The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life

This book is so refreshing and just simply well-written and desperately needed. Top 3 best faith & politics books I've ever read. It's completely different from what we're being offered. The inclusion of Dallas Willard's spiritual formation works is unique. Dallas Willard fans will really love this book and if you haven't read Willard, I don't think it'll be a problem. It's digestible, but I still had to take one chapter at a time. The application of VIM, the new term "political therapeutic deism," the disappearance of moral knowledge in political considerations, how gentleness is for politics too (SUPER challenging)... Wear charts new territory. It's an election year and things are already ugly. I've already been pretty tired, but this book excited me because it feels like I can do something about becoming a better person. Buy this book for the friend who is struggling with anxiety around politics. Buy this book for someone who thinks being mean and nasty in politics is just "how it is." Buy this book for your pastor who will face so many questions from their congregants. I'm grateful this book exists and is imagining something new.

A welcome voice for civility in our society. Well researched and thoughtful book. So much respect for Michael and his work!

This book is a clarion call to people of all political persuasions to attend to our spirits, engaging in the public arena from a place of integrity, compassion, morality, and trust in God as the ultimate end.Writes Wear, “We reject anger and fear, but we offer compassion and understanding for those who are angry and afraid. What is most worthy of scorn is the cultivation of fear and anger…political merchants who artificially promote fear and anger for self-gain.”This book challenged me as a pastor to think past the anxiety of an election cycle and into the deeper, formative practices of my congregation. It encouraged me as a parent to engage more faithfully in local political projects. And it helped me see through the rancor of the 24-hour news cycle into the heart of a God who is joyful, steady, and sovereign over it all.Highly, highly recommend.

Smart, accessible and formational, this book gave me tools to face another tense presidential election season with faith and grace. Highly recommend!

