Beliefnet Who's Who: Leaders of the Religious Left

Beliefnet's guide to some of the major figures on the liberal side of religion and politics.

Tony Campolo
Tony Campolo

Dr. Tony Campolo made headlines in the 1990s when he agreed to be a spiritual counselor to President Bill Clinton. An ordained minister, Campolo has served American Baptist churches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and is a frequent commentator on religion and politics. Though conservative on some social issues, Campolo argues that Christians' political focus should be on poverty. He is the author of "Speaking My Mind: The Radical Evangelical Prophet Tackles the Tough Issues Christians Are Afraid to Face."


Bio:

About Tony Campolo

Interview:

"Evangelical Christianity Has Been Hijacked"

Excerpt:

Bible-Believing, Evangelical--and Not on the Religious Right

Book:

"Speaking My Mind"

More:

Campolo's website

Joan Chittister
Joan Chittister

Sister Joan Chittister is a Roman Catholic nun active in peace issues, poverty and social justice, and women's rights. Sharply critical of the Bush administration and the war in Iraq, Chittister is also vocally in favor of women's ordination in the Catholic Church. She is executive director of Benetvision: A Resource and Research Center for Contemporary Spirituality located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Her latest book is "Called to Question: A Spiritual Memoir."


Bio:

About Joan Chittister

Article:

The Challenge of Feminist Spirituality

Book:

"Called to Question: A Spiritual Memoir"

More:

Benetvision website

Bob Edgar
Bob Edgar

Dr. Bob Edgar is general secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. He was a six-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives. A strong critic of the war in Iraq, he led a delegation of religious leaders to Baghdad before the war began. He has also been a vocal advocate of Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts and faith-based efforts to fight poverty and support the environment.


Bio:

About Bob Edgar

Article:

Why I Went to Baghdad

More:

National Council of Churches USA

Jim Forbes
Jim Forbes

The Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Jr. is Senior Minister of the Riverside Church in New York City, a prominent liberal, interdenominational congregation. Forbes spoke out in favor of the election of John Kerry during the presidential campaign and addressed the Democratic National Convention in July.


Bio:

About Jim Forbes

Article:

The Moral Urgency of Electing John Kerry

Book:

"The Holy Spirit and Preaching"

More:

The Riverside Church

Michael Lerner
Michael Lerner

Rabbi Michael Lerner is editor of Tikkun magazine, a progressive Jewish magazine and author of several books, including "Healing Israel/Palestine" and "Jewish Renewal: A Path to Healing and Transformation." Lerner has been one of the most prominent Jewish voices in opposition to the war in Iraq and other policies of the Bush administration, and in favor of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. He currently leads the Beyt Tikkun Synagogue in San Francisco.


Bio:

About Michael Lerner

Article:

Democrats Need a Religious Left

More on Beliefnet:

Lerner's complete Beliefnet columns

More:

Tikkun Magazine

Jim Wallis
Jim Wallis

The Rev. Jim Wallis is editor in chief of Sojourners, a liberal Christian magazine, and helped form Call to Renewal, a federation of churches and other faith-based organizations working to overcome poverty. His most recent book is "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It."


Bio:

About Jim Wallis

Excerpt:

Taking Back the Faith

Interview:

Rescuing Religion from the Right

Book:

"God's Politics"

More on Beliefnet:

Make Room for Pro-Life Democrats

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