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The Faith of Barack Obama
Author: Stephen Mansfield
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
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Recently Thomas Nelson supplied a free copy of their new release, The Faith of Barack Obama, in exchange for my review. I began the book with some trepidation, prepared to refute what I thought would be chapter after chapter of propaganda. After all, I’m not voting for Obama, but neither is the author.

The book is meticulously researched and well written. I found the author to be amazingly insightful, and generous - more generous to this “rock star” of a presidential candidate than I could ever be. What took me by surprise was how Obama’s childhood story riveted me. I felt something for him I couldn’t admit before - compassion. As a bi-racial youth, he certainly grew up feeling displaced, without a sense of country, abandoned by his biological father, someone who would search for years for identity, community, and purpose.

Many demonize Obama for his liberal politics; others applaud his vision to lead this country in a new direction. According to Mansfield, Obama is helping to give voice to a Religious Left and symbolizes a new generation who are deeply religious. Republicans aren’t the only ones with faith, the Democrats are saying. The problem is, faith nowadays can mean almost anything, especially when “the majority of America’s young are postmodern, which means they do faith like jazz: informal, eclectic, and often without theme.” Postmodern Christians today pick and choose what they want to believe, and so Obama’s nontraditional faith and his respect for non-Christian religions has broad appeal.

But Obama’s faith isn’t nontraditional because an atheist mother raised him, nor because he had a Muslim father and stepfather. For sure, he calls himself a Christian and it’s not our place to judge the man’s heart. But there are certain things a professing believer will not deny, truths that are clearly spelled out in the Scriptures, the central truth being: There is only one way to God - through His Son Jesus Christ.

Obama says, “I am rooted in the Christian tradition.” He has also said, “I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people” (pg.55).

According to the author, Obama has other disturbing views. When Obama’s daughter wanted to know what happens after death, he later said this: “I wondered if I should have told her the truth, that I wasn’t sure what happens when we die, any more than I was sure of where the soul resides or what existed before the Big Bang” (pg.56-57).

While Obama denies that his faith is the only path to God, he also doubts the inspiration of Scripture and the afterlife. Mansfield reminds us that he is not alone, though, that many of Obama’s beliefs are shared by most of the mainline Protestant denominations and the unchurched (pg.58) who “rework traditional faith in their generational image.” Appalling as that may sound, the author also reminds us to draw conclusions cautiously, that “all faith is a work in progress, and no man can be accurately portrayed by a portrait frozen in time.”

It’s safe to say that Barack Obama represents the new face of religion in American politics today. He’s passionate about social justice. What I find absolutely ironic is how the same man who desires to speak up for the oppressed in this country does not have a voice for the unborn.

After reading The Faith of Barack Obama, I no longer question if this man has faith, but how his particular brand of faith will affect the leadership of our nation, should he win the election. We need to be praying, especially in light of Obama’s admission:

“Alongside my own deep personal faith, I am a follower, as well, of our civic religion.”

Civic religion? Does this mean that traditional faith must kneel at the altar of the state? Obama certainly uses symbolic language that many say only conceals a hidden agenda. Mansfield’s book, however, doesn’t push agenda, but thoughtfully raises all sides of speculation, providing ample documentation while letting the reader conclude what he will about Obama.

This book takes an in-depth look at the forming of Obama’s unorthodox faith, the condition of our nation, and our present troubled political landscape. I still have questions about the man that nobody can answer, perhaps not even Obama himself. Yet it seems imperative that we pray, not just for the election, but that Barack Obama would grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of spewing vitriol, we have the privilege and responsibility to pray for those who influence our nation.

Obama’s left-wing voting record is just too much for me; his brand of spirituality seems foreign to everything I know about biblical Christianity. But he once said he was committed to discovering God’s truth. May it be so. Whether we like it or not, Obama will probably be around for years to come, whether he wins this presidential election or the next. ~

“No one can bar the road to truth, and to advance its cause I am prepared to accept even death.” ~ Solzhenitsyn

On August 3, Solzhenitsyn died.

“The man credited with exposing the brutality of Stalin’s purges and gulag system has died aged 89. Nobel prize winning author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was expelled from the Soviet Union in 1974 but returned to Russia in the 1990s. He died in Moscow in the early hours of Monday from a suspected stroke.”

He was a Nobel prize winning author, compared to the likes of Dostoyevsky, Chekov, and Tolstoy. Some call him a prophet. I call him a courageous truth-teller.

“One word of truth shall outweigh the whole world,” he said.

Solzhenitsyn’s first book, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1962) is a “forceful artistic indictment of political oppression in the Stalin-era Soviet Union.” This short novel opened our eyes to a typical, grueling day of the character’s life in a Siberian labor camp. Solzhenitsyn himself spent time in the gulags, imprisoned for making derogatory statements about Stalin in a letter to a friend.

“He wrote that while an ordinary man was obliged “not to participate in lies,” artists had greater responsibilities. ‘It is within the power of writers and artists to do much more: to defeat the lie!’” ~ The New York Times

Albert Mohler shares: “Edward E. Erickson, who wrote two major works on Solzhenitsyn, argues that the key to understanding Solzhenitsyn is Christianity - the Russian Orthodox faith that framed Solzhenitsyn’s worldview. Erickson argued that “in a day when secular humanism flourishes among the cultural and intellectual elite, he holds fast to traditional Christian beliefs.”

