As I mentioned in my earlier post, I recently read the book by Stephen Mansfield, “The Faith of Barack Obama”. I came across this book as part of joining Thomas Nelson Publishers new expanded book review process, by which they are recruiting bloggers to review the books they publish. With the election cycle drawing to a close, I thought it would be good to read about where our possible (and soon, as it turns out) president began his faith journey.
The book is very insightful as to how Mr. Obama has formed his faith, beginning with his interesting upbringing with a family of little faith, on to his upbringing with a Muslim step-father. His journey, while one I don’t relate to, having grown up in the evangelical culture of the south, is one that seems to be shared by many in our society today. He spent much of his young adulthood searching for meaning, until finding his faith at a church in Chicago. Much controversy has swirled around Rev. Wright, the pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ, during the election, but beyond the racial and political controversies, there is within the church something that all believers hold dear, that of working to make a difference in the lives of those around us. It is something that has driven Mr. Obama during his political career.
The book is a great read, and very insightful into the events that shaped our new President’s faith and character. It gives me hope that, in spite of my differences in some of the beliefs that Mr. Obama holds politically, that his faith will keep him from moving our country farther from God. I am very glad that we are seeing more talk of faith and God from the political left, and that the assumptions that the only persons of faith were Republicans were wrong.