ministers to Southern Baptist theologians have defended the integrity of social justice as core to Christian faith and have disagreed with Beck’s attack. In fact denominational leaders are reporting that their pastors are actually preaching more on social justice than before, just because Beck told them not to. Social justice as a personal commitment both to serve the poor and to attack the conditions that lead to poverty is one of the most passionate beliefs of a younger generation of Christians, and one of their most compelling attractions to Jesus Christ.

Last week, The Washington Post's On Faith site devoted their weekly Q&A to the debate over social justice which they titled, "Wallis vs.

Charles Gutenson 4-15-2010
Did you know that scripture says, "there is no God?" Yep, it sure does, right there in Psalm 14:1, right after the words "The fool has said in his heart..." Interesting, isn't it?
Jim Wallis 4-14-2010
This post was written in response to the Washington Post On Faith question of th
Aaron Taylor 4-09-2010
I love the New Testament. I think it's fair to say that I live, eat, breathe, and drink the New Testament.
I do not usually watch Glenn Beck's program. So many books, so little time. However, on April 6, while working on another project, my intuitive mind told me to watch Glenn Beck. So, I did.
Jim Wallis 4-07-2010
Yesterday morning, President Obama hosted an Easter prayer breakfast for a group of church leaders at the White House.
April Fuhl 4-01-2010

Though Jim Wallis is allegedly on vacation with his family this week, we were able to obtain footage of a top secret meeting between Jim and Fox News commentator Glenn Beck!

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Jim Wallis is on vacation this week, but before leaving he wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post<
Ernesto Tinajero 3-30-2010
The other has been a philosophical idea with a rich history.
Robert Ellsberg 3-29-2010

It was surprising to see Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement, described on the Glenn Beck show as a Marxist.

Jim Wallis 3-25-2010
Sometimes, the timing of events seems almost providential.

Jim Wallis 3-25-2010

Given Glenn Beck's threat that "the hammer is coming," I have been keeping my eyes and ears open to see and hear what attacks he might next make on us or the growing movement of Christians who share with us the call to

John Gehring 3-24-2010

While it's generally not worth spilling any ink over Glenn Beck, his recent attacks on churches that preach "social justice" has rightly earned the condemnation of diverse faith leaders

Jim Wallis 3-24-2010

When Glenn Beck promised to devote a whole week of his television show to come after me, I wasn't sure he really meant it. I guess he did. Last night he began to make good on the threat he made on his radio show that "the hammer will fall."

When a Fox News pundit who has helped force the resignation of White House advisers is promising he'll be http://blog.sojo.net/2010/03/15/in-spite-of-glenn-becks-new-threats-my-i...