Although his latest book on the faith of political leader has not yet hit the shelves, author Stephen Mansfield has already found himself bombarded by hate mail.
The Faith of Barack Obama, which will be available around August 5, adds to the several books Mansfield has already written on political men of faith, including George Bush and Tom Delay.
However, unlike many of those on the political and religious right, the former evangelical pastor who refers to himself as a “Christian writer” and “patriot” was not very critical of the pro-gay, pro-choice White House contender, according to a recent review.
The book’s “tone ranges from gently critical to gushing, and the author defends Obama – and even his controversial former minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright – from conservative critics, and portrays him as a compelling figure for Christian voters,” commented Ben Smith, a writer for Politico.com who interviewed Mansfield.
“He (Mansfield) approvingly quotes Obama's old rival Rep. Bobby Rush saying that Obama's Senate win was ‘divinely ordained,’” he added in his June 16 article.
Mansfield, however, has defended himself against Smith’s comments and pleads with conservative Christians to not draw conclusions from a single article on a single political blog.
He says he wrote The Faith of Barack Obama because “there are certain lives you have to understand in any age in order to understand the times.”
“It is a largely objective look at how Obama came to his unique brand of faith, what he believes, what his experience at Trinity United Church of Christ was and how his faith shapes his politics,” Mansfield wrote in his June 17 blog, titled “An Internet Mugging.”
“Though I'm a political conservative and deeply pro-life, I wanted to tell the story in a straightforward, informative fashion,” he continued. “I believe that Obama's story of faith captures the current religious trends in America just as George W. Bush's did five years ago when I wrote The Faith of George W. Bush.”
Notably, Smith had stated in his review that Mansfield’s book “raises some questions about Obama’s own faith, including his willingness to see contradictions in the bible, his belief that religions other than Protestant Christianity provide other ‘paths’ to a ‘higher power,’ and his doubts about the afterlife.”
“There are also passages in Mansfield's book that may give Obama's secular supporters pause,” he added.
Despite whatever praises or criticisms are present in the book, however, Mansfield says “no one could read my book and conclude that it is pro-Obama any more than they can conclude it is anti-Obama.”
“I guess in our hyper-partisan world, objectivity is an evil, but that is what I've attempted,” he wrote in his blog. “Any evangelical who reads this book is going to be informed about Obama's faith and then be allowed to draw his or her own conclusions.” “And, by the way,” Mansfield added, “the book wasn't written for evangelicals. It was written for people who read.”
Published by Thomas Nelson, the world’s largest Christian publisher, The Faith of Barack Obama will be released to retail outlets – including Christian stores, Wal-Mart, and secular bookstores – some time around the first week of August.
Mansfield’s first smash hit, "The Faith of George W. Bush," spent 15 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list in 2004.
Comments
Didn't imply anything about not reading. If I thought someone had a hard time reading, I wouldn't taunt them. I'm saying that everyone( that's a Christian) should spend a good amount of time reading the Bible everyday. Odds are, unless the Lord himself is teaching you, they are going to be wrong on " some" issues. Personally, I can see that the Gospels are a higher quality than the other books of the Bible because you have God speaking through God(Jesus), where the others are God, speaking through sinners.
I love all this liberal vs conservative, left vs right, dem vs rep, however when it comes to the Bible there can be no dispute. The word of God is against gay marriage, against abortion, against divorce and the list goes on, it is the standard and whatever is weighed against it must conform or be condemned. (period) This is the stance of a Christian if I do not conform then I am not a Christian END OF LINE, NO DEBATE. God is judge eternally.
Guess what...There were actually TWO Thomas Jeffersons! This is why some of what 'Thomas Jefferson' said seems to conflict itself.
It took a while to figure this out. You will have to google a bit to find all of it. It was 10 years ago I did the search so I don't have the stuff anymore. Sorry.
"This is pure stupidity. Not EVERY Christian is against gay marriage or abortion."
"Many will say 'Lord, Lord' on that day and I will depart from me you wicked for I never knew you."