I’ll be looking more into the faith of Solzhenitsyn and share what I find. Oh, that we all would have the courage to write the truth!

Washington Post
Nobel Acceptance Speech in 1970
The New York Times article
WikiQuote on Solzhenitsyn
Speech at Harvard, 1978: A World Split Apart

“I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say ‘he feels deeply, he feels tenderly.’”

“An artist needn’t be a clergyman or a churchwarden, but he certainly must have a warm heart for his fellow men.”

“The emotions are sometimes so strong that I work without knowing it. The strokes come like speech.”

Excerpt from Vincent’s letter to brother Theo:

“And God sees the trouble and the sorrow and He can help in spite of all. The faith in God is firm in me - it is no imagination, no idle faith - but it is so, it is true, there is a God Who is alive and He is with our parents and His eye is also upon us, and I am sure He plans our life and we do not quite belong to ourselves as it were - and this God is no other than Christ of Whom we read in our Bible and Whose word and history is also deep in our heart.”

Letter from Vincent to Theo, Amsterdan, May 30, 1877

“I love to write, it’s my passion, but this cancer thing trumps it. I took this diagnosis as a nudge from God that I need to set writing aside for a little while and just concentrate on the most important things: my relationship with Him and my relationship with my family.” ~ Mike Dellosso

Author Mike Dellosso shares from his heart about his recent colon cancer diagnosis:

“In the long run, I think the experience of traveling through this valley will only enhance my writing, give it more depth, more texture, more emotion and passion. I know firsthand what it’s like to traverse that Valley of the Shadow of Death, to question why me?, to be scared of dying, not for dying’s sake but for my family’s sake, to live with a monster inside me that wants to kill me (hey, that gives me a great story idea), to be poked, prodded, scoped, and stuck, to live a life that revolves around the next test result or the next doctor’s appointment. I’ve been there now and I can incorporate those experiences into my stories, into the life of my characters. It’ll be interesting to see how my writing changes once I get back to it.”

What is one thing your diagnosis has taught you?

“…to fully rely on God, to willingly submit myself and put my life in His hands. And of course, this carries over into my writing as well. We writers never know where the next contract is coming from or how much the next royalty check will be for, or even how the next story will unfold, if there is a next story. We are constantly at His mercy, and I’m learning that’s a good place to be.”

About Mike’s writing:

How did you get into writing? Short answer: God used a near tragedy to force me to put pen to paper and discover what He had placed in my heart and the freedom writing brought while expressing that.

How long did it take you to get your first contract? I wrote and studied writing seriously for 9 years before landing my contract with Realms.

Why suspense? I write what I like to read. I have a short attention span so I enjoy stories that keep moving, pique my interest, have elements of intrigue, suspense, and danger and usually some supernatural twist.

Where do you get your ideas? I get ideas from all kinds of sources including news stories, Bible accounts, and things that happen in my own life. Sometimes I’ll just peruse the internet for interesting and unique stories that will stir my imagination. The idea for The Hunted came into being when I stumbled upon a story on the internet about lion sightings in a small town in Indiana back in the 1920’s. I’m always looking for story lines and plot ideas in everyday life and always looking for interesting characters in the people I meet.

Are you a plotter or a seat-of-the-pantser? Seat-of-the-pants all the way. I know where I want to start and where I want to end and I just make stuff up as I go with every in-between. Not very scientific or calculating, I know, but I figure if I don’t know how the story is going to unravel, the reader won’t either. It’s a journey of unexpected surprises for me . . . the writing itself is suspenseful!
~ ~ ~
Thanks, Mike. The Hunted is definitely a suspenseful read - releases in stores today! Save on gas and order from Amazon today.

* Mike Dellosso website
* Wide Eyed Fiction - Mike’s blog
* Contact Mike
* Mike’s Newsletter
* Order The Hunted

“Pray . . . Give you writing to God. He is the one who put the passion in your heart, the words in your head, let Him guide you each step of the way. Write for His glory!” ~ Mike Dellosso, from Seven Habits of Published Christian Authors

Lately I’ve pondered the effects of life’s little interruptions. Some are not little. We have chronic ailments, families to feed, and day jobs that crunch into our writing time. If not for the grace of God, none of us could live the life of a scribe.

For these challenges, Writer…Interrupted encourages me. We absolutely believe that God is in control, and while His Sovereign ways remain mysterious at times, He gathers for us a loving community in times of need. We get to see what He’s doing in our lives. Not only do we network and share information, we pray for one another. We’re family.

But of all life’s interruptions, cancer must be the most unwelcome.

At Writer Interrupted we’ve grown particularly fond of an author among us who has always encouraged us. It’s our time to encourage him. Let me introduce you to our dear friend and brother in Christ, Mike Dellosso .

