Dispatches from the Religious Left: The Future of Faith and Politics in America is a ground-breaking collection of 19 essays by 22 leading progressive religious figures that seeks to launch a national conversation about how to create and sustain a far more politically dynamic Religious Left in America.

Dispatches is edited by Frederick Clarkson, a leading expert on religion and politics, and features an Introduction by Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell and an Afterword by Jeff Sharlet. This important book was issued by Ig Publishing in October.

"What the Religious Left is doing isn't working!" writes the Rev. Daniel Schultz ("Pastordan" of the blog Street Prophets) in his essay. Following this provocative call to action, the contributors to Dispatches—which include best-selling author Chris Hedges; former top United Farm Workers organizer (and Harvard professor) Marshall Ganz; Rev. Dr. Katherine Ragsdale, executive director of Political Research Associates; Rev. Debra Haffner, director of the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing; Rev. Dr. Carlton Veazey, president of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and Rev. Barry Lynn, Executive Director of American United for Separation of Church and State, among others—question and challenge the progressive religious status quo on multiple fronts. They also explore what the movement needs to do in order to increase its viability and visibility.

"Consider Dispatches from the Religious Left your briefing book on how and why it is important to be a 'courageous leader' in these challenging times," writes Robert Edgar, President of Common Cause and the former General Secretary of the National Council of Churches.

Editor Frederick Clarkson sees three main themes emerging from Dispatches:

--Religious progressives need to seriously reevaluate where they are going and where they have been in order to live up to their highest aspirations.

--Marketing and public relations are not a substitute for political organizing, which history and hard earned experience shows us is how real progress is made.

--Religious progressives must never abandon such basic progressive values as reproductive rights, gay and lesbian civil rights and separation of church and state, no matter what political consultants in hot pursuit of seemingly persuadable conservative Catholics and evangelicals may say. Separation of church and state is "woven into their DNA" says essayist Rev. Peter Laarman.

Clarkson will track the progress of the book at his web site, FrederickClarkson.com with frequently updated news, reviews, event and media announcements. Ig Publishing of course, will feature descriptive material and updates on its site as well. We also anticipate considerable discussion of the book at the group blogs Street Prophets and Talk to Action, among others.

The launch event for the book was held on the evening of October 14th at Middle Collegiate Church in New York City and featured church's famous gospel choir and conversation with editor Frederick Clarkson, Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, Rev. Debra Haffner and Chris Hedges.

As Joan Brown Campbell writes in her introduction, "Finally, the Religious Left has found its voice." (read less)

Dispatches from the Religious Left: The Future of Faith and Politics in America is a ground-breaking collection of 19 essays by 22 leading progressive religious figures that seeks to launch a national conversation about how to create and sustain a far more politically dynamic Religious Left in America.

Dispatches is edited by Frederick Clarkson, a leading expert on religion and politics, and features an Introduction by Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell and an Afterword by Jeff Sharlet. This... (read more)