My guess is that all Christians DO believe what the Bible says about homosexuality and all other sins. Those who call themselves Christians while turning their backs on His word will be in for quite a shock....
JHS,
Don't assume who I am. And I really do not care two cents about Rush Limbaugh, can't stand him myself.
This being said, your point was that evangelicals don't or cannot read. I said this was a joke (it is). Evangelicals do not equal "right wingers" anymore than they equal "left wingers". You dodged the point.
Blue,
"This is pure stupidity. Not EVERY Christian is against gay marriage or abortion."
The point is not about what some Christians say, it is about what the Bible says. Maybe half of the Christians believe that Christ is not the only way to heaven, does this make them right? No.
Let me mention something to the people here. First their is nothing more important to me than my relationship with Jesus Christ. Second, the current version of the Republican Party are corporatists. Their God is their money as is the new 400 Million dollar man Rush Limbaugh. This man always seems full of hate and always seems to be asking others to do dishonest things.
"However, unlike many of those on the political and religious right, the former evangelical pastor who refers to himself as a âChristian writerâ and âpatriotâ was not very critical of the pro-gay, pro-choice White House contender, according to a recent review."
This is pure stupidity. Not EVERY Christian is against gay marriage or abortion.
mathetes
FOR THE RECORD I DIDN'T MISS A THING, AND THE AUTHOR MEANT WHAT HE SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chris,
JHS just misinterpreted what the author meant, but seized upon it b/c it fit his own ideology and gave him another chance to slam the right.
JHS,
I don't take my orders from Rush or Hannity; I look to prayer and the Bible for guidance. As for the Obama-Wright connection, Obama knew from the beginning of that relationship what his pastor was all about b/c Wright told Obama. Read Obama's book and you'll see for yourself. Wright is for more than just black liberation theology - he joined the Israeli/Palestian conflict when he printed the Hamas manifesto in the church's bulletin. Obama's problem is Wright is on the wrong side.
Chris333
Most of you right wingers set around and clap like seals on everything the 3 times married pill popping limbaugh says, or when the over paid hannity talks about taxes mainly his] going up, you have to know that anyone who takes these guys seriously after the debacle of Iraq or the economy, is in completed denial or too stupid to see what going on around them.
Believer,
It is true that Jefferson did that. Just google it. But it doesn't mean a whole lot, Jefferson and all of the other founders of the USA based their principles on a Biblical Christian model.
JHS,
hahaha, funny... (sarcasm) No really, are you serious (just say it was some kind of attempt at a joke)?
âthe book wasn't written for evangelicals. It was written for people who read.â
You can say that again, most evangelicals don't read [or can't] they just beleive what they are told by the right wing tele evangelist crowd.
In reaction to an article about his book, the author wrote a blog about misrepresentations of his book. "I have not defended Jeremiah Wright. I have explained him. I gave an overview of his life, explained black liberation theology (asking experts to check my work) and then I took the reader inside Trinity Church in Chicago where months before I spent a good deal of time trying to understand. Explaining is not defending."
http://www.mansfieldgroup.com/blog.php?id=82
Many well-respected pastors that have defended Rev Wright. Many people have passed judgment on a 35 yr career based on sound clips from a less than reputable cable show. I listen to several complete sermons and read many opinions about Wright. I agree with Obama's statement that Wright was too much in the past and had not recognized the positive improvements in race relationships.
Although I am white, I try to step into others shoes for understanding. I am old enough to remember separate swimming pools, schools, and the riots of the 60s. The anger from mistreatment does not just go away. I encounter anti-white Hawaiians that were too young to remember when the white people took over their country; yet the anger was still there.
I pray that each of you read the book to gain insight and understanding.
If it was not written for evangelicals, then why publish the book through Thomas Nelson, the world's largest Christian publisher? I intend to save my money & donate it to the relief efforts in China & Burma instead.
<And, by the way,â Mansfield added, âthe book wasn't written for evangelicals. It was written for people who read.â Published by Thomas Nelson, the worldâs largest Christian publisher,...>