Location: The Heritage Foundation's Lehrman Auditorium
Politicians and party strategists are increasingly eager to
reach out to their church-going constituencies - and secure their
vote at the ballot box. The Republican Party stands accused of
being captivated by its religious conservative base, described as
an "American Taliban" for trying to apply religious ideals to
social issues such as abortion, marriage, and the fight against
global AIDS. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is struggling to shed
its image as the "anti-God" party, tone deaf to the religious
beliefs of millions of Americans. Democratic Party leaders now
regularly consult with religious liberals for new ways to talk
about faith and public policy.
Is there too much religion in national politics today - or too
little? Will churches and other religious organizations rise above
partisan politics - or be manipulated by them? Join authors Jim
Wallis and Joseph Loconte for a frank discussion about faith and
the public square.
JIM WALLIS is the editor of Sojourners magazine and
the Convener of Call to Renewal, a national coalition of mainline
and progressive churches. He is the best-selling author of
God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't
Get It.
JOSEPH LOCONTE is the William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and a
Free Society at the Heritage Foundation and a commentator on
religion for National Public Radio. He is the editor of The
End of Illusions: Religious Leaders Confront Hitler's Gathering
Storm.