James , thanks for investing the effort to so thoroughly debunk the latest nonsense from Jim Wallis. But in addition to substituting ideology for theology, Wallis is also practicing a breathtaking hypocrisy. For years, Wallis has been sanctimoniously denouncing his opponents for their failures of “civility” and demanding a return to “civility.” (See for example here and here ; this is also a theme in his books.) Then he turns around and demonizes his opponents, describing them as extremists who oppose even the most basic foundations of human civilization— hostes humani generis , if you will. Alas, this is not his first offense .
When he’s doing his civility shuffle, Wallis likes to quote “blessed are the peacemakers.” As C. S. Lewis remarked about a person not much different from Wallis: “The real pacificus is he who promotes peace, not he who gasses about it.”
Lift My Chin, Lord
Lift my chin, Lord,Say to me,“You are not whoYou feared to be,Not Hecate, quite,With howling sound,Torch held…
Letters
Two delightful essays in the March issue, by Nikolas Prassas (“Large Language Poetry,” March 2025) and Gary…
Spring Twilight After Penance
Let’s say you’ve just comeFrom confession. Late sunPours through the budding treesThat mark the brown creek washing Itself…