Michael R. Wear is author of the new book, The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life (Zondervan, January 23, 2024, 254 pages). The book has been endorsed by Tish Harrison Warren, Russell Moore, Christine Caine, John Ortberg, Joshua DuBois, Ben Sasse (former Nebraska Republican Senator, now President of the University of Florida; his 2018 book Them, which covers somewhat similar ground as Wear’s new book, was a bestseller and favorably reviewed by this writer), Chris Coons, James Catford, Elizabeth Bruenig, Kaitlyn Scheiss, Tim Shriver, Justin Whitmel Earley, and Annie F. Downs.Before getting into the contents of this book, it might be well to offer some background on Mr. Wear.He is originally from Buffalo, New York, and is happily married to his wife, Melissa, and they have two daughters.He and Melissa put out the “Wear We Are” podcast. (I’ve listened to some episodes here and there.) The weekday episodes open with a Scripture reading and close with an original translation of the Lord’s Prayer, and include reports and commentary on daily news. The weekend edition features banter between Michael and Melissa on current issues. The Wears come across as down to earth and “normal,” and Michael is often restrained and careful in his commentaries (still often coming down on Democrat talking points, though – check the 2-11-24 dialogue on border legislation and on Biden’s alleged declined fitness).He is the President and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, founded in late 2022. The group recently released its 2024 Fellows, which seem to have been well vetted and most biographies list the members’ church affiliation and family status. Many in this group are members of conservative evangelical churches like Presbyterian Church in America, Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Acts 29, and Evangelical Free Church in America. Michael and Melissa identify as evangelicals themselves.Mr. Wear was also recently named to the Board of Bread for the World, an anti-hunger group founded by late Missouri Synod Lutheran minister Arthur Simon. Bread is formally nonpartisan, but, practically speaking, they get far more support from Democrats than Republicans for their emphases.In addition, Wear is on the Board of the Ploughshares Fund, which is against nuclear proliferation and mentions climate change as a matter of concern. The group has a press release titled, “Ploughshares Fund is outraged by the Supreme Court ruling that overturns Roe v. Wade.”Wear’s previous book, Reclaiming Hope, goes into his background as a young staffer for the Obama administration. In that book, Wear did take issue with Obama’s position and actions on same-sex marriage (Obama was a huge cultural influence in supporting same-sex marriage, which Barack Obama at one time claimed he opposed – he rarely gets called out for his dishonesty on that). Nevertheless, Wear remains overall sympathetic to former President Obama. For some people, that is all we need to know.In 2020, Michael was an activist against the reelection of Donald Trump, which basically amounted to his supporting Joe Biden as a binary choice. His goal was to remove enough Christian support for Trump so that Biden made it electorally, and some polls suggest that Michael was successful in doing just that. Thus, one can in a sense “credit” Michael as a player who helped elect Biden. Is he trying to do roughly the same thing in 2024?In recent remarks, Michael criticized Vice President Kamala Harris’ radical pro-abortion position and he and Melissa would no doubt regard themselves as at least relatively conservative Democrats – but Democrats they are.In reviewing this book, I don’t think that one can get around that. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Michael remains somewhat of a political actor.So, now to the contents of Michael’s latest book.Some might be surprised how theological it is. The book draws heavily on the late Christian, evangelical philosopher, Dallas Willard, who wrote some award winning books. Willard was a philosophy professor at the University of Southern California and also served on the board of Biola University, a conservative Christian college. As far as I know, Willard was not overtly political.At one point in his book, the rhetoric is a little hard to follow, but Mr. Wear takes issue with the Calvinist-Baptist pastors John MacArthur and Albert Mohler (who both were favorable toward Donald Trump’s reelection in 2020) and the liberal president of the New York City-based well-known liberal seminary, Union Theological Seminary, Serene Jones. Michael indicates that a “middle” path between MacArthur-Mohler and Jones is one to consider. However, Michael does correctly observe and takes issue with the fact that Jones denies Christ’s physical resurrection and virgin birth, denies that God acts in answer to prayer, and denies the afterlife. Although Michael does criticize Jones, he is far too weak in doing so. Anyone who doesn’t believe in the resurrection of Christ is still in his sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17 and the whole chapter). MacArthur-Mohler and Jones are not equal in their “errors” (if indeed MacArthur-Mohler are in error). MacArthur-Mohler uphold the historical, biblical, fundamental doctrines of Christ and Jones does not.Wear makes a couple of questionable statements, such as “You will find little evidence that Jesus’ primary concern in the Gospels is ensuring that people know how to get to heaven after they die” (His whole purpose in coming to earth was to make it possible for people to get to heaven when they die – John 14 and many other Scriptures). And quoting Willard, ““Jesus is the most presumptuous person that ever lived” (odd phrasing in my view).Having said that, a large bulk of what Wear, drawing generously on Willard, says is well taken, i.e., citing the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, spiritual disciplines: service over othering, solitude and silence, secrecy or “anonymous service,” taking study seriously, and more. Michael in my opinion offers some very helpful tips on news consumption, which I try to follow myself in my own reading as well as on loyaldefender.info blog.The points that Wear makes on these subjects are sometimes excellent.Given Jesus’ statement that his kingdom is not of this world, Wear in my opinion overdoes it in emphasizing the importance of politics. One can read this book and take the advice Wear gives in terms of relating it to the Christian life, and leave out the politics. There is a study guide for group use of Wear’s book.I customarily give a numbered rating to a completed book, and I give two stars to this book. The Wears are concerned about Christian piety and they seem to in many ways admirably model that in own their family and personal life. Read with discretion, one can certainly get some things out of this book. One should have one’s eyes open (AND I MEAN TOTALLY OPEN) as to any background political agendas that may exist, though.

Interesting read in today’s climate. Definitely worth reading.

I have followed Michael Wear's work for many year and recently gotten to know him personally and his latest book captures and consolidates so much of the wisdom he has shared in other contexts and yet in fresh, invigorating way. From his keen analysis of the present, toxic state of our politics, to the reminder of the simple yet powerful practices and disciplines that can make it better, to the vision he casts for what could be different, this book both challenges and inspires.

This book has made me stop and read long excerpts to anyone around me so many times. It’s filled with so much wisdom and has grown me in my commitment to approach politics with Christian faithfulness. I’m so thankful to have this resource.