Jim Wallis

He also leads the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown. Wallis is known for his advocacy on issues of peace and social justice. Although Wallis actively eschews political labels, he describes himself as an evangelical and is often associated with the evangelical left and the wider Christian left. He worked as a spiritual advisor to President Barack Obama. He is also a leader in the Red-Letter Christian movement.

• Name — Jim Wallis • Birth Name — James E. Wallis Jr. • Born — 1948 June 4 • Birthplace — Detroit, Michigan, U.S. • Education — Michigan State University Trinity Evangelical Divinity School • Spouse — Joy Carroll • Religion — Christianity

James E. Wallis Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Phyllis (Morrell) and James E. Wallis, Sr. He was raised in a traditional Plymouth Brethren family. As a young man Wallis became active in Students for a Democratic Society and the civil rights movement. Wallis graduated from Michigan State University and attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois, where he joined with other young seminarians in establishing the community that eventually became Sojourners. The journal Sojourners originated in Deerfield, Illinois, as The Post American in 1971.

Wallis wrote in 1974 that, "The new evangelical consciousness is most characterized by a return to biblical Christianity and the desire to apply biblical insights to the need for new forms of sociopolitical engagement." A reviewer of Wallis's 1976 book Agenda for Biblical People summarized the Christological basis of Wallis's political theology: Christ's life, death, and resurrection have brought victory over 'the powers.' He shattered the myth of their absolute authority by demonstrating his freedom in relation to them. He challenged their rule and would not submit to them. Indeed, the fallen powers were so exposed and threatened by Christ's actions that they acted in collusion to kill him. The cross symbolizes that freedom in which death is swallowed up in victory. Christ's resurrection vindicates his manner of life and death, seats his victory, and allows others to live freely and humanly in the midst of 'the powers' by their 'being in Christ.' This must be the proclamation and witness of the church of Jesus Christ. The church is a new force in history which is a sign to 'the powers' that their dominion has been broken. The very presence of a body of people who exercise their moral independence is an essential element for Wallis because 'without a visible and concrete demonstration of independence, all the church's outward attacks upon the institutions of the world will be doomed to failure.' Writing in Sojourners in 1980, Wallis said, "Proclamation of the gospel, charismatic gifts, social action, and prophetic witness alone do not finally offer a real threat to the world as it is, especially when set apart from a community which incarnates a whole new order. It is the ongoing life of a community of faith that issues a basic challenge to the world as it is, and offers a viable and concrete alternative. The church must be called to be the church, to rebuild the kind of community that gives substance to the claims of faith."

As of March 2009, Wallis had been arrested 22 times for acts of civil disobedience. He was involved in antiwar activism during the Vietnam War, and wrote in 1974 that it was a "brutal, criminal war." In spring of 2011, Wallis participated in a liquid-only fast in light of the congressional budget compromise. During the fast, Wallis said "The budget issue really energized and mobilized the faith community… It is our vocation as the people of God to protect the poorest and most vulnerable." Wallis is said to have coined the phrase “a budget is a moral document.” In December 2013, Jim Wallis penned an op-ed in Huffington Post discussing SEIU's Fast for Families. Faith leaders and young Dreamers alike completed the 22-day fast to “remind [political] leaders what is really at stake in the fight for immigration reform.” In October 2014, Wallis was among the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim clergy arrested for disturbing the peace after a planned act of civil disobedience outside the police headquarters in Ferguson, Missouri, following the shooting death by police of Michael Brown. About his experience at Ferguson, Wallis said “It’s not just about admitting wrongdoing but also committing to making changes that prevent further harm from being done, and there has not even been any admitting of wrongdoing yet by any of the powers that be in Ferguson.”

Wallis is married to Joy Carroll Wallis, who was one of the first female priests in the Church of England and upon whom the title character in the BBC sitcom The Vicar of Dibley was partially based. They have two sons. Jim Wallis has coached their Little League teams.

Jim Wallis is recorded with the occupation university teacher. Recorded with the occupation peace activist. Recorded with the occupation theologian. Recorded with the occupation priest. Recorded with the occupation writer. Recorded as theologian, writer, university teacher, peace activist and priest. Identity and origins. The authorities additionally record the heading James E. His recorded language was English. He married Joy Carroll.

Wallis is the author of multiple books, including The Great Awakening. Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America (2008), God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It (2005), Faith Works: How Faith Based Organizations Are Changing Lives, Neighborhoods, and America (2000), The Soul of Politics: Beyond "Religious Right" and "Secular Left" (1995) and Call to Conversion (1981, revised 2005). His 2015 book America's Original Sin, deals with systemic racism in the United States.

• Agenda for Biblical People, Harper & Row (1976). • The Call to Conversion, Harper & Row (1981), HarperCollins (Rev. ed., 2005). • The New Radical, Lion Books (1983) • Waging Peace: A Handbook for the Struggle to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (editor), Harper & Row (1982). • The Soul of Politics: A practical and prophetic vision of change, Fount/HarperCollins (1994), Tandem Library. • Who Speaks for God? A New Politics of Compassion, Community and Civility, Delacorte (1996), Random House (1997) • Faith Works: Lessons from the Life of an Activist Preacher, Random House (2000) (Rev. ed. with new subtitle: How to Live Your Beliefs and Ignite Positive Social Change, 2005) • God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It HarperOne (2005). • Living God's Politics: A Guide to Putting Your Faith into Action HarperOne (2006). • The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a Post-Religious Right America HarperOne (2008). • Rediscovering Values: On Main Street, Wall Street, and Your Street, Howard Books (2010). • On God's Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn't Learned (2013) • America's Original Sin (2015) • Christ in Crisis?: Why We Need to Reclaim Jesus (2019)