Mike’s brand new book is being released, a gripping page-turner called The Hunted. You’ll want to read it, tell all your friends about it, and pray for Mike. He’s fighting colon cancer:

“This battle with cancer has been a trying time for many reasons, one being the timing. I was diagnosed two months before the release of my debut novel, The Hunted. Thankfully, the good people of the Writer Interrupted community joined together to throw me this blog tour. And what a blessing they’ve been to me. Thank you!”

You’re welcome, Mike. It’s plain to see that God has not only gifted you, but given you quite a story. It’s my pleasure to let the world know there’s a new Peretti in the house. I’m praying for your physical healing. May God bring you through this difficult time with a deeper revelation of Christ.

About the book:

Debut novelist Mike Dellosso delivers a spine-tingling drama in the style of Frank Peretti and Stephen King.

“After learning of the disappearance of his nephew, Joe Saunders returns to his childhood home of Dark Hills to aid in the search effort. When Caleb is found, badly mauled and clinging to life, Joe embarks on a mission to find the beast responsible. But the more Joe delves into the fabric of his old hometown, the more he realizes Dark Hills has a dark secret, shrouded for three generations in a deadly code of silence. As Joe unravels the truth behind a series of unexplained animal attacks, murder, and corruption at the highest level of law enforcement, he is led to a final showdown where he must entrust his very life into God’s hands.” More about this chilling story and the author behind it HERE.

About the author’s journey to publication:

“My writing journey began in September of 1998 after my brother-in-law suffered a tragic and near-deadly motorcycle accident that left him in a coma for eight weeks. At first, I mostly wrote short inspirational pieces and vignettes. Anything and everything about what I was experiencing on a spiritual level, what I was observing on a physical level. I just let the words flow from my heart to my pen (I wasn’t using a computer at the time). I really made no attempt at getting my writing published, I just wanted to write and get it down, but in the back of my mind I knew that some day I’d be shooting for publication.” Read the rest of Mike’s journey to publication.

Tomorrow I’ll share more behind the writing of Mike’s book with you. Meanwhile, let’s continue to cover his family with prayer.

Buy the book, kick back, and enjoy the Blog Tour

* The Hunted: First Chapter
* Order Mike’s book on Amazon
* The Mike Dellosso Blog Tour
* Mike’s Blog

Author Tricia Goyer shared two pearls of wisdom with her son, a recent homeschool graduate:

1. “Cory you’ve worked hard and you’ve excelled in your studies, but for your future my advice is not to work harder. Or even to work smarter. But to abide in Christ. Even machines can be trained to do work, but only men and women - guided by the Holy Spirit - can bear fruit that lasts for eternity.”

….and….

2. “If at first you don’t succeed, go back and do it like your mother taught you.”

If you’ve read the blog So You Wanna Be Published you’ve discovered the tender heart of Mary DeMuth towards writers. Her excellent blog addresses vital topics, near and dear to our writerly hearts.

And if you’ve yet to be published, don’t despair. Mary shares:

“I have to admit before I was published, I thought that if I reached that nirvana called “published author,” I’d have sweet validation. Every day would be smiles and dancing. You know what? I was wrong. Being published is terrific, mind you, but it doesn’t bring happiness or validation. Instead, it adds more stress to your life.”

Mary doesn’t stop there. Please, go read the rest of this wonderful post where Mary explains the difference between “blocked” goals and attainable goals, and where our true validation lies.

Publishing Doesn’t Validate Your Life

Mary DeMuth

“The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.”

“The writer operates at a peculiar crossroads where time and place and eternity somehow meet. His problem is to find that location.”

“The writer can choose what he writes about but he cannot choose what he is able to make live.”

“When a book leaves your hands, it belongs to God. He may use it to save a few souls or to try a few others, but I think that for the writer to worry is to take over God’s business.”

Melody Green, wife of the late Keith Green, makes a valid point. Read this excerpt and see what you think:

“The Church as a whole has kept a very tight, if often unspoken reign on its artists. We’ve drawn narrow and creatively limiting lines, hoping to keep our artists from compromising the truth. Because of this, many artists feel that to be accepted as true believers, all they paint, write, sing, produce, etc., must have an overt Christian message. Movies need an altar call, songs and books must talk about God, and artwork needs a scripture somewhere. But God does not call every artist to minister so directly.”
~ Melody Green, Direct Contact: Seasoning the Media Arts

Entire article is posted here.

How has God called *you* to minister?

Thanks to my friend who forwarded this interesting article:
The Plight of the Christian Artist.

In this piece we peek inside the heart of Vincent Van Gogh and learn why so many artists in the church today are, indeed, frustrated. Be sure to read the entire article. Here’s an excerpt:

“As tragic as contemporary Christianity’s effort to cultivate artistic talent is, there is an additional tragedy with long-term implications. To be blunt, the Church has sold its artistic soul for a shallow brew of overly spiritualized sentimentality.”

“Where the Church used to compose concertos, she now throws together ditties with three chords. Great art has been relegated to musty museums and replaced by commercialized “Jesus junk.” And literature exploring the great mysteries of man’s relationship to creation and Creator has been supplanted by trivial testimonies about how you can follow Jesus and become a millionaire at the same time.”
~ Denny Gunderson, The Plight of the Christian Artist